Lee DelleMonache '82

Sports have been a constant throughout Lee (Mirenda) DelleMonache’s life. With two older brothers, Anthony ’76 and John ’79, who played on Holy Child Academy teams, it was only natural for Lee to become interested in sports. Lee, a 1982 alumna of HCA, played basketball, softball, and field hockey.

“My favorite memory of sports at HCA is that (Holy Child) Sister Barbara Foy taught me how to do a layup,” Lee said. “I have vivid memories of that gym, the basket we were at and what she taught me to do.”

Lee was named MVP of the girls’ basketball team in Eighth Grade but later experienced disappointment as a freshman at Archmere Academy. “I got cut from the basketball team,” she said. “That was very hard to go through, but I made the team the next year.”

As an athlete who played sports from grade school through her freshman year at Cabrini College, it shouldn’t be surprising that Lee’s career also involves sports. She was recently appointed as the director of the Institute for Sport, Spirituality and Character Development at Neumann University. Lee had worked as the strategic planner of the Institute since 2005.

While exploring master’s degree programs, she decided on sports management at Neumann. “I got excited reading each course description,” Lee said. “It spoke to my heart and my soul.”

Her master’s research focused on the integration of the mission of Catholic colleges and universities into their athletic programs. During her studies, Lee did her graduate internship with the Institute. “That is how I fell in the love with the work and the mission of the Institute,” she said. “I can’t imagine doing anything else.”

The Institute strives to emphasize the spiritual and ethical dimension in sports and to transform perspectives and inspire behavior that reflects an awareness of God's presence in our lives.

“Sports are too important to our culture not to have a positive impact on it,” Lee said. “We strive to help those involved with sports to deepen their relationship with God even further, to help them move a little further on their faith journeys.”

Lee noted that her work at the Institute connects with Cornelia Connelly’s motto, Actions Not Words. “I will never ever forget the motto,” Lee said. “It really is true in the work I’m doing now with college students.  I tie that back to my time at Holy Child.”

In addition to her work, Lee has been married to husband David for more than 16 years, and they have two sons, Anthony (AJ) and Steven.