Tusculum women’s lacrosse inks Deryn Candelaria
Deryn Candelaria has signed a national letter of intent to attend Tusculum College and play women’s lacrosse for the Pioneers announced TC head coach Jenna Handshoe.
Candelaria, a 5-6 defender, is wrapping up her prep career at Duragno High School in Durango, Colorado. She is anchoring a defense that is allowing a conference-low 7.3 goals per game. This season, she has recorded 25 takeaways and 30 ground balls, while scoring goal and winning 21 faceoffs.
She earned Defensive Most Valuable Player honors a year ago and is a two-time Player of the Game selection in 2013 and was a member of the 2012 Southwestern League Conference champions and was the recipient of the Keeper of the Lacrosse Award at the Vail Shootout that same season.
Candelaria also lettered on the Durango softball team for two seasons.
“Deryn is a versatile player. She is a smart defender that uses her speed to her advantage,” said Handshoe. “She has the capability to play every position on the field which will be a big asset to our team.”
Tusculum College, located in Greeneville, Tenn., is affiliated with the Presbyterian Church, USA and is a NCAA Division II member of the South Atlantic Conference. Tusculum, the oldest college in the State of Tennessee, sponsors 16 intercollegiate sports, including women’s lacrosse, which will be competing in its first season during the 2014-2015 academic year.
Tusculum, the 28th oldest college in the nation, is a liberal arts institution committed to providing a liberal arts education in a Judeo-Christian and civic arts environment, with pathways for career preparation, personal development and civic engagement. Approximately twenty-one hundred students are enrolled on the main campus in Greeneville and three off-site locations in East Tennessee. The academic programs for both traditional-aged students and working adults served through the Graduate and Professional Studies program are delivered using focused calendars whereby students enroll in one course at a time.
