Special Olympics Delaware announced the roster for the 44-member delegation that will represent the state at the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games.

The event is being held June 5–12, 2022, in Orlando, Florida.

Team Delaware is comprised of 29 athletes, nine coaches, four staff members and two students from Caesar Rodney High, who will attend as part of the Unified Champion Schools Youth Leadership Experience.

The delegation will compete in seven of the 19 Olympic-type sports offered: basketball, bocce, bowling, powerlifting, swimming, tennis and track & field.

Basketball: Jesse Benson (Dover), Malik Bradford (Wilmington), Eric Bruce (Wilmington), Jayquan Butcher (Dover), Timothy Jones (Wilmington), Jeffrey Marconi (Hockessin), David McElrath (Wilmington), Anthony Thomas (Wilmington), Elerece Thomas (Dover), Jerome Watson (Seaford); Head coach Kevin Koerner (Townsend), Assistant coach Ed Capodanno (Wilmington), Assistant coach Scott Tamblyn (Newark).

Bocce: Nicole Baker (Newark), Rory DiLouie (Lewes), Charles Permint (Milford), Kimberly Strunk (Milford); Head Coach Pamela Cannon (Harrington).

Bowling: Allen Burke (Millsboro), Matthew Montgomery (Wilmington), Michele Ogden (Bear), Devin Wineland (Milton); Head coach Rose Dagg (Newark).

Powerlifting: Sterling Johnson (Newark); Head coach Terry Lemper (Townsend).

Swimming: Christine Arancio (Ocean View), Austin Archer (Wilmington), Kristen Hanifee (Millsboro), Brian Perry (Frederica); Head coach Diana Behrens (Newark).

Tennis: Katya Bowers (Millville), Carl Williams (Newark); Head coach Jill Wallace (Wilmington).

Track & Field: Jillian Mathews (Felton), Deshawn Scye (Laurel), Christi Theron (Wilmington), Steven Turner (Newark); Head coach Kylie Lavelle (Wilmington).

Youth Leadership Experience: Ammar McNair (Camden-Wyoming), Alex Failing (Dover); Nate Threatts, mentor, SODE Manager of Unified Champion Schools (Dover).

Official Delegates: Head of Delegation: Kylie Frazer, SODE Director of Sports (Bear); Asst. Head of Delegation: Cheryl Talmo, SODE Director of Sports Training and Health (Newark); Team Fitness Coordinator: Rob Bailey, SODE Sussex Area Director (Millsboro).

The Special Olympics USA Games are held every four years. Athletes were selected for Team Delaware based on their performances at the most recent state-level competitions.

College soccer

MEN, Rutgers 2, Delaware 0: The Scarlet Knights scored twice in the first 30 minutes of the game before downing the Blue Hens in their season opener.

Rutgers, which is now 3-0-1 all-time vs. Delaware, out-shot the Hens 13-11 and finished with a 6-2 advantage in corner kicks. UD goalie Gonzalo Bartoli made four saves.

WOMEN, Monmouth 2, Delaware 0: The Hawks netted a goal in each half before handing the Blue Hens (1-2) their second loss in a row.

Monmouth (3-0) out-shot Delaware, 9-8, and held a 6-3 edge in corner kicks. It was the first time the two teams met since 2018.

College volleyball

DSU hosting tourney: The Delaware State volleyball team begins its fall season by hosting a four-team tournament in Memorial Hall this weekend.

The Hornets face St. Peter’s today at 4 p.m. before Bucknell and St. Francis-Brooklyn square off at 7 p.m. The tourney continues with four contests on Saturday.

Delaware State posted an 11-5 overall record during an abbreviated spring schedule and qualified for the MEAC Tournament for the first time since 2010.