Jessica Cortellino begins her first season as a student assistant with the Blue Hen field hockey team after wrapping up her four-year playing career last season.
She played a big role in Delaware's amazing turnaround in 2009 as she helped lead the squad to an 11-win improvement with a record of 14-6. Delaware captured the Colonial Athletic Association Tournament title with wins over James Madison and top-seed Drexel in Philadelphia to earn a berth in the NCAA Tournamen. Delaware, ranked No. 11 in the final national rankings, fell to No. 6 Michigan State in the opening round.
Prior to joining the coaching staff, Cortellino was a member of the squad from 2005-08. During those years, she appeared in 40 career games along the Blue Hen forward line.
As a sophomore in 2006, she started two games and scored her first career goals. That season, she found the back of the cage against Rutgers on September 10 and Temple on September 22. She was also credited with the game-winning goal against Saint Joseph’s on September 17 when she successfully converted the team’s final stroke in a 3-2 shootout victory.
A native of Harrington, Del., Cortellino starred for Lake Forest High School prior to arriving in Newark. During her time with the Spartans, she led the team to four consecutive Henlopen Conference Southern Division Championships and the 2003 conference title.
On an individual level, she earned first-team All-Conference and second-team All-State honors during her senior campaign. She was also an honorable mention All-Conference selection as a junior in 2003.
A strong all-around athlete, Cortellino also earned four letters in softball and three as a basketball standout. During her career on the diamond, she earned All-Conference laurels, while she was named the best offensive player of the year as a senior member of the basketball team.
Cortellino is currently an exercise science major at Delaware.
