Cabrini University Athletics

Cabrini College came around a just the right time for Kelli Romano.

“I wasn’t really sure what I was going to do,” Romano said.  “Jackie (Neary) showed up at one of my games, pregnant and pushing (daughter) Jackie in a stroller. And I just fell in love with her.”

One trip up the tree-lined driveway and the rest, as they say, was history - women’s lacrosse and women’ soccer history to be exact.

In her four years, Romano led the Cavaliers to five Pennsylvania Athletic Conference (PAC) titles, including four consecutive women’s lacrosse titles.

Romano earned All-PAC women’s lacrosse accolades in each of her four seasons, including the 2004 PAC Player of the Year honor.  Romano remains the program’s career points and assists leader with 333 points and 124 assists, while her 209 career goals rank third.

Her incredible 2002 campaign remains the only season in program history in which a player recorded over 100 points, as Romano tallied 104 points on 65 goals and 39 assists.

On the soccer pitch, Romano recorded 35 career points on 13 goals and nine assists.  She also earned All-PAC Honorable Mention in 2003, as she led the Cavaliers to the PAC title.

While her statistics and honors are written in stone, her energy level is just as memorable.  Romano was a double major, played two sports and worked.  She even considered playing basketball, but thought her body needed a break.

“Playing sports has always been a big part of my life, like my hobby,” Romano commented.  “It’s something I continue to do now.  It has always helped me organize my time.”

After working all summer, Romano always looked forward to the start of the soccer preseason.  She looked forward to being among the first students on campus and spending time with coaches and teammates.

Romano also expressed similar sentiments for the annual women’s lacrosse trip to Florida.

“They were unbelievable times,” Romano said.  “The opportunity to spend time together and get to know each other went a long way to the team success we had.”

When reflecting on her years in the Blue and White, Romano said “the woman I am today is due to what I experienced at Cabrini.  I learned so much about myself in dealing with teammates, coaches, faculty and staff.  

“Taking a word from the College’s tagline, it was definitely extraordinary.”