Robert DeFelice Field, the home of Bentley baseball, is named after the legendary coach and athletic director.
Coach DeFlice passed away in October 2024. He was Bentley's head baseball coach from the program's inception in 1969 through the 2022 season, was the Director of Athletics from 1991 to 2020, and was named Baseball Coach Emeritus in 2022. DeFelice's tenure as Director of Athletics featured growth, success on the playing fields and excellence in the classroom for Falcon student-athletes.
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DeFelice oversaw multiple capital projects throughout his career, significantly improving the university's athletic facilities. There was the renovation of the football field and the addition of the Robert DeFelice Baseball Field, the grass soccer field and track.
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He also oversaw the 2006 renovation of the Dana Center, including the construction of a new fitness center, food court and the Carleton Room (for functions and meetings), and he was instrumental in the building of the Bentley Arena, as well as the expansion of the women's varsity athletic locker rooms. His final project as the renovation of the softball field, which was completed two years ago.
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Under DeFelice's leadership, the hockey team was elevated to Division I, there were more than 100 Northeast-10 championships and NCAA tournament appearances in ten team sports and several individual sports, and both women's basketball and field hockey captured NCAA Division II national championships.
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It was on the baseball diamond where DeFelice found his most enjoyment and coached the Falcons in more than 1,800 contests. He touched the lives of hundreds of student-athletes.
