Senior Spotlight: Chris Ponticello

Goalie and team president, Chris Ponticello, has committed an immense amount of time and energy to the Blue Hens over the past four years. Hailing from Center Moriches, New York, he has been devoted to hockey since the age of four and devoted to playing goalie since the age of six, admitting that it sounds crazy. Stemming from his father’s love of the New York Rangers, Chris was born into a hockey family. His brother and all of his cousin’s grew up playing the sport.

Chris reflected on his time with the team and why he was eager to assume the role of president for the 2019-2020 season. “I wanted to be involved in leadership. I thought I would do well and help the team be better since there was a time when the team wasn’t in a great place. Sophomore year, I was made the class rep, and that’s something that grew with me as I got older on the team. Eventually, I became president.” A leader on and off the ice, Chris is also an unbelievable Broomball player and can play a few songs on the ukulele. Although it may seem that he can do it all, he admits that he’s a terrible cook. 

Playing in 36 games this season, Chris was the starting goalie for the Blue Hens. He finishes this year with a 3.51 GAA and a .908 SVS%. He also broke the All-Time Single-Season save record with 1,175+ saves this year. 

Delaware’s reputable hockey program was Chris’s deciding factor when choosing a school for undergrad; He almost went to NC State. He ultimately committed to UD for the great animal science program and the opportunity to continue his hockey career between one of the three club teams. He also loved the campus and of course, the hockey arenas. His first game with this program was his most memorable hockey experience, “It was awesome. I was thrown into the game in the third period because our starter got thrown out, so they had no choice. It was even better because we were playing against Stony Brook University in my hometown.” He went on with a smile recalling when the team swept Stony Brook last year at their arena, something that had never been done before. His last favorite hockey memory with the Blue Hens was this season when Tommy Cascone scored against NYU in the shootout. 

Chris elaborated on the relationships that he will miss with his teammates. “Living together, practices, games, winning, losing. The fact that we do everything together, we’re a brotherhood. The fact that I get to spend all this time doing what I love in terms of hockey – with my best friends. I’ll never do it again.” One of the more profound seniors, he had great advice for the team going forward, “Don’t take it for granted. In terms of underclassmen, it goes by really quick. Be proud to be on this team and to represent Delaware and what the program stands for. It’s such a privilege. Treat everyone with respect and enjoy it. Cherish it. Enjoy every second no matter what.”

20 Questions:

1. Kate’s or Grottos?  “Kate’s. Except for Saturday afternoons: *Grotto’s.”
2. Regular wings or boneless? Regular.
3. If you could have any superpower what would it be? To fly.
4. Most embarrassing moment ever? “I completely embarrassed myself in a microbiology lecture that I had with Greg. The professor was teaching about reproduction and I misheard him and thought he said “semen” instead of “cement” and so I asked for more of an explanation and the teacher was on the floor laughing and called me cement for a while.” 
5. If you could choose one song to sing on American Idol, what would it be? Dancing on my Own by Callum Scott.
6. Who is your celebrity crush? Jennifer Aniston.
7. Dream vacation spot? Hawaii.
8. What’s the best prank you’ve ever played? “I used to leave cheeseburgers in Greg’s room.”
9. What’s one thing you can’t live without? Italian food.
10. Favorite meal of the day? Brunch.
11. Dress up or dress down? Dress up.
12. Who is your role model? Dua Lipa.
13. If your life was made into a movie, who would play you? Mark Wahlberg.
14. Best pickup line? “Are you from Tennessee? Because you’re the one Ten I See.”
15. Is it “Pork Roll” or “Taylor Ham?” “Neither.”
16. If you could eat dinner with any three people, dead or alive, who would they be? Henrik Lundqvist, George Washington and Albert Einstein.
17. Who is your favorite Disney princess? Ariel.
18. You’re a new Crayola crayon color, what’s your name? “Montana Rocky Mountain Sky Blue.”
19. Is it a great day to be a Blue Hen? “Always.”
20. Ready to graduate or not? “No.”

-Georgia Mottola