On October 26, one of the Mission Valley YMCA’s Deep-Water Runners, Susanna Occhi, will be inducted into the University of Delaware’s Athletic Hall of Fame! Susanna is considered one of the true pioneers of women’s athletics at the university of Delaware, where she served as the “Blue Hen’s” first basketball and volleyball coach.
A native of Argentina, Occhi served as the University of Delaware’s first volleyball head coach in 1972 and led the squad to an 18-13 record, as well as a spot in the Eastern Association of Intercollegiate Atheltics for Women. She set the foundation for a program that has gone on to post seven conference titles and eight national tournament appearances!
Following her stint at University of Delaware, Susanna moved to Princeton University, where she became the Women’s Volleyball Head Coach from 1974-84. Additionally she led the men’s volleyball program there from 1973-76 and earned NCAA Coach of the Year honors before moving on to become the ssistant Coach of the Argentina National Team at the Pan American Games in 1983! If you see Susanna the next time your are visiting the Mission Valley Y, stop and say hi!
