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Spotlight on Former Athlete: Corbello, Delahoussaye (2000) helped make soccer history at UL

Corbello, Delahoussaye helped make soccer history at UL 

Bruce Brown
Written for the Athletic Network

Bruce Brown  BBrown@smgpo.gannett.com  Sept. 15, 2011

This story is a copyrighted enterprise by Bruce Brown.

When they were college students, Anne Corbello and Ashley Delahoussaye were too busy living life to put things in an historical perspective.

But now, more than 10 years later, the two local products can look back and appreciate the roles they played in 2000 as founding members of UL’s Ragin’ Cajun soccer program.

"I don’t think I was aware of it at the time," Delahoussaye said. "But once I left school, I realized that we’re the reason why it all began to happen."

"It’s hard to say, as college athletes," Corbello said. "You appreciate it, but you don’t see the full picture until 10 years later. Now they have players from all over the country and from other countries.

"I remember the first team meeting and that sense of excitement, to be able to finally play at home with our friends and family present. But, I don’t know if we realized what a big step it was."

It was especially meaningful for Corbello, a former St. Thomas More standout who had been at Louisiana Tech but returned home to play for UL.

"I was ecstatic," she said. "I wanted to be home for college. It was an opportunity of a lifetime. I was excited. Most of us were local that first year, so we had either played with or against each other."

Delahoussaye, like Corbello a product of the Lafayette Youth Soccer Association who went on to star at STM, had played soccer since she was 5 years old and is still involved with the sport as a coach.
She takes pride in being the only member of the original freshman class of players to play a full four years.

"I had a good experience with it," Delahoussaye said. "Obviously, we struggled the first couple of years, but then we were able to win 8 or 9 games in both my junior and senior years.

"I was definitely happy to be part of the first team, and out of the 7 freshmen who started, I was the only one to play all four years. As the program has grown, more players have done that, but I was the first."

Corbello was planning to play more than one year as the team’s goal keeper, but fate intervened.

"I had a fifth year of eligibility, but I tore my ACL in the preseason," she said. "That was probably the disappointment of my life. I trained hard, trying to get back, but the NCAA wouldn’t grant me an extra year, so I coached instead.

"It was a wonderful experience. It was fun to recruit and get players to fall in love with UL and Lafayette."

Both players credit founding head coach Dave Poggi for launching a program out of a notion.

"Poggi was intent," Corbello said. "He was instrumental in my becoming a Division I player. He knew how to have a good time. He also demanded that we have the best Division I experience. On the road, we would go to other games, tour cities. He wanted our experience to be a good one."

"I enjoyed playing for him," said Delahoussaye, whose field vision enabled her to be an effective offensive weapon for Poggi. "He was a huge reason why we had so many local girls."

"He was very motivating. Even that first season, we went into every game to win. That was our belief, our mindset, because of our leader. He fought for us having our own field and stadium."

The Cajun program originally played on recreational fields at Lafayette’s Moore Park, then played at Cajun Field in 2002 and 2003 and now has a home at the track/soccer facility.

"It’s neat to see how the program has grown," Delahoussaye said. "Now they have their own stadium, field and locker room. And, they’re more competitive now."

Delahoussaye is currently a physical therapist at Rosewood Rehab, but remains part of the game as a select program coach for the Division I Lafayette Force, a three-time Louisiana state champion squad.

"I’m passionate about it," she said. "It’s my fifth season, and I definitely want to continue. I’ll probably stay at the club level, instead of going into college coaching. I already have a full-time job."

Corbello is a physician’s assistant who plans to transition from neurology to orthopedic practice and is eyeing the possibility of being a sideline medic. She also remains attached to soccer, serving as coach of a U5 boys team.

In many ways, their lives have run parallel – advancing through youth soccer, starring at St. Thomas More, playing at UL, choosing medical careers and making sure that future generations appreciate the game they love.

And, they’ll always have that bond as players who made history.

This story is a copyrighted enterprise by Bruce Brown.

Click here for information/photos of the first season for the Women’s Soccer team.

Click here for the Soccer (W) Photo Gallery, then the year you wish to view.

Our rich athletic traditions were entrusted to the vision, hope, loyalty, and dedication of those former athletes and we will forever owe them a debt of sincere gratitude. May God bless each of them and their families.

Anyone with information, materials, pictures, memorabilia, etc., of the university’s former athletic program participants is requested to contact Ed Dugas at athleticnetwork@louisiana.edu   Thank you.

The Photo Gallery Link located on the left side of the home page at www.athleticnetwork.net contains over 10,000 pictures of former and current athletes and support groups.  Just click on photo gallery and when the menu appears, click on the sport or support group you wish to view. The years of pictures posted for that team or group will appear and you may click on the year you wish to view. One click on a thumbnail picture or narrative and it is enlarged; a click on the enlarged photo and it reverts back to the thumbnail.

The Athletic Network seeks to post pictures of each team and support group for each year they represented the university.

The stories of the 2009 and 2010 honorees featured in the Spotlight on Former Athletes are still included in the News Page and may be viewed by clicking on "more news" at the bottom right of the News Box, scrolling down, clicking on the title of the story. Those spotlight features which are no longer shown in the News Page, have been moved to the Lagniappe Link of the "History of UL Athletics" located on the left side of the home page.

The Spotlight on Former Athletes announcement has also been placed in the profile of each honoree, excluding the pictures.

2011
Bruce Brown continued as feature writer.
January – Ashley Rhoney and Bret Garnett 1988 Tennis
February – Craig Perks Golf 1989 & 90
March – Eddie Baseball/Basketball 60-63,Coach 67;Ross Mouton Basketball 03-07
April – Kim Eisnaugle Chaffin Softball 1983-86
May – Grady Labbe’ Hunt Track & Field 1989-1994
June – Mike Heinen Golf 1986-89
July – Kyla Hall Holas Softball 1991-94
August – Charles Wimberley Track & Field 1953-56
September – Chris Gannon Football 1984-88, Coaches 1995-2000
October – Anne Corbello, Soccer 2000-02, and Ashley Delahoussaye, Soccer 2000-04 

2010
Bruce Brown became feature writer.
January – Andrew Toney Men’s Basketball 1976-80.
February – Orlando Thomas Football 1991-94.

March – Rocky Guidry Football 1990-93, Track & Field 1991-94.

April – Track & Field Network & March 20, 2010 1st Annual Track & Field Reunion.
May – Keisha Ray Owens Williams Track & Field 1991-96.

June – 2000 College World Series Baseball Team.

July – Thirty Years of UL Softball.
August – 1970 Cajuns Measured Up (Football). 
September – Boxing Program (1930-1947).
October – Dr. Sam Foreman Baseball & Basketball 1940-42
November – Rhonda McCullough, Women’s Basketball 1986-90
December – Athletic Network-from concept to reality-its mission and practices

2009
Ed Dugas served as feature writer.
January – Tim Thompson  Men’s Basketball 1957-61.
February – Gene Bacque  Baseball 1956 & 57.
March – Dr. Louis Bowers – Tennis 1956-58, Track 1955, Coaches 1964-66.
April – Dr. Carter Lomax, Jr. Tennis 1974-76.
May – Johnny Morris, Jr. Football 1927-29,Men’s Basketball 1927-30,Track & Field 1928-30, Golf 1927-28, Coaches 1947-49 .
June – S.L.I.I. Athletic Pioneers I
July – S.L.I.I. Athletic Pioneers II
August – 1912 – A Special Year – First L’Acadien
September – Glenn Davis Lafleur Football 1966-69
October – Bill Bass – Boxing 1938 & 39, Football 1938-40, Coach 1971-75 & 1983
November – Tom Nolan – Cross Country & Track & Field 1971-76, Coaches 1978-83
December – Military Personnel – Military Page posted

2008
Ed Dugas served as feature writer.
January – Alvin Dark  Football, ’43; Basketball, Baseball, Golf, Track, ’44; Coaches, 1947.
February – Alyson Habetz  Women’s Basketball 1991-95 and Softball, 1991-94.
March – Ron Guidry  Baseball 1968-70.
April – Edgar "Glynn" Abel  Baseball 1939, Track & Field 1937-39, Football 1937-39.
May -Christian Keener "Red" Cagle  Baseball 1925-26, Basketball (M) 1922-26, Football 1922-25. 
June – Paul "Buddy" Short  Golf 1962-65.
July – Louis "Louie" Campbell  Boxing and Football 1940-41.
August – Dudley Wilkins  Track & Field 1933-35.
September – Brad Hamilton  Football 1963-66. 
October – Brian Mitchell  Football 1986-89.
November – Kimberly "Kim" Callaway Morvant   Volleyball 1988-91.
December – Kenneth "Mike" Stansbury  Weightlifting 1956 – 1957.


2007
Ed Dugas served as the initial feature writer and continued until Bruce Brown began writing in 2010.
June – Michael Langston Football 1973-77;
July – Hollis Conway Track & Field 1986-89;
August – Leigh Hennessy Gymnastics/Trampoline 1976-1980;
September – Dean Church Basketball (M) 1961-65;
October – Dr. David Fisher Football 1946-49 Track & Field 1947-50;
November – Kim Perrot Basketball (W) 1986-90;
December – John McDonnell Cross Country/Track & Field 1966-1969;

Peace, Ed Dugas

Ed Dugas, Coordinator
Athletic Network
athleticnetwork@louisiana.edu 
(337)482-0999