DSU Hosts Record-Breaking Special Olympics Eastern Fall Sectional

DeSales University welcomed nearly 1,000 athletes and more than 800 volunteers to campus on Oct. 5 for the Special Olympics Eastern Fall Sectional, marking a record-breaking year for volunteer participation.

This was the first round of Special Olympics competition, where the athletes compete with the opportunity to advance to the Fall Festival at Villanova, which takes place on Nov. 7-9. The event featured six sports: volleyball, soccer, flag football, powerlifting, long distance running and walking, and bocce.

I had the opportunity to lead this year’s event as event director. Planning began in November 2024, and I was fortunate to work alongside a team of eight directors and a 70-person committee. Joining the leadership team were Kasara Ostroff ’26, director of human resources; Adam Perone ’26, director of special events; Jack Sague ’27, director of competition; Evan Colburn ’27, director of support services; Janáe Topor ’26, director of administration; Thomas St. Pierre ’26, director of the treasury; Sasha Crawford ’26, secretary; and Helana Alesha ’28, director of decorations. Together, we coordinated all aspects of the day, from the opening ceremonies to medical, and recruiting volunteers.

In addition to hosting the sectional, our DeSales Special Olympics team launched the University’s first Polar Plunge, which raised $26,000 to support future events. Over the past year, the group has raised more than $30,000 to enhance the athlete experience.

In the end, the event was incredibly successful, and a testament to both the athletes’ hard work, and the students’ dedication to make the day one to remember. Seeing the smiles on all of the athletes’ faces at the end of the day, brought so much satisfaction to every member on the committee.

The event truly encapsulates who we are as a DeSales community, and we cannot be more excited to begin planning the next Polar Plunge very soon. We encourage all to participate in future Special Olympics events and are extremely grateful to host the Eastern Fall Sectional at DeSales every October.