Hall of Fame
Sherry Valera-Veneziale is the first women’s soccer player to be inducted into the Cal U Athletic Hall of Fame.
Cal U women’s soccer attained NCAA Division II varsity status in 1990 and Veneziale was one of the program’s first marquis players that helped the transition from a club sport.
She starred for the Vulcans from 1992 through 1995 and was a two-time all-conference and all-region (NSCAA/UMBRO) selection. The standout center-forward received NCAA Division II All-America honors in 1994. She is still the school’s career leader in goals (40), points (103) and her 23 assists ranks fifth in school history.
She scored a school record 19 goals and 44 total points in 1994, which remains the standard 13 years later. Her single-season goals and points total that year remain seventh and 11th best respectively in PSAC history. Veneziale’s fine all-round play helped the women’s soccer team achieve its first two winning seasons at the NCAA Division II varsity status.
Veneziale led the 1992 and 1994 teams to school-best identical records of 12-5-1 as well as a 10-win season in 1993.
In 1995, with the Vulcans depleted by a series of injuries, she sacrificed her individual statistics and moved to the center-midfielder position and helped the team win seven games with two ties, including a school-record 10 goals in the season-finale shutout win over Waynesburg.
She played under 2007 Mid-Mon Valley All-Sports Hall of Fame inductee Dennis Laskey, the dean of Vulcan head coaches who coached the women’s program from 1991 through 2001 and is in his 24th season with the men’s team this fall.
“I enjoyed Dennis and thought he was a great coach with (assistant coach) John Martins,” Veneziale said. “They made me love the sport even more. You could joke around with him but you also knew when Dennis was serious and it was time to play ball. I had great coaches in high school that taught me the finesse of soccer but then Dennis knew so much about the sport and helped me get to another level.”
Several of Sherry’s teammates included her younger sister, Dawn, along with potential future Hall of Fame women’s soccer players Audrey Dawson and Kim Kottmeier.
“Audrey was such an excellent defender and Kim and I played up front together and even roomed together in an apartment,” reflected Veneziale. “It was so much fun and we just clicked together. Those years playing in college were my best ever.”
Though her junior season was one for the record books, Veneziale looks back most fondly to her senior season.
“That junior year I had so many goals, this and that, but my senior year Dennis had me playing center-mid and I absolutely loved having control of the whole field,” Veneziale said. “I really though that was perhaps my best season compared to the year before at center-forward. We had injuries and Dennis had his hands full keeping 12 girls happy on the team so I did not care where I played. I was just going to do it the best I can.”
Originally from Glenside, PA, and a graduate of Abington High School, Veneziale did not start playing soccer until the seventh grade. She was a four-year soccer starter and helped the Ghosts win a district title her junior year. Veneziale was also a scholastic standout in field hockey and Abington also won a district championship in that sport during Veneziale’s era.
After earning her bachelor’s degree at Cal U in business management, Sherry served as an assistant girl’s soccer coach for two years at New Hope (PA) Solebury High School, where her husband, Joe Veneziale, was the head coach.
She also continued her brilliant playing career after her Cal U days by playing one season with the Roslyn, PA Soccer Club and then played three years with the nationally respected United German-Hungarian Team and helped UGH reach the state cup finals.
Making the most of her education as well as athletic collegiate career, Veneziale also worked as an office administrator for seven years. She worked for two environmental companies before raising her family and even played an additional season with Roslyn.
Thirteen years later, Veneziale’s spirit for her college days remains strong.
“I loved the school and I always tell younger cousins of mine that are getting ready to go onto college to look into Cal U,” she said. “I loved being away from home and met so many new friends. I loved soccer and the fact that my teammates were my group of friends. Playing a sport in college kept me focused and out of trouble.”
Not so surprisingly, Veneziale is thrilled and proud to receive her alma mater’s highest athletic honor.
“When Dennis called to tell me I was more shocked than excited,” Veneziale said. “One of the girls that I played with at UGH was inducted into her school’s Hall of Fame which I thought was amazing and now it’s happened to me. I can’t believe it. This is something I will have forever. Considering I started playing late in life this is such an accomplishment and I am proud of all the coaches who taught me how to play. I’m so surprised because there such as Kim and Audrey were players that played with me that were just as good.”
The Cal U Hall of Fame banquet is part of Homecoming festivities at Cal U which fitting for Venziale, who will return to campus for the first time since graduating.
I spoke to someone last summer who recently visited Cal and when I spoke with her she just went on and on about how beautiful the campus looks,” said Veneziale. “The Student Center was the only new building when I was there so I can’t wait to see Cal again. Audrey and I keep in touch through e-mail and she’s been dying to have me out for an alumni game and I just have not been able too. This will be awesome.”
The Venziales reside in Willow Grove, PA, with their two children, six-year-old Sarah and Ryan, who is three.
