Carol Cantele ’83, P’15 reflects on her transformative journey at Gettysburg College as a student, coach, and mentor—shaped by community, competition, and a deep commitment to legacy and personal growth.
To celebrate the Class of 2025, Carol Cantele ’83, P’15—a trailblazer, mentor, and national champion—will deliver this year’s Commencement address.
A health and physical education major from Wallingford, Pennsylvania, Cantele helped the field hockey program capture the first-ever team national championship in school history in 1980. She returned to her alma mater in 1992, taking the reins of both field hockey and women’s lacrosse from her former coach and mentor Lois Bowers. In three decades as a coach and senior woman administrator, she took Gettysburg to new levels of success, while empowering her student-athletes to seek transformational opportunities across the breadth of campus.
This past January, Cantele was inducted into the National Lacrosse Hall of Fame, adding to a resume that includes induction in the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Hall of Fame and Gettysburg College Hall of Athletic Honor. She retired from coaching in 2022 after leading the women’s lacrosse program to 446 wins, 13 Centennial Conference titles, and three NCAA Division III championships (2011, 2017, 2018).
Cantele has remained active personally and professionally since hanging up her whistle, taking beach trips with her family, playing pickleball with friends, and guiding leadership development as part of the Gettysburg Leadership Experience.
After more than three decades of coaching and leadership, Cantele reflects on the experiences and relationships that shaped her extraordinary career.
Q: What first brought you to Gettysburg College?
Carol Cantele: Growing up in Delaware County (Delco), I was the youngest of four and always surrounded by sports. My siblings played everything, and I was dragged to all their games—but I loved it. That’s where I learned to think like a coach, even as a kid.
When it came time to choose a college, my parents encouraged me to explore smaller schools like Gettysburg. A close friend who was already at Gettysburg told me she was playing three sports here, which amazed me. When I visited and met Mrs. Bowers and some future teammates—many from Delco—I just fell in love. The people and the atmosphere completely hooked me.
Q: What experiences at Gettysburg shaped who you became?
Cantele: The entire campus was a learning environment. Our coaches were also faculty members, which meant you saw how they taught and led both on and off the field. Coach Lois Bowers had a huge impact on me—she believed in me more than I believed in myself. Gettysburg was a place where people challenged you but genuinely wanted you to succeed.
And my teammates? Lifelong friends. That sense of community and connection stays with you. It’s something I’ll talk about in my Commencement speech—Gettysburg never really leaves you.
Q: Who were some of your most influential mentors?
Cantele: Definitely Mrs. Bowers—she was everything. But there were others, too. Prof. Jack Held from the Education Department used to come to all our games. He really knew us and supported us beyond the classroom.
There was also a quiet, kind housekeeper in Stine Hall named Okie, and she created a sense of community just through her warm presence. And of course, former head athletic trainer Lefty Biser, who taught about mindset and goal-setting long before I ever studied sports psychology.
“Gettysburg has been more than a place—it’s been my journey, my home, and my community. I hope the Class of 2025 carries that same sense of purpose and belonging with them as they take their next steps.”
– Carol Cantele ’83
Q: What was it like returning to Gettysburg as a coach?
Cantele: I literally was handed Mrs. Bowers’ keys and I never took one key off the chain, because it was, to me, a symbol of carrying on her legacy. When I became coach, I asked myself how can I best serve the student-athletes that have entrusted me to lead them and how can I serve their parents, who entrusted me to keep them safe and valued?
We recruited students that were purposeful, played with passion, understood how little things make big things happen, and played with integrity. Those things were non-negotiable. You played four years of collegiate athletics while managing a rigorous academic load—that’s a champion right there.
Q: Gettysburg won four national championships under your leadership as both a student and a coach. What did those victories mean to you?
Cantele: Those wins weren’t just about the team on the field—they were the culmination of years of effort by every athlete who came before. I’m so proud of those women. It gave national exposure to the College and gave alumni a sense of pride. I always told the team, “When you hoist the trophy, remember everyone who helped you get there.”
Q: What are your favorite memories at Gettysburg?
Cantele: Too many to name! The bus rides, spring break trips, locker room shenanigans, seeing the expression on the face of a player when they find out they’re starting for the first time—every moment was meaningful. Even the challenges—injuries, tough losses, COVID—taught us to appreciate the highs even more.
Q: How did you approach retirement after such a successful coaching career?
Cantele: It was definitely an adjustment, but I’ve embraced the new chapter. Retirement gave me the space to explore new interests, but I still set goals—now it’s just me pushing myself. I spend time walking the battlefield, exploring with our two grandchildren, playing pickleball with former colleagues, and traveling with my college roommates.
I also run 5Ks with my daughter and husband each month. Pickleball has been a fun, competitive outlet. I love walking and running—especially with my family—and we’ve fallen in love with the Jersey Shore, where our grandkids learned to ride bikes. I also love to travel and explore new places with my Gettysburg friends. It’s a whole new kind of adventure.
Q: How did your family play a role throughout your career?
Cantele: Gettysburg gave me my greatest gift—my husband, Mike, who worked beside me as an athletic trainer for 30 years. Sharing our passion for athletics has been incredible. Our daughter graduated from Gettysburg in 2015, and Mike’s niece and nephew did too. It’s truly a family affair. My parents came to every game. They used to call me before every match and say, “Carol, what is it?” and I’d have to say, “It’s more fun to win.” Every single time.
Q: How do you feel about being selected as the Class of 2025 Commencement speaker?
Cantele: I’m deeply honored. When President Iuliano reached out, I thought, wow, I tell my players to step out of their comfort zones—now it’s my turn. This place is home, and I want my words to reflect that. This class has done incredible things, and I’m excited to send them off into their next journey.
Gettysburg has been more than a place—it’s been my journey, my home, and my community. I hope the Class of 2025 carries that same sense of purpose and belonging with them as they take their next steps.
This year’s Commencement Exercises will take place rain or shine on Saturday, May 17, beginning at 11 a.m. on the Beachem Portico on the north side of Pennsylvania Hall. For more information about Commencement, please visit the website.
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By Corey Jewart
Photos by Ashley Carbonier ’25, Sidney Keiser/US Lacrosse, Keith Lucas, Carol Cantele ’83, P’15
Posted: 05/09/25