Get the latest Syracuse news delivered right to your inbox. Subscribe to our sports newsletter here.

Throughout her college career, Dalani Stephens worked with her father, David, on the little things — elements that aren’t typically noticed in a midfielder. David, who was a two-time Olympic javelin thrower for the United States, was the perfect person to guide her.

David showed Stephens how to improve her reaction time, keep her center of gravity low on and off the ball and to use both sides of her body to make plays. This, in a sense, mirrored a javelin thrower’s need for balance and arm control when making a throw.

That was just one of many lessons Stephens picked up from her father. David used his experience as an Olympian to guide Stephens’ soccer development. This helped her embark on a five-year Division I career — including four years at the University of North Carolina Greensboro and one with SU — which ended following Syracuse’s Oct. 31 defeat to Boston College.

Stephens was the youngest of five children in her family. Despite her parents’ efforts to get their children to run track, Stephens’ older siblings committed to soccer.

So, she followed suit. At Woodgrove High School (Virginia), Stephens was named a varsity starter all four years, where she won the Virginia High School League 4A State Championship as a junior in 2019. She also played for the Louden Soccer Club and Braddock Road Youth Club Soccer, propelling her to become a D-I athlete.

“(BYCS) created the same environment as colleges do because you were required to bring your homework (to games),” David said. “When those girls got out of that program, there were no surprises going into their freshman year.”

While her success on the field during high school was memorable, Stephens believes her father’s guidance off the field impacted her play the most. With five children who each intended to or already played college soccer, David stressed the importance of remaining active and urged his kids to try new things away from the field.

For Stephens, this meant surfing, hiking, biking or even jumping on her father’s Olympic-size trampoline in the backyard during the offseason. Sometimes, David even let his kids practice throwing small rubber javelins he kept in the garage.

Hailey Hoang | Design Editor

After Stephens’ graduation, it didn’t take long for her to narrow down her college options, eventually committing to UNCG. She quickly adjusted. Less than halfway through her freshman year, she had cemented herself as the team’s go-to center back. By the end of her four seasons with the Spartans, she had started in 60-of-67 contests and notched three goals and an assist.

“(Stephens) was the heart of the team. The ball would go through her a majority of the time, and she was like a mentor to me just because of the way she played,” UNCG midfielder Mel Herrera said.

Swapping between center back and midfielder, Stephens’ contributions weren’t usually evident on the scoresheet. Current UNCG head coach Stefani Workman felt she still played a significant role in its success. While the coaching staff often placed her in multiple spots across the midfield, Stephens proved to be a key piece. Her high passing percentage and ability to win key defensive duels across the pitch made her stand out.

“Dalani had some of (her father’s) super competitiveness in her. The standard for herself was always very high, and she never needed anyone to tell her she needed to work harder,” Workman said.

With the increased level of play, Stephens knew there were increased expectations. Her father was no stranger to performing under extreme pressure. Despite the differences between javelin throwing and soccer, David helped his daughter see the two sports were similar.

On the mental side of her game, David often relayed an important message to Stephens that he learned from his Olympic doctor known as the 15-second mentality. If he ever felt bothered by something from the past, whether it was a mistake on the track or anything else going on, he tried to let it go after just 15 seconds to relieve any internal pressure on himself.

When Stephens learned of the idea, she caught on almost instantly. Now, David believes she has the tactic mastered.

“I think Dalani has (the 15-second mentality) down really well. If you meet her, you’ll notice she’s a pretty damn happy person because she doesn’t carry anything on her shoulders,” David said.

Following her four years at UNCG, Stephens became one of three graduate students on SU’s roster and started all but three of its games. Despite her graduate season not ending as she had hoped, Stephens still provided a consistent distributing presence for Syracuse’s offense. Stephens wouldn’t have been in this position without her father’s guidance along the way.

“My dad is seriously the most hard-working man I’ve ever known, it’s really inspiring,” Stephens said. “I’m so grateful that he’s my dad, and I tell him that all the time.”

Published on November 13, 2024 at 11:43 pm

Contact Matthew: mgray06@syr.edu