University of Delaware Athletics
Delaware Standout Elijah Conte Receives One Love?s YRL Unsung Hero Award
5/26/2016 2:10:00 PM | Men's Lacrosse
NEWARK, Del. -- University of Delaware senior Elijah Conte, a top defensive midfielder for the Blue Hen men's lacrosse team and a passionate contributor to numerous community services events throughout his career at UD, has been selected as the winner of the 2016 YRL One Love Unsung Hero Award.
This national award is given annually to one male and one female Division I lacrosse player who demonstrate dedication, integrity, humility, hard work, community service, leadership, kindness and 
sportsmanship - all qualities Yeardley Love exemplified throughout her life. Temple University's Kara Stroup shared the award with Conte. Both were selected from a pool of nominees from throughout the nation.
Conte and Stroup represent the best of college athletics, and were chosen from a pool of outstanding nominees. As winners of the award, they will receive a special bowl and the One Love Foundation will donate $250 to a charity of their choice.
A survivor of childhood cancer, Conte will graduate from Delaware this Saturday after serving as a tri-captain and defensive midfielder on the men's lacrosse team.
A lifelong athlete, Conte has become an amazing role model for young people, and has used his platform as a student-athlete to help others.
Conte has forged special friendships with young cancer patients fighting a similar battle to his earlier experience, and has led his team's efforts in raising money for the Headstrong Foundation. He also volunteers with McVey Elementary School Mentoring and the B+ Foundation, which supports individuals and families fighting childhood cancer.
Conte was diagnosed with High-Risk Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) when he was two years old and was given a 20 percent chance for survival. He endured four years of chemotherapy and numerous surgeries and was told at the age of seven that he would never be able to play competitive sports because the treatments he received.
He survived, beat the odds, and became an outstanding football, basketball, and lacrosse player at Glen Ridge (N.J.) High School. During his time at Delaware he was a key member of Shillinglaw's squad as a defensive midfielder. He played in 61 career games and collected 51 groundballs and 25 caused turnovers while scoring three goals and dishing out three assists. He served as a team co-captain during the 2016 season.
“Sharing my story and my battle with cancer helps show individuals and families that there is a light at the end of tunnel,” said Conte. “As a Division I athlete at UD I have used the platform it provides to try and help as many people that I possibly could. I am forever grateful for the opportunity this great University has given me.
The One Love Foundation was created in 2010 to honor the memory of Yeardley Love, a University of Virginia senior lacrosse player who was beaten to death by her ex-boyfriend just weeks before graduation.
After her death, Yeardley's family and friends were surprised to learn the statistics – that 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men in this country will be in a violent relationship in his or her lifetime and that young women ages 16-24 are at three times greater risk. Today, One Love's ambitious goal is to end relationship violence by educating, empowering and activating young people in a movement for social change.
FOR MORE INFORMATION: Contact Scott Selheimer | selheime@udel.edu | Office: 302-831-8007 | Cell: 302-562-5129
