Delaware’s Francesca “Franki” Barresi Was Destined for the Ice

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Eighteen-year-old Francesca “Franki” Barresi was three months old when she was first introduced to hockey. 

Her mom had left her with her dad for the night for the first time and baby Barresi could not settle down. According to her mom, Barresi had “severe mom attachment,” which led to the continuous wailing. Her dad decided to throw on a Senators game in hopes his little girl would rest. It worked.

“Immediately, I go silent and I’m glued to the screen.” That’s how Barresi tells the story to The Ice Garden.

Dad had fun with his baby girl. He turned off the tv and the crying began again; he switched to a different sport and the weeping continued. Only the hockey game could soothe little Franki. Barresi recalled her dad saying that he knew then that she was destined to be a hockey player.

The Ottawa, Ont. native is a freshman on the University of Delaware’s inaugural hockey team, the first and only Division I hockey program in the state. For Barresi, the experience of playing college hockey is another dream fulfilled, and it’s an opportunity to be part of something greater than herself.

One thing about Barresi’s journey is her perfect timing. Her first exposure to the sport was through a Senators game, only for her to later play her junior career with the Lady Sens. While there was no professional women’s hockey league growing up, Barresi still hoped to play professional hockey. And now, as she begins her college career, the PWHL is entering its third season.

While her aspiration as a child was to play in the NHL, that wasn’t a possibility. Barresi’s dad told her about goaltender Manon Rhéaume, still the only woman to ever play in the NHL. Rhéaume played in a preseason game for the Tampa Bay Lightning in 1992 and 1993. Barresi’s father suggested the NCAA instead, which was still the go-to destination at the time for women’s hockey players. An 11-year-old Barresi accepted the new destination and accomplished that goal years later, when she committed to play for the Blue Hens in the spring of 2024. 

“Since then, I set my mind to it, and I always knew that I was destined to get here because I’ve always worked so hard for everything that I’ve gotten,” Barresi said. “As soon as I knew that there was a path outside of minor hockey for women, that’s when I was like, ‘Okay, this is my goal.’”

Barresi was the first commit to the brand new University of Delaware hockey program. She credited the academics of the university, its many available majors, and head coach Allison Coomey as the reasons she decided on playing for the Blue Hens. 

“[Coomey] stated she wanted Delaware to become a winning program. And I’ve always known that I want to be part of something bigger than myself,” explained Barresi. “I want to help bring something up and her having a vision and a plan to become a winning program drew me in.” 

Coomey has great characteristics, Barressi noted. She’s compassionate and focused on the players’ development. Plus, she cares about how well the players do academically, emotionally, mentally, and physically. Barresi added that Coomey is a great person who is fun to talk to, that she respects her immensely, and that she wants to keep playing for her. 

Beginning a college career alongside a program only weeks into its existence was actually a seamless transition, according to Barresi. She noted that her experience is different from many others due to Delaware’s program being new, but it allowed her opportunities for growth. She added that the coaching staff is exceptional and made sure everyone knew what to expect from Division I hockey, including the pace of play. Barresi has played in all of the Blue Hens’ games and knows this experience will help her in the future.

She admitted there is a lot of pressure — good pressure, the type she said is a privilege — because the team is building a program from the ground up. They are making history almost every time they step on the ice. “That’s something that you don’t come by often, and I think we’re all grateful for that.”

Making history hasn’t been tough for the Blue Hens, especially with the perfectly-timed Barresi in the lineup. In the team’s first game ever, playing Long Island University, Barresi found the back of the net for the first goal in program history, with her parents in the crowd — an accomplishment her coaches all agreed was fitting.

Barresi had been feeling it that week in practice. Assistant coach Melissa Samoskevich was constantly reminding the team to get sticks on pucks. Barresi kept that advice in mind when the puck reached her during the game. 

“I immediately knew this was it,” she said. “My brain went clear and all I saw was me putting the puck in the net. I knew I was going five-hole, because no goalie ever expects that.”

Her parents were seated in that same corner where she scored, and Barresi wanted to give them an unforgettable memory. She couldn’t describe the feeling that came over her when the lights turned off and the buzzer sounded, but said it was her best hockey memory ever.

“I was filled with so much excitement and so much joy, and it wasn’t even because it was the first goal, but because of the fans and the atmosphere and my parents being there,” she described. “It being the first game and being my first game… it was a lot of positive, happy emotions. It was incredible.”

Delaware earned its first win with a 2-1 comeback victory over Holy Cross on Oct. 5. The win was a testament of all the team’s combined efforts. Five players recorded a point, the defense blocked 16 blocks, and goaltender Charlotte Payne saved 48 of the 49 shots she faced. Barresi gave all the credit of the win to Payne, who she said stole the game for them. She added that the win coming over an established Hockey East team said a lot about what the team can do and who they can compete with.

Aside from making strides as the only Division I hockey program in Delaware, the Blue Hens are also committed to expanding the reach of the sport in the state. Though Barresi grew up in the hockey hotbed of Ottawa and had a rink close to her at all times, other players in Delaware, including her roommate Billi Roman, weren’t as fortunate. That knowledge adds to the desire to grow the game as a team that can set the standard for hockey in the First State.

“Our goal is to help bring attention to Delaware as a state and to help little girls become more interested in hockey because they get to see a D1 team play,” Barresi said. “That in itself means a lot to me and to my teammates. It is something that we are humble about and honored to be a part of.”

The rest of the season still remains for Barresi and the Blue Hens. More games are on the docket against teams like Penn State, Mercyhurst, Union, and Brown. Barresi is excited for the rest of the season and eager to see how the team will continue to grow.

“If you compare how we played against LIU to how we played against Syracuse this past weekend, I feel like anybody could notice how much we’ve grown as a team… and how much we’ll be able to impact the league by the end of the year.”