What happens when you come to a Delaware Online High School Sports Media Day?
You get to see some old friends, make some new friends and bask in a little bit of superstar treatment.
Those opportunities drew a record 103 teams to the two fall sports media days previewing the 2026 season, with 37 teams spreading across the gymnasium at Woodbridge High School on Aug. 11 and 76 teams taking over every corner of Abessinio Stadium in Wilmington on Aug. 12.
“You see so many familiar faces,” said Brynn Ellis, a junior on the Concord field hockey team. “It’s so good to see everybody again. We’ve seen a ton of players we know, across all sports.”
Football, field hockey and girls volleyball teams from every Delaware high school were invited. The players and coaches posed for portraits taken by professional photographers, answered questions that will be edited into entertaining videos and enjoyed free food.
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They also received some valuable exposure, especially athletes from smaller schools.
“I think it’s good to get players’ names out there,” said Zoe Hamilton, a junior on the Red Lion Christian girls volleyball team. “It’s good to represent your school.”
A lot of that exposure – including hundreds of photographs – will be shared on Delaware Online and the @DEGameDay Instagram page over the next couple of weeks.
Between the two venues, players and coaches from 40 football teams, 39 volleyball teams and 34 field hockey teams took part.
“It gives our young student-athletes the opportunity to start fresh. To shoot for something,” said Dave Baylor, executive director of the Delaware Interscholastic Athletic Association, who talked with several players and coaches at Abessinio. “It’s a new beginning, a new season. Everybody is 0-0 now, and everybody has the opportunity to compete for a state championship.
“Now comes the hard part. What are they willing to put in? What are they willing to do? How hard are they willing to compete to be a champion at the end?”
That hard part begins with football practices on Aug. 13, with workouts in the other fall sports to follow shortly.
Delaware Orthopaedic Specialists served as the presenting sponsor for both events. Caruso’s Pizza and Pasta in Georgetown provided lunch at Woodbridge, while Bachetti Brothers Catering provided lunch at Abessinio.
Thanks to Woodbridge football coach/athletic director Marvin Dooley and his staff for providing an outstanding venue for the downstate event.
Thanks to director of stadium operations Kevin Weeks, Salesianum football coach Gene Delle Donne and Sallies athletic director Katie Orga Godfrey for showcasing Abessinio Stadium for the upstate event.
Contact Brad Myers at bmyers@delawareonline.com. Follow on X: @BradMyersTNJ. Follow us on Instagram: @DEGameDay
This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware Online High School Sports Media Days draw record 103 teams