Denise Zelenak

Denise Zelenak has been a fixture on the Drexel sidelines since 1995. She helped reshape the Drexel field hockey program. When Zelenak took over at Drexel, the Dragons were coming off a winless season and had just one season above .500 since joining the ranks of Division I. Since then, she has led the Dragons to two NCAA Championship appearances and made the program a perennial candidate for a spot in the Coastal Athletic Association Championships.

In her 30th season at the helm, Zelenak led the Dragons to their fourth CAA Regular Season Championship in program history, posting a 14-6 overall mark. Zelenak was named CAA Coach of the Year for the second time in her career as the Dragons earned a perfect 6-0 record against conference opponents in the regular season. This included a win over nationally ranked Monmouth. Zelenak recorded her 300th career win in a come from behind victory against Wagner in double overtime, becoming one of 23 coaches at the DI level to earn this achievement. She also sits top-ten in wins among active coaches in Division I. Valentine Van Hellemont was named a NFHCA Second Team All-American, the eighth in program history to receive this honor and the first since 2012. Van Hellemont also received CAA Player of the Year honors, while Pien Elsen was selected Defensive Player of the Year.

Drexel finished with a 14-6 in 2023, the most wins since 2012. This included a win over No. 20 UAlbany at home, and a victory over Philadelphia rival Villanova. Zelenak helped lead the Dragons to a third consecutive appearance to the CAA Tournament, falling to William & Mary in the Semifinal game. DU had eight All-CAA honorees, with Valentina Van Hellemont taking home CAA Rookie of the Year. Eline Di Leva and Van Hellemont also received All Mid-Atlantic Region awards

In a stellar year, Zelenak led the Dragons to a 12-8 record in 2022 and the team returned to the CAA Finals for their first appearance in a decade. The Dragons defeated top-seeded Monmouth in the semifinals, 3-1. In the finals, Delaware prevailed to claim the conference title. Zelenak had five of her student-athletes named to All-Conference teams and had two NFHCA DI All-Region selections in 2022.

Zelenak has twice been named the NFHCA Mid-Atlantic Region Coach of the Year. She won the award for the first time in 2000 and became a repeat winner in 2009. In 2009, she led the team to a school-record 19 wins, including three against top 20 teams during the regular season. The Dragons started that year with five straight wins including an upset of No. 10 Duke at Buckley Field. The Dragons lost in the CAA title game but were rewarded with an at-large bid. Drexel shocked the field hockey world by defeating nationally-ranked UConn before falling to top-overall-seed Maryland in the NCAA Quarterfinals.

The Dragons would go back to the NCAA Tournament in 2012. Zelenak and her team finished the year with a 15-7 record. Five of those wins came against nationally-ranked teams, highlighted by a 1-0 win against No. 5 Duke. The Dragons were the top seed in the CAA Championships and defeated Northeastern in overtime at Buckley Field to advance to the school's second NCAA Tournament.

Zelenak attended West Chester University where she was a member of a highly successful Golden Rams program that ranked in the top 20 in Division I throughout her playing career in the late 1980s and early 1990s. She earned Regional All-America recognition and was an Olympic Festival participant. In 1989, she played for the U.S. National Reserve Team before graduating in 1991 with a degree in health and physical education. She was inducted into the West Chester University Athletics Hall of Fame as a Class of 2015 member on September 19, 2015.

A former captain of the Puerto Rican National Team, Zelenak represented Puerto Rico multiple times in 2002-2003. In 2003, she was honored with Puerto Rico’s Female Athlete of the Year Award. Additionally, she was a co-captain of the US Women's National Indoor Team from 2004-12 and claimed silver twice at the Pan Ams.

A native of Warminster, Pa., Denise and her husband, James, reside in Wilmington, Del. They have three sons, Paul, Gray and Jack and two grandson, Hayes and Lee.