Athlete Bio
Softball
9, 10, 11, 12
Michelle Daly Rooney
Class of 2001
The most dominant and decorated softball player in school history, Michelle Daly Rooney was named the 2001 Gatorade Massachusetts Player of the Year before embarking on a successful college career at Boston College.
Michelle grew up in Carlisle, and came to softball at a young age under the watchful eye of her father, Mike, who served as her coach and mentor from a young age. The Daly’s built a batting cage in their backyard, and father and daughter spent countless hours perfecting her craft as a hitter and pitcher.
Daly entered CCHS in 1997 and made an immediate impact under coaches Jerry Moss and Lisa McGloin, earning DCL MVP honors after leading the Patriots to the Sectional Finals as a freshman. Daly went on to win that award in each of her four years, racking up some astounding records and honors along the way as the Patriots won the first of four consecutive DCL titles and made deep tournament runs under McGloin. After posting ERAs of .30 as a sophomore and .22 as a junior Daly’s senior years was almost unimaginable. That spring, Daly recorded a 19-1 record and .20 ERA with 225 strikeouts in 114 2/3 innings pitched and also batted .459 with four home runs and 32 RBI. For her career, Daly posted a 71-4 record in the circle and set CCHS records for career strikeouts and career ERA. Those numbers earned her Boston Globe Div. 2 Player of the Year honors, Boston Herald Player of the Year accolades, an All-Scholastic nod from the MetroWest Daily News and an honorable mention All-American selection by the National Fastpitch Coaches Association.
“My favorite memories are simple…playing softball with my best friends, bus rides to and from games, being coached by one of the best in the game (Lisa McGloin), and supported/guided by the most influential person in my life (my father),” said Daly. “My father passed away five months after high school graduation. He taught me everything I know and instilled confidence, good work ethic, how to be a team player while taking on a leadership role,, and most of all passion. In addition, Lisa McGloin played a huge role in my career from coaching me on her 18 and under team when I was 13, to being an excellent coach in high school to a mentor in college.”
Following CCHS, Daly took her talents to Chestnut Hill, where she was a four-year letterwinner and senior captain for the Eagles as both a Pitcher and DH. Daly was named a BIG EAST Academic All-Star as a junior and senior, and received the Wallace Carroll endowed scholarship in recognition of her talents. Highlights along the way included a 6-0 shutout of Princeton in the 2003 NCAA Tournament and 11 complete games in her career as an Eagle.
Michelle married CCHS classmate Anthony Rooney and now resides in Acton with their sons, Mikey and Billy. Daly has worked in the investment management world.