Tory Dello continued what’s already been a busy offseason for Notre Dame on Wednesday by being named one of three finalists for Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. The other nominees are Penn State’s Cole Hults and Michigan State’s Jared Rosburg.
Dello, who will graduate from the College of Arts and Letters in May as an American Studies major, played in all 37 games for the Irish this season. Ten of his 13 points were assists. Naturally, the alternate captain made his biggest impact on the blue line, and his 80 blocked shots were among the most in the NCAA.
Dello’s collegiate highlights include being on Notre Dame’s national runner-up team in 2018, another Frozen Four appearance in 2017, three Big Ten championships and back-to-back Big Ten tournament titles in 2018 and 2019. He recorded 40 points, 33 of them assists, in 154 career games. He blocked 270 shots and had two shootout goals to beat Michigan State over the past two seasons.
