Danielle (Faretta) Trego's list of accomplishments as a women's tennis player at Bloomsburg University from 1996-2000 would likely dwarf her small frame.
The Altoona Area High School graduate holds the school records for most career singles wins (98), most singles wins in a season (26) and most doubles wins in a season (22 with Erin Bartsch), and most doubles wins in a career (50, with Cara Evangelista-DeCicco).
The four-year team MVP also won two PSAC Flight One singles titles, three Flight One doubles titles and earned All-American status in 2000 by ranking 20th in the nation in Division II women's tennis.
Now Trego is slated to receive perhaps the biggest award of them all. On Nov. 2, she'll be inducted into the Bloomsburg University Athletic Hall of Fame. She is just the second women's tennis player to snag the honor, joining Justine Landis (1985).
"She was a coach's dream," Husky coach Marty Coyne, himself a former tennis All-American for Bloomsburg, said. Coyne was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1998.
"One thing I remember about her - she was fiery," Coyne said. "And she wasn't loud on the court, but there was a lot of emotion that ran through her. She wasn't out there like a [John] McEnroe or a Serena Williams, where you could see it. She had a quiet fire, but it burned just as hard and just as bright."
That "quiet fire" also led Faretta off the court. In 2000, she was named a GTE/CoSIDA third-team Academic All-American. That same year, she collected the Division II Arthur Ashe Leadership and Sportsmanship Award from the International Tennis Association for her accomplishments in the classroom and as an athlete.
"She handled herself with class," Coyne said. "That's the one word I would use to describe Danielle: She was a classy lady. And it didn't matter where - in the classroom, on the court, traveling with the team. She kept it together."
He added that he hasn't coached any team with better character than the squads led by Trego.
"She led the team in a beautiful direction for four years," Coyne said.
Trego said she received a letter two months ago from Tom McGuire, the sports information director at Bloomsburg, telling her she would be inducted in November.
"I was really shocked and excited at the same time," she said. "It's truly an honor." Despite the many accolades she received as a student-athlete, she said she can appreciate this one the most, "now that I'm older."
Trego, an optometrist at Central Penn Vision Associates, is now godmother to the child of her old doubles partner and close friend, Cara (Evangelista) DeCicco. Trego has a daughter of her own, 2-year-old Natalie, and is expecting another baby in October with husband Matt. Although her life no longer revolves around tennis, Trego said she was particularly pleased about the award because it brought back fond memories of her college days.
"My teammates and I were all very proud to play and win for Bloomsburg," Trego said. "This award is like an extension of that time and the feeling of being part of something bigger than yourself."
As the current head tennis coach, Coyne will introduce Trego to the stage at the Hall of Fame dinner in November. He's looking forward to making the speech, and to spending the weekend with Trego, DeCicco and other former players.
"She was just so much fun to coach," Coyne said. "The four years went by so quick - I would have loved to have her here longer."
For the evening, at least, Trego will be back among her old teammates and coach.
"[DeCicco] and I would give anything to be able to go back and play one more match," she said. "I cherish the time I played tennis for Bloomsburg, and this award makes my accomplishments and memories that much sweeter."
Trego was a three-time District 6 singles champion at AAHS and four-time finalist from 1992-95.
She won more than 100 matches for Altoona, which went undefeated in team matches during her four years of scholastic play.
