Salesianum School football coach Gene Delle Donne has received a one-game suspension from the DIAA due to inappropriate comments made on a podcast. These remarks, which hinted at the existence of a transfer portal for high school football in Delaware, violated DIAA rules. Caravel Academy, having opted not to field a varsity football team in 2026, will need to re-enter at the Class 3A level if it returns in the future. The DIAA will now manage the football classification process to enhance transparency and communication among member schools.

By the Numbers
  • Delle Donne has led Salesianum to the Class 3A state championship in 2023.
  • Caravel's 2025 football roster had 39 players, with 10 freshmen and several students transferring out for senior year.
Yes, But

The fallout from Delle Donne's comments highlights ongoing challenges with transparency in high school sports classification and governance, raising questions about the oversight process and its implications for schools.

State of Play
  • Delle Donne has accepted the suspension and completed a sportsmanship course.
  • The DIAA competition committee will now supervise the classification process for football to address previous criticisms of transparency.
What's Next

Following this incident, the DIAA is expected to implement more stringent oversight measures for team classification, potentially impacting how high schools organize and field their teams in the future.

Bottom Line

The suspension of Gene Delle Donne serves as a reminder of the critical need for maintaining integrity and compliance in high school sports, while also highlighting systemic issues within the state's classification practices that require urgent reform.