Three brothers from Lower Merion are chasing lacrosse history at Penn State, writes Joseph Santoliquito for The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lucca, Roman, and Peri DiBartolomeo grew up in Lower Merion and attended Malvern Prep, where they built a reputation as a physical, hard-nosed defensive unit.
Now they’re doing the same thing for the Nittany Lions, who won against Army last weekend in the NCAA Tournament after capturing their first Big Ten championship since 2019. Now they move on to play top-seeded Princeton.
Their bond was tested early. Lucca was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma his freshman year at Malvern Prep. The illness forced him to reclassify, ultimately placing all three brothers in the same class. The diagnosis was devastating, but it pulled the family closer. Lucca still carries faded scars on his chest and neck.
On the field, the brothers are a force. Penn State’s defense has held opponents to nine goals or fewer in four straight games. Coach Jeff Tambroni credits the DiBartolomeos directly.
Their goal is a national championship, together. “It would mean even more being on that field with my brothers next to me,” Lucca said.
To learn more about the DiBartolomeo brothers from Lower Merion and the Nittany Lions’ NCAA run, visit The Philadelphia Inquirer.
