To travel from Senigallia, Italy, to Calihan Hall in Detroit one would have to travel 4,556 miles (about 7332.17 km). Considering that one would have to catch a connection flight, the trip is over 13 hours long, something that graduate senior and Senigallia native, Edoardo Del Cadia is more than familiar with.
The 6-foot-8 forward, who goes by “Edo” for short to those around the basketball program, turns 25 on March 10, around the same time his college career will end upon Detroit Mercy’s elimination in March.
Del Cadia is the 14th oldest player in NCAA Division 1 basketball and is the oldest Detroit Mercy athlete across all sports, presumably the only one with a 1999 birthdate.
He came to the United States at 19 from Myerscough College in the UK, which Del Cadia described as a tough but rewarding experience, except for the British cuisine which he simply described as “bad.”
Six years and five colleges later, Del Cadia is still an entire ocean and countryside away from the familiar Adriatic Coast, but he incorporates a little bit of home every day, cooking for himself as well as teammate/roommate Mak Manciel.
Del Cadia has been bringing the heat to the kitchen on the court as well this season, posting a career high in every statistical category except free throw percentage, averaging about 9 points, 6 rebounds and 2 assists per game as of Feb. 21. This improvement, which has been a common theme among interior players during the Mike Davis era, has led to Edo playing the best basketball of his career since he averaged a double-double at the JUCO level in 2020.
After his dominance in junior college, Del Cadia landed in Sin City at UNLV for a season starting six games and averaging about 3 points and 3 rebounds per game for the Rebels.
He would then spend the next two years at Nicholls State in Louisiana, missing the ’21-22 season with a torn ACL before rehabbing back to a 3.9 ppg and 2.9 rpg senior campaign with the Colonels last season, which was supposed to be his last. That was until an old professional basketball connection threw the Italian into one more year of college in Detroit.
Edo’s dad, Danilo, played with coach Mike Davis back in Italy, setting up a perfect reunion between the two.
Del Cadia said, “I was ready to start my professional career, but after going to some camps it wasn’t looking like the best option.”
Coach Davis needed a forward and Del Cadia came through for him, sometimes being the only big on the floor for the Titans for entire games.
Del Cadia spoke extremely highly of Coach Davis, citing his ability to change personnel and be adaptable as a main catalyst for his growth on the court this season, a season in which he described as a “resume builder” for him on his way to a hopefully extensive professional career.
