2010 (JUNIOR YEAR)
Hit .228 with 28 hits including a double and six homers, while batting in 19 runs with a .382 slugging percentage...Started in 46 of 49 games all at third base for the Nittany Lions...Started all five games at the Hotel Encanto Invitational (2/12-14) at third base, hitting clean up...Went 2-for-4 with four RBI, home run, run scored and game-winning walk off RBI single vs. Colorado State (2/12)...Went 1-for-4, hitting a three-run homer at New Mexico State (2/13)...Posted 1-for-3 day vs. UC Santa Barbara...Went 1-for-3 with an infield RBI single, making four putouts and six assists vs. San Diego State (2/20)...Hit a two-run double and scored a run vs. Towson (2/27)...Went 1-for-3 with a run vs. Delaware (2/27)...Went 1-for-2 with an RBI and two runs scored vs. Morehead State (2/28)...Missed two games on Mar. 5 due to stomach illness, which limited time to pinch-hitting role vs. Ball State (3/6), getting on base with a hit by pitch...Started next game vs. FIU (3/6) at third base, but appeared as a pinch hitter at South Florida (3/7), earning a seventh-inning walk that would eventually lead to the game's tying run...Put together a four-game hitting streak after returning from illness full-time, going 1-for-4 vs. Saint Joseph's (3/10), Kennesaw State (3/13), Southern Illinois (3/13) and Florida Gulf Coast (3/14), going 2-for-3 vs. FGCU...Posted 2-for-3 day with a two-run home run against Saint Francis (3/24) in Game Two of a doubleheader...Went 2-for-2 in the second game of a doubleheader vs. Minnesota (3/27) with a run batted in...Hit a two-run home run in the second game at Kent State (3/31)...Posted 2-for-3 day at Purdue (4/4) highlighted by a seventh-inning go-ahead solo home run...Went 1-for-3 with a single in Game One vs. Pittsburgh (4/6)...Hit game-winning home run in fifth inning of second game against Michigan State (4/14), the 19th career HR, which ranks fifth all-time in PSU history entering 2011...Hit two singles with two runs scored against Iowa (4/25)...Went 1-for-1 with an RBI single at Northwestern (5/1)...Went 1-for-3 against Ohio State (5/9)...Posted 2-for-4 day with a run scored and a walk, while making eight assists at Indiana (5/14). 2009 (SOPHOMORE YEAR)
Started in all 46 games for the Blue and White...Belted 24 hits with a team-leading seven home runs in 116 at-bats...Sported an on-base percentage of .303 and a slugging percentage of .422...Knocked in 19 RBI...Walked 13 times...Slapped four doubles...Had a career day at Illinois (3/22) going 3-for-4 with five RBI and three runs scored thanks to a career-high two homers...Hit in four consecutive games from Feb. 7 to Feb. 14...Had a 1-for-2 day with two RBI and a run scored vs. Cal State Bakersfield (2/7)...Knocked home one and scored twice behind 3-for-4 hitting against George Washington (2/14)...Went 1-for-2 and walked twice with a run scored and an RBI vs. Nebraska (2/28)...Hit successfully in 9-of-13 games from Mar. 7-Apr. 1...Went 1-for-4 with two RBI and a run scored behind a double vs. eventual national champion Washington (3/13)...Went 2-for-3 with three RBI and a home run vs. Arizona (3/14)...Hit a two-run home run against Northwestern (3/28)...Smacked five home runs in six games from Mar. 14 to Mar. 28...Had a 1-for-3 day with an RBI and a double vs. Michigan (4/1)...Had a single against Kent State (4/14), Minnesota (4/18) and Michigan State (4/29), respectively...Went 2-for-2 with a walk and two runs vs. Indiana (5/2). 2008 (FRESHMAN YEAR)
Played in 50 games for the Nittany Lions while starting 47 times...Was one of two on the team to successfully complete all of her stolen base attempts, going 2-for-2...Had three triples and six home runs while hitting .256...Hit a two-RBI home run with first career hit against Michigan (2/17)...Went a perfect 2-for-2 with two runs scored in an 8-0 shutout of Appalachian State (2/23)...Hit a two-RBI home run in an 8-0 victory over Syracuse (2/24)...Went 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double and a run scored in a 9-3 win over East Carolina (2/24)...Recorded a double against South Alabama (2/29)...Hit a home run in a 3-0 shutout of Southern Miss (3/1)...Went 1-for-3 with an RBI single in a 3-0 upset over then No. 9 LSU (3/1)...Had a 2-for-2 day at the plate with an RBI double in a 5-1 win over Maine (3/8)...Registered a double and a triple with three RBI in a 7-0 victory over Dartmouth (3/14)...Went 1-for-3 with a two RBI double in a 10-2 win over Toledo (3/22)...Recorded an RBI double in a 5-1 victory over Youngstown State (3/23)...Went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and two runs scored in a 13-4 win over Miami (Ohio) (3/23)...Had a career-high five RBI with a home run in a 15-3 victory against Bucknell (3/25)...Registered a two-RBI single and scored twice in a 9-1 win over Saint Francis (3/26, game 2)...Went 2-for-3 with a two-RBI double against Purdue (3/28)...Recorded a three-RBI triple and a home run in a 13-0 shutout of Illinois (4/5)...Hit a two-RBI triple in a 2-0 victory over Wisconsin (4/13)...Went 1-for-2 with an RBI single and a run scored in a 7-0 shutout of Maryland (4/16)...Recorded a career high six at-bats against Northwestern (4/25)...Hit a walk-off home run in a 4-3 victory over Michigan State (4/27). BEFORE PENN STATE
Named Second Team NFCA High School All-American senior year...Named First Team Northern Hills Conference all four years...First Team All-State Group 2 and First Team Essex County sophomore, junior, and senior years...Set James Caldwell High School records for most career RBI and home runs...Led her team to 2005 State Championship...Team also finished Northern Hills Conference champions her last three years...Named Essex County Pitcher of the Year junior year and Essex County Player of the Year senior year...Led team in stolen bases and home runs all four years...Team captain senior year... Four-year letterwinner in soccer. PERSONAL
Desiree Jean Giordano was born on March 2, 1989 to Michael and Mary Anne Giordano...Has an older brother, Joe (25) ...Majoring in communications arts and sciences. QUOTING GIORDANO ON PENN STATE
'I chose Penn State because of its academics and the atmosphere. The whole atmosphere was the best fit for me; I fell in love at first sight.' QUOTING COACH PETRINI ON GIORDANO
'Desi plays some of the best third base we have had in a Penn State uniform. She has cat-like reactions and a true feel for the game. Offensively, she has the ability to put the ball over the fence every time she steps to the plate. We are anxious to see Desi have a career year in her final campaign.'
CAREER STATS
Year | AVG | GP-S | AB | R | H | 2B | 3B | HR | RBI | TB | SLG | BB | HBP | OBP | SB-A | PO-A-E | FLD |
2008 | .256 | 50-47 | 129 | 24 | 33 | 7 | 3 | 6 | 34 | 64 | .496 | 21 | 3 | .370 | 2-2 | 146-49-7 | .965 |
2009 | .207 | 46-46 | 116 | 18 | 24 | 4 | 0 | 7 | 19 | 49 | .422 | 13 | 3 | .303 | 2-3 | 66-69-17 | .888 |
2010 | .228 | 49-46 | 123 | 20 | 28 | 1 | 0 | 6 | 19 | 47 | .382 | 21 | 1 | .342 | 1-1 | 60-82-7 | .953 |
Total | .231 | 145-139 | 368 | 62 | 85 | 12 | 3 | 19 | 72 | 160 | .435 | 55 | 7 | .340 | 5-6 | 272-200-31 | .938 |