Wayne’s Andrew Daly To Attend the US Naval Academy, Joining His Older Brother

WAYNE, NJ - The US Naval Academy will be welcoming a second member of Wayne’s Daly family to its ranks this fall. Detective Captain Dan Daly is the Wayne Police Department Public Information Officer, Director of the Township’s Office of Emergency Management, and now the proud father of two sons who will be attending the US Naval Academy together.

His first son, and namesake, Dan Daly was accepted two years ago, spent a year in the Academy prep school, and has just finished his first year as a plebe. His younger brother Andrew has just finished his prep year, and is in Annapolis now with his brother Dan.

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Wayne's Andrew Daly to Attend the US Naval Academy Photo Credits: Daly

“[Andrew] was just ecstatic, and so were we,” said Captain Daly about his second son’s acceptance. “I mean to have two of them there is just incredible.”

According to Andrew Daly, he has spent his entire life being inspired by the devotion and leadership of his hospital worker mother and police officer father, as well as tales of his grandfathers on both sides of his family who served in the military. He was raised with a strong belief in loyalty and duty to his country and did not hesitate when his skills were recognized by the Navy Academy.

“I started pursuing [the Academy] in 8th grade when my older brother first started getting recruited,” he said. “And then over the next couple of years, through lacrosse, they recruited me."

Though he was a solid student academically, Andrew believes it was his achievements in lacrosse that played a huge part in his acceptance to the Naval Academy. But it’s not just sports and/or academics that can get you accepted to a military academy.

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“Besides just the actual application,” Andrew Daly explained, “You have to get recommendations from a senator, and you have to make medical appointments for everything. It's a big, long process, but then when you get the official letter that's signed by the superintendent and everything…it's an awesome feeling when it shows up at your door.”

After receiving his acceptance letter, he then attended the Navy Academy’s own preparatory school in Newport, Rhode Island for the 2023-2024 school year.

“It’s supposed to somewhat mimic your freshman year at the Naval Academy. They teach you all about marching and life in the military, and you get a good chunk of the classes that you’ll take as a freshman,” he said.

Wayne's Own Andrew Daly Enters the US Naval Academy Photo Credits: Daly

There is also a very active lacrosse team at the prep school, because many of the students who go there are athletes.

“They sent about 10 other recruits, besides me, there, and we picked up a couple of walk-on players and were able to play a full lacrosse season,” said Andrew. “We play the army prep school and a bunch of the other boarding schools in the area, so you play a full season just like you would at the Academy.

“And we only lost one game this season,” he added proudly.

There’s still more preparation, as Andrew is also about to undergo the Academy’s summer program soon.

“It’s six weeks,” he said. “You have no phone, and every day you wake up around 5:00 AM. You go through physical workouts, then you have to memorize a bunch of stuff out of the book, and the whole time you’re getting screamed at by older upperclassmen at school. It's really just military indoctrination and getting ready to be a member of the military.”

Then, come this fall, the two Daly boys will attend the academy together.

The Daly family is proud of both of their son’s commitments and skills as they follow this arduous path to serving our country. And, who knows, maybe in a few years, another Daly may make similar choices.

The third Daly son, Liam, is a freshman at Seton Hall Prep this year, so there’s still plenty of time left before he will make the decision to either follow in his brother’s footsteps or blaze his own path.

No matter the outcome though, Wayne Township should be honored to have such a devoted and patriotic family like the Dalys serving our country and our community.

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