Hi Everyone!
My name is Ellie Traggio and I’m a senior defender on the University of North Carolina women’s lacrosse team. Recently I became a Wears Woody athlete and was asked to share my story via this blog. While we did win the 2025 National Championship, this blog will capture the ups and downs, the high and lows of being a college athlete.
Falling asleep on Saturday night, the night before the National Championship Game, was the hardest part of the journey. So close to what we had worked for, but so far from completing the goal. Sunday held the biggest, most important moment of my athletic career: The National Championship. After finally getting some sleep, I woke on Sunday, May 25, 2025 ready. We packed our bags, loaded the bus, and headed to Gillette Stadium. After what felt like hours of warming up, the whistle to start the game finally blew. From the beginning of that game, I knew we were going to win. I could just feel it. My teammates and I celebrated every little detail throughout the quarters, as thousands of fans watched. We were up with ten minutes left in the fourth quarter and you could already feel the buzz. Five minutes left, still playing just as hard. Two minutes. One. Then I felt it.
As I went to change direction, pain shot through my knee. I knew instantly - I tore my ACL. I got helped off the field and was immediately evaluated by our medical staff. Soon after, my trainer looked me in the eyes and said, “Ellie, whatever happened, it will be okay because you just won the National Championship.”
The horn sounded to end the game, and sticks went flying. Two of my amazing teammates helped to carry me onto the field and into the celebratory pile. That moment will forever be one of the best feelings I have ever experienced. Pride, joy, love, shock, excitement, you name it. I can’t remember a day where I smiled more. The rest of the day went by with the blink of an eye. We ran up to our parents, cut the net, celebrated at the tailgate, and then chartered back to Chapel Hill. I was on crutches through all of this, but barely paid any attention to my injury because nothing could stop me from enjoying every minute of our win.
I knew surgery was inevitable, but there would be time to deal with the pain, but today, for the rest of the day, nothing could diminish the joy of the victory.