Ellie Traggio ’22 is a sophomore at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC), where she plays as a defender on the women’s lacrosse team. During her time at Hotchkiss, Traggio was a co-captain of Girls Varsity Lacrosse, Girls Varsity Soccer, and Girls Varsity Ice Hockey. As an Upper Mid, she was nominated to the U.S. Select Under-18 women’s lacrosse team and competed for the U.S. at the Brogden Cup in 2021.
Co-captain of Girls Varsity Lacrosse Avery Doran ’24 said, “Ellie taught all of the girls on the team what a true leader looks like. She showed up to practice each day with high energy, a craving to succeed, and a love for competition, which inspired everyone to put in the same kind of effort. I loved having Ellie as a teammate and mentor, and it has been so exciting and wonderful seeing her flourish at UNC.”
How did you get started playing lacrosse?
When my mom was younger, she played lacrosse at Brown University. Though I played some other sports, I always gravitated toward lacrosse.
When I started to play for Hotchkiss, that was when I decided I would continue playing in college. I loved the people I met and how the games felt.
What are some of your favorite moments from your time playing lacrosse at Hotchkiss?
Our spring break trips in Florida were always fun. The weather was really hot, but after intense practices, we were able to go to all the parks—which was a blast.
During my Senior year, we participated in the Founder’s League tournament and won first place, which we celebrated with a water balloon fight.
When you think back to playing lacrosse at Hotchkiss, what comes to mind?
My teammates and the friends I made. I still live close to Hotchkiss, so every time I go back, the people I text and reunite with are always the girls I met on the lacrosse team.
Why did you choose UNC?
During my recruitment process, the pandemic was still an issue. I was deciding between a couple of schools, and I ultimately ended up choosing UNC because it reminded me so much of Hotchkiss.
UNC’s program is really competitive, and that, along with the spirit of the school, drew me in. I knew it would be a fun environment.
What is different about playing in high school and college? What is similar?
The speed of play is significantly faster in college. Obviously, there are extremely talented girls in high school, but once you get to college, you realize that every girl was the best player on their high school team, so it becomes really competitive.
But teammates still share the love of the game. We have so much fun in practice and games, and we consider each other family, which is exactly what I felt at Hotchkiss.
What are some of your goals for collegiate lacrosse and beyond college?
I hope to win the upcoming National Championship and the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championship with my team.
I want to make the best of my time and reach my maximum potential here at UNC.
Beyond college, I’m not entirely sure. I’m majoring in media and journalism, which is a mixture of public relations and marketing. I probably won’t play lacrosse outside of college and instead prioritize my work.
I hope to continue working around sports, specifically in sports advertising.
What are some of your favorite experiences or moments playing collegiate lacrosse?
We played the University of Virginia (UVA) in one of our most intense games this year and beat them in overtime.
Last year, although we lost in the ACC Championship, it was extremely fun and competitive.
Also, I really enjoy being with my team and being able to eat dinners at our coach’s house.
What advice would you give to current lacrosse players who want to play at the collegiate level?
Play as many different sports as possible. Playing several sports helped me understand how much I ended up loving lacrosse.
There is always a place for everyone, so enjoy your time and do different things. Once you get to college, you become focused on one sport, so enjoy your freedom as a high schooler.
