Hall of Fame
Nancy Warren O’Neill is the definition of a competitor. A four-time NCAA Champion and 8-time Final Four participant, Warren had a will to win that was infectious. Consistently referred to by those who know her as a “Trenton Player”, Warren is known for bringing the best out of everyone around her.
Warren got her start with the Lions on the field hockey team in 1985. Warren recorded an assist in a win over Montclair State as the Lions would go on to capture the national championship. Warren was also a member of the 1986 team that reached the NCAA Championship game.
After missing out on the 1987 season due to injury, Warren returned in 1988. She started every game on defense, while also providing five goals and six assists on the offensive end. Warren and the Lions did not lose a game, going 21-0-2 on their way to another title.
Warren returned in 1989 and was again a key part of the Lions success. She scored four goals and added seven assists as TCNJ started 23-0. The team would end up falling in the national championship game, but Warren was still honored as a First-Team All-American.
On the lacrosse field, Warren started in every game she played during her four years with the program. Warren was a key member of the defense that allowed just 110 goals across 17 games as a freshman in 1986. After opening that season with a loss against Division I powerhouse Northwestern, the team rattled off a 12-game unbeaten streak during which the defense held every opponent to eight goals or less. The team would win a pair of games in the NCAA Tournament, finishing as national runners-up.
In 1987, Warren and the Lions played as though they had unfinished business. The Lions went 13-2 in the regular season with their only losses coming against out-of-division opponents. The Lions were dominant in 13-4 and 15-11 victories to reach the NCAA Championship game. The Lions won 8-7 in overtime to secure the title.
Trenton State continued its strong play in the beginning of 1988. The Lions won 13 straight games to open the season and defeated Denison, 18-4, Johns Hopkins, 13-7, and William Smith, 14-11, to claim back-to-back championships. Warren again started every game on defense and added in three goals during the year.
Warren had her best statistical season in 1989 when she scored 11 goals and added eight assists for the Lions. Trenton State went a perfect 15-0 in the regular season, allowing double digit goals just twice. The Lions pitched a shutout in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament against Wittenberg. TSC then defeated St. Lawrence 11-7 to reach the title game for a fourth straight season. Warren was honored as a First-Team All-American.
In 1990, the NCAA named Warren the NCAA Lacrosse Defensive Player of the Decade.
