EWING, N.J. – It is a common occurrence for several athletic teams at TCNJ to break team huddles by chanting, "Family". For the O'Neills this refrain takes on a whole new meaning. When Nancy (Warren) O'Neill began her playing career with the Lions in 1985, even she could not foresee what would continue to play out. A four-time NCAA Champion as a member of the field hockey and lacrosse teams, O'Neill was inducted into the TCNJ Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019. By her side on that night were her daughters. Two of which, Ellie and Bobbi, have continued the strong athletic tradition started by the matriarch of the family as members of the lacrosse program.
 
A large reason for the family feel is the way the teams come together. For Nancy, the friends she made as a member of the team are still some of the closest friends she has to this day. For Ellie, it's the culture of the program, in which the players are so close and together from the freshmen to the seniors, that keep the team so strong through both wins and losses. For Bobbi, being able to play with the same group of players that played with her sister provided both pressure and the opportunities that she was looking for in her collegiate experience.
 
"My team played for each other for an ultimate goal," said Nancy at her Hall of Fame induction. "I do not see this as an individual accomplishment, as I could not have done it without them. Thank you for being great teammates, and thank you for being my best friends."
 
Ellie and Bobbi grew up hearing the tales of teams that made runs to the final four and captured national championships. When the time to make their decision for where they would continue their education, it was an easy one. More than just simply wanting to play for TCNJ because their mother played there, the O'Neill siblings wanted to have those same stories and be a part of the same culture that built their mother's lifelong friendships.
 
"I walked in to coach's office and saw all of the trophies and that is what I wanted," said Ellie. "I wanted to compete for a championship."
 
Ellie, a three-year starter for the lacrosse team, graduated from the college in 2017. The Lions were the no. 1 scoring defense in the country for all three seasons that she was in the starting lineup. TCNJ reached the quarterfinals in each of her first three seasons, before advancing to the National Championship game in her senior year.
 
"I was able to watch Ellie's experience and see how much she enjoyed playing for coach," said Bobbi. "Her experience is exactly what I wanted, and every other school I visited just wasn't TCNJ."
 
Bobbi was having a strong start to her freshman season in 2020, making a pair of starts for the TCNJ defense in the four games the team played before the season was shut down due to the pandemic.
 
The collective will to win and a hatred of losing runs through the family, and the TCNJ lacrosse program has made a tradition out of not losing. The Lions have posted a winning record in 41 straight seasons, an NCAA record. The continued success is a product of the atmosphere that has been cultivated over that time, a shared experience with everyone that has worn the TCNJ jersey.
 
"I remember before my first game," said Bobbi. "I was told that once you are a part the pack, you are in it for life. It truly made me realize how close all the members of the program are. Everyone is still invested in the program, no matter when they graduated."
 
The unselfishness of every player that puts on the uniform for the program contributes to the feeling of family, and it is shown in the way the O'Neill's treat each other. Despite winning four national championships, the proudest athletic moment for Nancy is none of those wins. It was being able to watch Ellie play in the final four and live out her dreams.