U-M Student-Athlete Spotlight: Lily Crager
3/13/2015 12:00:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
March 13, 2015
On Jan. 28, U-M added five student-athletes to its third recruiting class, bringing the class to 14 players. The additional five players will now be featured in a student-athlete spotlight, breaking down the future Wolverines, on and off the field. [ Release ]
Lily Crager is a two-time varsity letter winner (2013-14) and will lead The Episcopal Academy (Newtown Square, Pennsylvania) as a senior captain this spring.
As a junior, she helped lead Episcopal Academy to a 16-3 record and the Inter-Academic league title. Following the season she was voted an Inter-Academic first team selection. Crager finished the season with 30 goals, six assists, 29 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. She also participated in the 2014 Under Armour Games.
As a sophomore in 2013, Crager helped her team capture the Inter-Academic and PIASAA titles.
In 2012, she was a member of the freshman team at Episcopal Academy that completed an undefeated season.
Crager competed for Ultimate Lacrosse PA club team. In addition to lacrosse, she also played four years of varsity field hockey (2011-14) and ran indoor track for one season.
Collegiate athletics run in the Crager family, as her father Bill Crager played lacrosse at Fairfield, her mother Kathy Crager played tennis at Rosemont College and her sister Jane will join her on the U-M women's lacrosse team next season.
Off the field, Crager participated in the Big Timber Arts Roundup in 2013, and has been a member of the Model United Nations for three years (2012, '13, '14).
ACCORDING TO LILY
 | Lily Crager Attack Berwyn, Pa. The Episcopal Academy |
What attracted you to the University of Michigan?
"I chose the University of Michigan because of the legacy you can create there. To graduate from Michigan not only means receiving a great education and being a part of top athletics, but also joining a tradition that is unlike any other school."
What are your thoughts about continuing to help Michigan build its women's lacrosse program?
"After watching the progress and success Team One and Team Two have made, it makes me so excited to contribute to something that is on the rise. There is no doubt in my mind that Michigan is going to be a championship-winning program. That's the dream to win a championship and I am motivated to be a part of achieving that goal."
What do you like about Michigan/Ann Arbor from what you've seen so far?
"What's not to like? Between the food in Ann Arbor and the feeling walking around campus it is a perfect fit."
What is your favorite lacrosse moment of all-time?
"Scoring my first varsity goal. My team traveled down to Maryland to play McDonogh. Time was running out and I saw an open lane to goal. The rush and satisfaction after scoring against the top team in the nation is something that I will never forget."
How did you first get involved in lacrosse?
"I was an extremely energetic child when I was younger, so my parents needed a sport to channel my energy. Growing up on Long Island and my dad being a former player, lacrosse was the ideal solution."
Do you have any talents or hobbies that you're willing to share? If so, please explain.
"My aunt and uncle live in Vermont, so I grew up skiing every winter break when we went to visit them. Being on the mountain a lot, I developed into a good skier. Now I don't even think twice before I take the plunge!"
Who is your role model, and why?
"I have always been taught that a role model is someone who makes you works harder by setting an example and for this reason my dad is my role model. Ever since I was little I looked up to him for his entrepreneurship and disciplined work ethic. He is the supreme example of a leader rather than a follower and that is what I aspire to be. In terms of character, my mother is my role model. She always has a smile on and not just because she has to but because she is genuinely happy. I want to approach life like my mother and work hard like my father."
What do you enjoy doing when you're not playing lacrosse?
"When I am not playing lacrosse I love to play with my two dogs. As much as I am going to miss my family next year, honestly I think I might miss my dogs more."
Favorite food ... Coffee ice cream with hot fudge
Favorite band/artist ... Adele
Favorite movie ... Invictus
Favorite TV show ... Grey's Anatomy
Favorite book ... Unbroken
Favorite subject/class taken ... US Foreign Policy and National Security
Favorite professional athlete ... Tim Howard
Favorite place to visit/vacation ... Saratoga Spring, N.Y.
Favorite sport besides lacrosse ... Field hockey
Favorite holiday ... Christmas
• Previous Spotlight: Jane Crager
