One last ride! Houma native pushing for senior success

Ellender moves Friday night’s game
September 20, 2016
Parity rules the day
September 20, 2016
Ellender moves Friday night’s game
September 20, 2016
Parity rules the day
September 20, 2016

Vandebilt graduate and Houma native Carly Ellender knows that she doesn’t have many games left in her collegiate soccer career.

So while it lasts, she said she’s leaving everything out on the field in every, single match – all in an effort to show appreciation for the game and also to honor an injured senior teammate who doesn’t have the same opportunity that she does.

Ellender is a senior defender for UL-Lafayette – a multi-year contributor for a Ragin’ Cajuns team that is 4-5-1 at press-time, but is expected to compete in the Sun Belt Conference chase.


The former Lady Terriers standout said her motivation in 2016 is to play for injured teammate and fellow Vandebilt graduate Kimberly Grasso, who got hurt over the summer and hasn’t been able to compete this season.

“It feels like yesterday that I was an incoming freshman and now I’m a senior playing my last season of college soccer ever,” Ellender said. “With Kim getting hurt this summer, it really has changed my outlook on my senior year. I don’t just play to win or just for my team. I play and work hard for those on the bench who don’t get that opportunity.”

For Ellender, getting all the way to this point is a triumph – a testament to the young woman’s hard work, dedication and pure love for the sport.


Ellender was a dominant player at Vandebilt – one of the team’s top defenders during one of the most successful and consistent runs during the school’s storied history.

But despite the success, Ellender said she wasn’t heavily recruited out of high school. Because of that, Ellender said didn’t know if she’d get the opportunity to continue her career past Vandebilt.

But then a little fate touched the situation and things found a way of working themselves out.


The Ragin’ Cajuns were interested with Ellender throughout her time at Vandebilt, but the team wasn’t sure if it had a scholarship to offer her after she graduated from Vandebilt.

But in the 11th hour, it worked out, and Ellender was afforded the opportunity to continue playing – as long as she was willing to invest in herself and be a walk-on.

It paid off.


She got her dream of being a college player.

“I was originally recruited (by UL-Lafayette) and then Coach Scot (Wieland) actually told me a few weeks later that they didn’t think I was really as needed as they thought,” Ellender said. “But they a few weeks later, he called me and asked me to come out for preseason and to try and walk on. I was definitely nervous going in later than everyone else, but I knew it was an opportunity that I would regret not taking.”

Ellender tried out, made the team, but hasn’t been the typical walk-on.


In fact, she’s been quite the opposite – contributing to the team’s successes throughout her time in college.

As a freshman and sophomore, Ellender’s playing time was scare. She competed in nine matches, logging more than 200 combined minutes in the two years.

But last season, Ellender broke out, playing 18 matches as a junior, while also recording 15 starts.


She recorded 1,387 minutes of playing time (third on UL-Lafayette’s team) and had three recorded shots on goal.

More important than the offense was the lock-down defense Ellender provided – helping the Ragin’ Cajuns keep opponents out of the box and ultimately, out of the scoreboard.

So far in 2016, Ellender has remained a mainstay. She’s competed in all 10 of UL-Lafayette’s matches, while recording two goals – her first two collegiate scores of her career.


“This year, our season has been great so far,” Ellender said. “We started off a little off balance playing either really good the first or second half, but not both. But now, coming into conference, we’ve found the balance we need and have been playing for 90 minutes with the same intensity.”

Intensity is something Ellender is heavily focused on as the window closes on her college career.

She said one of the best things about playing at UL-Lafayette was the bond she’s shared with Grasso – a player who had emerged as one of the Ragin’ Cajuns’ top goal scorers before the injury.


“I got the chance to play with my best friend,” Ellender said. “Which is something that you always dream of doing with your friends – playing at that next level together.”

With Grasso out and Ellender still on the field, the Houma native said she wants to dedicate all of her time and energy to trying to play for her friend and teammate.

“This season, our goal is the conference championship,” Ellender said. “And with the talent and heart we have on this team, it’s definitely possible.”


After graduation, Ellender said she plans to work in speech pathology.

When asked what advice she would give younger players trying to advance within the sport, she gave a simple answer.

She said she’d encourage players to approach the game the same way she did – with the mindset to never take no for an answer.


“I would say to anyone to just never doubt yourself,” she said. “If you want something bad enough, nothing can stop you. It’s a lot of hard work, but if it’s something you love doing every day, you will never get tired of it.

“I’m still not ready for my journey to be over with.” •

One last Ride


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