Strength, Sisterhood, and the Power of Overcoming
There are families who play lacrosse, and then there are families whose lives quietly orbit around it — whose calendars, conversations, and rhythms are shaped by the game long before anyone realizes how deeply it has embedded itself. For the Tully sisters, lacrosse was never announced as a defining force. It simply showed up, again and again, until it became one.
It started in a backyard in New Canaan, Connecticut. Sticks leaned against the fence. Goals were improvised. Rules were fluid. What mattered was movement — the snap of a pass, the sound of a ball hitting mesh, the inevitable escalation from casual toss to full-blown sisterly competition. Caitlin, Lexie, and Maddie didn’t need coaches or referees. They had each other.
“We loved how easy it was to grab our sticks, head into the backyard, and start playing, whether that meant simply throwing the ball around or turning it into a full-blown one-on-one-on-one game,” says Caitlin.
Individually, each sister found something different in the game. For Maddie, the youngest, lacrosse became both refuge and focus. “For me personally, lacrosse was an outlet,” she says. “It gave me a place to put my energy, to forget about everything else that was going on, and it gave me a goal to constantly work for.”
For Lexie, the game offered both challenge and clarity — a place where competitiveness could be sharpened with purpose.
“Individually, lacrosse has provided me with not only a community of lifelong relationships with teammates and coaches, but has also been an outlet from all other aspects of life, where I can channel my competitive edge to challenge myself both mentally and physically,” she explains.
Collectively, the sport shaped the sisters’ bond.
“Lacrosse has been the force that brings us together as sisters,” Lexie says. “A common passion where we push each other to grow, support one another, and serve as constant inspiration.”
As the oldest, Caitlin felt the responsibility that comes with being first — first to commit, first to lead, first to navigate adversity.
“As the oldest, I definitely felt an unspoken responsibility to set the tone for my sisters,” she says. “Knowing they were both looking up to me, I wanted to set a strong example.”
That example was tested when the game was taken from her — twice.
In November of 2019, Caitlin tore her right ACL. Surgery followed. Rehab replaced competition. When she returned, she tore her left ACL during warmups for her first lacrosse game back in April 2021.
“Those seasons of adversity reinforced my determination, resilience, and work ethic,” Caitlin says. “I quickly realized how important it was to reframe each day of rehab as a game in and of itself and focusing on winning the small, controllable moments.”
Those lessons rippled outward.
By the time the three sisters finally took the field together in high school, the moment carried more weight than any of them could have anticipated. For years, their lacrosse lives had overlapped without fully aligning — watching from the sidelines, competing against one another at home, chasing individual seasons that rarely intersected. Always close. Never quite together.
“After years of playing against each other, we finally got to play with each other,” Caitlin says.
Winning a state championship in 2022 together felt less like a culmination and more like confirmation — not just of talent, but of endurance.
“It was truly such a special experience to win a state championship together,” Lexie says. “It was our first time all playing together, and being so successful that season made it even more meaningful.”
The moment they return to most isn’t a trophy shot or final whistle. “One of my favorite moments from that season was in the first round of states,” Maddie says. “Caitlin passed it to Lexie, who then assisted me for the goal. That’s a memory I will always cherish.”
That sequence — three sisters, one possession — felt symbolic of everything they had built together.
When Maddie suffered her own ACL injury during the first game of her senior season in Spring 2025, the lessons that had shaped Caitlin’s journey resurfaced. “Recovery isn’t a straight line,” Maddie says. “Some days felt encouraging, and other days were frustrating.”
“Caitlin going through this process not once but twice gave me the confidence that I would be able to come out of this injury stronger and tougher,” she adds.
Now, all three sisters are together at Cornell, and the foundation they built long before college has quietly translated into impact.
Caitlin’s collegiate career has been defined not just by availability after injury, but by reliability. A steady defensive presence, she has grown into a trusted leader within the Big Red program — someone whose preparation, perspective, and calm have carried weight in the locker room as much as on the field. After everything she endured to get there, her success at Cornell feels earned in the deepest sense of the word.
Lexie’s freshman campaign marked a breakout of her own. Bringing speed, field vision, and a fearless competitive edge to the midfield, she emerged as a difference-maker last season — one whose growth reflected both confidence and trust. Watching her thrive alongside Caitlin only reinforced how their shared history continues to elevate them both.
For Maddie, the road to Cornell looked different. Her final high school season at New Canaan was spent largely on the sideline, rehabbing an injury that forced her to lead in new ways — through presence, encouragement, and perspective. It sharpened her hunger and honed her voice, leaving her eager to step onto campus not just ready to compete, but ready to contribute.
Together now, the sisters share more than proximity — they share ambition. The goal is collective and clear: to help lead Cornell women’s lacrosse toward an Ivy League championship and an NCAA Tournament berth. It’s a pursuit grounded in resilience and in gratitude — and fueled by everything they’ve already overcome.
“I’m trying to fully embrace this time playing alongside my sisters, knowing it’s likely the last opportunity we’ll have to share the field in the sport we love,” says Lexie.
Caitlin feels it too. “For us, it’s about more than lacrosse, it’s about once again playing the game we love together, on the same field, while representing the program that means so much to us at the same time.”
For Maddie, just beginning, the meaning is layered with anticipation. “To be able to start our careers, practicing in the backyard together and end our journeys together is super special.”
The story of the Tully sisters isn’t just about lacrosse. It’s about what remained when the game fell away — and what held them through it all.
Three sisters. One bond. One standard built together.