TAMPA, Fla. – Paige Pagano is not a golden oldie. Far, far from it. But give her a guitar and it becomes 1970s night. Fleetwood Mac? Right up her alley.
You will not find Pagano entertaining patrons at local coffee shops and pubs, or showing off her talent on social media. Rather, she strums the strings as a means of relaxation.
“I have always loved music,” she said. “I played piano for 10 years while growing up and learned to play the violin in elementary school. It is kind of a way to relieve stress.”
That is rather ironic. Pagano, after all, causes much stress. The USF redshirt senior has made numerous key saves tending goal for the women’s lacrosse team while undoubtedly turning the stomachs of opposing players and coaches in the process.
READ: USF Lacrosse Can Clinch Spot In American Tourney; Mindy McCord’s Milestone
Want proof? Well, how about being a four-time American Athletic Conference goalie of the week during this maiden season of USF lacrosse?
Such accolades are nothing new. The Toronto native was the Atlantic Sun Conference defensive player of the year as a redshirt freshman at Jacksonville University in 2022. Pagano spent four years at JU, the first two with current USF coach Mindy McCord, who launched the program and molded the Dolphins into a perennial NCAA tourney team before heading to Tampa to build the Bulls.
It was Pagano’s connection to the McCords, Mindy and her husband, Paul, who is an assistant coach, that led her to USF for her final season of eligibility.
“I loved playing for Mindy at JU,” said Pagano, whose father, Matthew, has long coached lacrosse at St. Michael’s College, an all-boys Catholic high school in Toronto that has churned out a decorated and lengthy list of NHL alumni. “I kept an open mind when I entered the portal, but at USF I had an opportunity to play for the people I started my college career with.”
It did not take long for Pagano, who also played hockey for several years before sticking with lacrosse, to know she made the right move.
“I knew it would be good for me, but it was also nerve-wracking,” she said of the move south on I-75. “I was making a change after four years at JU. Then, as soon as I stepped in the locker room, it was like I came home. Everybody was so welcoming. This is such a great group to be around.”
Pagano is part of the reason why.
“She is never complacent and always wanting to do more to improve her game,” said McCord, whose team will play in the AAC tourney, hosted by Old Dominion University, beginning next Thursday. “That is significant because we have such a young defense. The way she gives them the confidence and calmness while directing them during games has been huge in helping them prepare and make adjustments.”
Academic Achievement
There is something else Pagano does to relieve anxiety that might be building, or just for the fun of it: write poetry.
“I have always enjoyed literature and John Keats is my favorite poet,” she said, in referencing the early 1800s English Romantic poet. “It is another way for me relieve stress. It is nice to be able to put words on a page, to release them from my brain and turn them into something.”
READ: USF Lacrosse Can Clinch Spot In American Tourney; Mindy McCord’s Milestone
Not that Pagano intends to rival Keats’ “Ode to Nightingale” that was composed in 1819 with “Ode to Corbett Stadium” in 2025. She has, however, received many honors and awards for her creativity and academic excellence. That includes, but certainly not limited to, membership in no less than four honor societies during her decorated academic career.
“Having that creative side to her is likely why she is interested in learning so many things,” said McCord, noting how Pagano knows no limits when it comes to expanding her value on and off the field.
Pagano has a bachelor’s degree in English and intends to get a master’s in criminal justice at USF. Though this season marks her final one as a student-athlete, she would like to remain with the lacrosse program as a grad assistant. That would be a wonderful way to complete an overall collegiate career that has taught her many priceless lessons. In fact, younger student-athletes would be wise to learn from her.
“It has taught me a lot about myself and what I am capable of,” she said, of her college experience. “If there is something you think you can’t do, that’s not true. You can do anything you set your mind to. You need to set goals to accomplish and take it one day at a time.”
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