With the spring sports season canceled at its very beginning (or before it even started, for some Union teams) due to the COVID-19 pandemic, UnionAthletics.com will spend the next few months spotlighting many of the Union seniors whose athletic careers came to a premature end. Previous senior profiles can be viewed by heading to http://www.unionathletics.com/seniorspotlights.
 
Ellie Taney has spent four seasons between the pipes for the Union women's lacrosse team, including three seasons as the team's starting goalie. She played all but 13 minutes in goal as a sophomore, then came back with her best statistical season last year, posting a 10.71 goals against average and .491 save percentage to go with an 8-7 record and ending the year with ECAC North Region Goalie of the Month honors. She completed her career eighth in program history in both career saves (285) and career wins (13), while finishing with a 12.12 GAA and .433 save percentage to go with 89 ground balls and 11 caused turnovers.
 
The sociology and English double major ended her career with Liberty League All-Academic Team honors earlier this week.
 
What has been your favorite moment as a student-athlete at Union?
My favorite moment as a student-athlete at Union was beating Vassar on Senior Day in 2019. To me, that game was the definition of a "team win" because everyone contributed and wanted to win for our senior class. We truly played as a unit that day, and I'll never forget how proud I was to be a member of our team.
 
How has being a student-athlete at Union benefited you over the last four years?
Being a student-athlete has benefited me immensely throughout my four years at Union. I'm so lucky to be on a team where we can truly count on one another no matter what the situation. This team has such a special dynamic that can't be replicated and I'm so glad that I was able to be a part of it.
 
What has been your most meaningful experience outside of athletics?
Outside of athletics, I think that the most meaningful thing for me at Union was being able to choose two majors that I'm passionate about. I'm so grateful that I go to a school that supports its students and allows us to explore our academic interests. For me, this meant diving into sociology and English after initially being a psychology major. I never thought that I would be able to successfully balance two majors at Union, but I've learned a lot about time management, dedication, and myself in the process. 
 
Who was/is your favorite professor at Union and why?
I almost can't decide who my favorite professor was at Union! One of the first professors who comes to mind is my advisor Professor [Melinda] Goldner [Professor of Sociology], who initially sparked my interest in medical sociology. She helped me narrow my interests and showed me how you can apply sociology to so many different things. My favorite English professor was Professor [Jillmarie] Murphy [Professor of English], who motivated me to double major with English. She also taught one of my favorite classes ever at Union: The Theory of Things!
 
Do you have plans for post-graduation yet?  If so, what are they?
After graduation, I will be working as a Finance and Operations Management Associate at Northwell Health.
 
What advice would you give to younger athletes about their time at Union?
If I could give any advice to younger athletes at Union, I would tell them to never give up and to live in the moment! You only get four years here and it flies by.