Lucana Pabon-Troia (a.k.a "Coach Lu") joins CSI Women's Flag Football club team ahead of their 2026 campaign, who recently serves as the team's defensive coordinator through the 2023-25 seasons.
Coach Lu competed in four years of Division III basketball and softball, along with one season of volleyball, from 1995–2000. During her collegiate career, she was part of multiple CUNYAC championship teams, including the 1996–97 women's basketball title and softball championships in 1996, 1998, and 1999. She earned CUNYAC Tournament MVP honors in 1999. Pabon-Troia remains in the CSI Division III record book in multiple softball categories, ranking among the top 20 in several areas and top 10 all-time in triples and slugging percentage. She earned her bachelor's degree in sociology from CSI and later completed her master's degree in education at Wagner College.
Pabon-Troia's flag football journey began when she participated in a Breast Cancer Awareness game, sparking a decade-long playing career in Next Level Women's Flag Football leagues, where she won three championships while playing multiple positions, including quarterback and cornerback. Following her playing career, she transitioned into officiating, further developing her understanding of the game.
Her coaching career began in 2020 with the Staten Island Giants travel program under director Mike Colt, where she helped guide a team to a Next Level High School division championship. Pabon-Troia went on to coach multiple age groups, including 14U, 17U, 10U, and two 8U teams, winning several travel championships between 2021 and 2023. Among those accomplishments was an 8U national championship in Florida in 2023.
She later joined Jennaco with the NY Knights Travel Ogavel organization as a player development coach for girls aged 8U–12U, while also coaching 10U and 12U teams. Pabon-Troia continued her success with the Knights, winning multiple tournaments, including a standout summer in 2025 when her 12U team qualified for the inaugural AAU Junior Olympics in Houston, Texas.
