Sarah Torregrossa wanted to be Miss ULM since she was a ltitle girl. Now that the judges granted her wish, she said she’s committed to being the busiest Warhawk.

Torregrossa’s winning of the crown wasn’t by chance though. This was her third year competing and she described it as the “most competitive” year she’s ever seen.

“I had tunnel vision the entire night,” said Torregrossa, a junior communications major. “I focused on one phase of competition at a time and left everything on the stage.”

When the time came to present pageant participants with awards, Torregrossa said she was “terrified”  and didn’t expect to go home with the Miss ULM title.

“But I knew that I had done everything I could to prepare myself for competition,” Torregrossa said.

Jennifer Ables remembers feeling the same way Torregrossa did when she was crowned as Miss ULM 1996, exactly 20 years ago.

“It’s hard,” said Ables, a 1997 alumnus. “You have to keep up on current events, you have to be well-rounded, you have to have a good talent, you have to be physically fit and you really got to be the whole package.”

Torregrossa knew she would be against other talented ladies, but she refused to let the pressure of pleasing the judges get to her.

“I wanted to leave nothing at chance, that I would be fearlessly authentic through the entire process and the judges were going to know me,” Torregrossa said.

Torregrossa said she plans to show her authenticity in the best way by using her platform to help those in need.

During her interview question in the pageant, she mentioned her passion for helping victims of sex trafficking.

“Those men and women came to mind,” said Torregrossa. “It’s not about me or my crown. It’s about the service I can do for my community and my campus.”

Torregrossa will also have to fit in those plans with several other dates and events across the state of Louisiana.

She said she plans to take former Miss ULM Lauren Ford’s advice by “soaking in every minute” of the next year.

Ables encourages Torregrossa to do the same. As she watched Friday’s comeptition, she couldn’t help thinking wher the time went.

“Memories came up from when I competed and memories came up from when I gave up my crown,” Ables said.

Meanwhile, Torregrossa will be making her first appearance as Miss ULM on Tuesday.

She will begin traveling the state and  raising money for the Children’s Miracle Network.