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Stephenie Danielle LaGrossa (later known as Stephenie LaGrossa Kendrick) is a contestant from Survivor: Palau, Survivor: Guatemala, and Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains.

Regarded as one of the strongest women to ever play the game, Stephenie's resilience showed as she weathered the gradual extinction of the infamous Ulong tribe during her first season in Palau. Her courage, willpower, and fortitude made her one of the series' biggest fan favorites, and despite showing a more villainous side to her personality in Guatemala, she remains canonized as one of Survivor’s most iconic heroes.

Profile[]

Retrieved from CBS.com

One of five siblings born to Stephen and Marguerite, Stephenie LaGrossa is the youngest and only girl of the family to grow up in Briarcliff, Glenolden, a suburb of Philadelphia. She graduated from Archbishop Prendergast High School, where she played varsity lacrosse, field hockey and swimming. After graduating, she attended Temple University in Philadelphia before transferring to Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey. She played Division One Lacrosse at both universities and was a four-year starter. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management. She currently works as a territory sales representative for a pharmaceutical sales company and bartends part-time.

LaGrossa enjoys yoga, Pilates, water sports and going to the beach. She describes herself as relentless, persuasive, extremely competitive, dramatic and friendly. She is most proud of being offered athletic and academic scholarships to two different universities and purchasing her own home when she was 23 years old. An avid lacrosse player in college, LaGrossa won many awards signifying her outstanding athleticism and leadership. At Monmouth University, she was the team captain her senior year, made the NEC Academic Honor Roll and the Dean's List. In addition, LaGrossa was a three-time NEC All-Conference selection, NEC Scholar/Athlete Award recipient and Female Athlete of the Year Nominee.

LaGrossa is currently an active member of the Monmouth University Blue and White Club and continually involves herself with local high schools and Monmouth University to help coach local clinics.

LaGrossa has been dating her boyfriend, Michael, for six years. She lives in Tom's River, New Jersey. Her birth date is December 6, 1979.[1]

One of five siblings born to Stephen and Marguerite, Stephenie LaGrossa is the youngest and only girl of the family to grow up in Briarcliff, Glenolden, a suburb of Philadelphia. She graduated from Archbishop Prendergast High School, where she played varsity lacrosse, field hockey and swimming. After graduating, she attended Temple University in Philadelphia before transferring to Monmouth University in Long Branch, New Jersey. She played Division One Lacrosse at both universities and was a four-year starter. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in business administration with concentrations in marketing and management. She currently works as a territory sales representative for a pharmaceutical sales company and bartends part-time.

LaGrossa enjoys yoga, Pilates, water sports and going to the beach. She describes herself as relentless, persuasive, extremely competitive, dramatic and friendly. She is most proud of being offered athletic and academic scholarships to two different universities and purchasing her own home when she was 23 years old. An avid lacrosse player in college, LaGrossa won many awards signifying her outstanding athleticism and leadership. At Monmouth University, she was the team captain her senior year, made the NEC Academic Honor Roll and the Dean's List. In addition, LaGrossa was a three-time NEC All-Conference selection, NEC Scholar/Athlete Award recipient and Female Athlete of the Year Nominee.

LaGrossa is currently an active member of the Monmouth University Blue and White Club and continually involves herself with local high schools and Monmouth University to help coach local clinics.

LaGrossa has been dating her boyfriend, Michael, for six years. She lives in Tom's River, New Jersey. Her birth date is December 6, 1979.[2]

Stephenie LaGrossa (29)

Tribe: Heroes
Hometown: Briarcliff, Glenolden, PA
Current Residence: Philadelphia, PA
Personal Claim To Fame: "Being a three-time NEC (North East Conference) All-Conference selection, NEC Scholar/Athlete Award recipient and Female Athlete of the Year Nominee in lacrosse at Monmouth University."
Inspiration in Life: "My Mother has always been an inspiration in life. She is my best friend and I tell her everything! I wouldn't be where I am today without my mother's unconditional love and support."
Previous Finishes: Palau; 10th out, 3rd Jury Member; Guatemala: Runner-Up
Favorite Past Moment: "Outlasting my entire tribe and being the sole Ulong member left standing."
Previous Survivor She Respects Most: Jenn Lyon (Palau)
Previous Survivor She Respects Least: "Any female who plays the game for the wrong reasons."

Why Did She Come Back? : "I came back for the love of the game and because I'm such a serious competitor! I came very close to winning 2x but still never won so I came back a 3rd time to try to win it all this time."[3]

Survivor[]

Palau[]

Main article: Stephenie LaGrossa/Palau

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 None Race to Shore Immunity Lost
Ulong Supply Dump Reward/Immunity No Lost
2 The Gauntlet Reward No Won
Heads Up Immunity No Lost
3 By Any Means Necessary Reward No Won
Hot Pursuit Immunity No Lost
4 Build a Better Bathroom Reward No Lost
Sumo at Sea Immunity No Lost
5 Sea Salvage Reward No Lost
6 Shooting Gallery Reward No Won
Build It Up, Break It Down Immunity No Lost
7 S.O.S. Reward No Lost
Floating Puzzle Immunity No Lost
8 Cool Hand Balut Reward No Lost
Under Current Immunity No Lost
Switched Tribes, Day 22
9 Koror Perch Immunity Lost
10 Water Tower Reward Lost
Last Gasp Immunity Lost
11 Missing in Auction
Kamikaze Immunity Lost
Voted Out, Day 30

Episode Stephenie's
Votes
Voted Against
Stephenie
1 Jolanda -
2 Ashlee -
3 Jeff -
4 Kim -
5 Bobby Jon;
Angie1
-
6 Ibrehem;
James2
-
7 Ibrehem Ibrehem
8 No Vote3
9 Coby Janu
10 No Vote
11 Caryn Caryn, Gregg, Ian,
Jenn, Katie, Tom
Voted Out, Day 30
Voted for
Sole Survivor
Tom

^1 In "The Best and Worst Reward Ever", the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Angie and Bobby Jon, forcing a revote. Stephenie changed her vote to Angie on the revote.
^2 In "Jellyfish 'n Chips", the vote ended with a 2-2 tie between Ibrehem and James, forcing a revote. Stephenie changed her vote to James on the revote.
^3 In "Neanderthal Man", there was a fire-making challenge instead of a vote at Tribal Council between Stephenie and Bobby Jon. Stephenie won the challenge and remained in the game.

Guatemala[]

Main article: Stephenie LaGrossa/Guatemala

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 Yaxhá 11-Mile Hike Reward No Lost
Paddle Battle Immunity No Won
2 Web Over Water Reward No Lost
Dragged Through Mud Immunity No Lost
3 Blind Build Reward No Lost
Holding Court Immunity No Lost
Switched Tribes, Day 9
4 Nakúm Rows and Throws Immunity No Lost
5 Slave to the Grind Reward No Lost
What's for Launch? Immunity No Won
6 Boulder Smash Reward1 No Won
Sudden Death Immunity No Lost
7 Spooling Around Reward No Lost
Tomb Raider Immunity No Won
Tribes Merged, Night 18
8 Xhakúm Pot Head Immunity Yes2 Lost
9 Atlatl Reward 4th3
Bridge It Immunity Lost
10 Mud Slide Reward Won
Around the Bend Immunity Lost
11 Shattered Dreams Reward Lost
Maya Folklore Immunity Lost
12 Survivor Auction
Watch Your Step Immunity Lost
13 Second Chance Reward Invited
Pole Dancing Immunity Won
14 Maya Maze Immunity Lost
Wobbly Boots Immunity Lost
Runner-Up, Day 39
Notes:
^1 Both tribes were sent to Tribal Council. The tribe that won the Reward Challenge earned the right to compete in an individual Immunity Challenge.
^2 Stephenie elected to sit out of the challenge to eat at the merge feast.
^3 The reward was dependent on each castaway's finish in the challenge. Stephenie originally finished 5th, but moved up to 4th place after Jamie volunteered to take last place. Also, Judd shared his first-place reward with Stephenie.

Episode Stephenie's
Votes
Voted Against
Stephenie
1 Yaxhá Tribe Immune
2 Morgan -
3 Brianna -
4 Brooke -
5 Nakúm Tribe Immune
6 Margaret -
7 Nakúm Tribe Immune
8 Brandon -
9 Bobby Jon Bobby Jon, Danni
10 Jamie -
11 Gary -
12 Judd -
13 Cindy Individual Immunity
14 Lydia -
Ineligible -
Jury Votes
for Stephenie
Rafe
Runner-Up, Day 39

Heroes vs. Villains[]

Main article: Stephenie LaGrossa/Heroes vs. Villains

Episode Tribe
Affiliation
Challenge Challenge Type Sit-Out? Result
1 Heroes Battle Dig Reward No Won
Lock, Load and Light Immunity No Lost
2 A Crate Idea Reward/Immunity No Lost
Voted Out, Day 6

Episode Stephenie's
Votes
Voted Against
Stephenie
1 Sugar -
2 Amanda Amanda, Candice, Cirie,
J.T., James, Rupert
Voted Out, Day 6

Post-Survivor[]

Cirie and Stephenie in Snake in the Grass

After many years, Stephenie returned to reality television in Snake in the Grass alongside fellow Survivor contestant Cirie Fields.

  • Stephenie married high school history teacher Michael Ward on July 7, 2006. 8 other Survivor castaways attended their wedding, including Palau castmates Tom, Ian, Gregg, Jenn, Katie, and Caryn, and Guatemala castmates Amy and Rafe.[4] The two divorced within a year of marriage.
  • In Summer of 2009, Stephenie appeared on the TV Guide special "Survivor Millionaires: Where Are They Now?" in a segment focused on non-winners.[5]
  • On January 9, 2010, Stephenie attended Survivor's 10-year anniversary party along with all of her Heroes vs. Villains castmates.
    Stephenie The Traitors

    Stephenie's promotional image for The Traitors.

  • In February 2010, Stephenie appeared on Late Show with David Letterman as Top Ten List Presenter #8 along with nine of her Heroes vs. Villains castmates.[6]
  • After her elimination in Heroes vs. Villains, Stephenie stopped watching Survivor altogether and did not even watch the season.[7]
  • On November 13, 2010, Stephenie married again, this time to Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, Kyle Kendrick.[8] Stephenie and Kyle have three children: Sophia Marguerite (born 2011), Kyle Jr. (born 2013) and Sloane Danielle (born 2018).[9]
  • Sometime after Heroes vs. Villains, Stephenie became a co-owner of "GiGi Restaurant & Lounge" in Old City Philadelphia. The establishment closed down and was replaced with a new food establishment.[10]
  • In 2022, Stephenie participated in an episode of Snake In The Grass alongside Cirie and former Big Brother contestants Rachel Reilly and Janelle Pierzina. She failed to win $100,000 after being exposed by the majority as the "snake".
  • In 2023, Stephenie reunited with Cirie and Rachel in another reality competition series The Traitors. Stephenie, who was not one of the three traitors, was eliminated in the ninth episode. She finished in 7th place out of 20.

Trivia[]

  • Stephenie is the first contestant to win a fire-making challenge at Tribal Council.
  • Stephenie is the first player to contribute to the elimination of all of her original tribemates in a single season. During Palau, she successfully voted out 7 of her Ulong tribemates and defeated Bobby Jon Drinkard in a tiebreaker.
    • Stephenie later voted out Bobby Jon during Guatemala, making her also the first player to vote out all of the other players on one of their starting tribes (over multiple seasons). In South Pacific, John Cochran became the first player to vote out all of their starting tribemates during a single season.
  • Stephenie is the only contestant in Palau to be on more than one tribe during the season.
  • Stephenie set the record for the lowest-placing contestant to be the highest-placing member of their original tribe, at 7th place in Palau. This would later be tied by Jefra Bland in Cagayan and Emily Flippen in Survivor 45.
  • Stephenie is the only member of the Ulong tribe to be a jury member in Palau.
    • She is the first woman to be the sole representative of her starting tribe on the jury.
    • She is the first juror to have never received immunity throughout the season.
  • Stephenie and Bobby Jon are the first returning players to be placed with a tribe of first-time players on their subsequent attempt at Survivor.
    • She is the only female returnee to compete in a "one returnee per tribe" format.
  • Stephenie is the first woman to compete in two consecutive seasons.
  • Stephenie is the first returning contestant to participate in the Survivor Auction more than once. She did so in Palau and Guatemala.
  • Stephenie is the first player to be the highest-placing member of their original tribe in two separate seasons. She would be followed by Sandra Diaz-Twine, Ozzy Lusth, Tony Vlachos, and Natalie Anderson.
  • Stephenie is the first returning player to make it to Final Tribal Council on their subsequent attempt and be defeated by a first-time player. She would be followed by Coach Wade in South Pacific and Michael Skupin in Philippines.
  • All three times Stephenie competed, she started on a blue tribe.
    • Stephenie is the first contestant to start on the same colored tribe three times.
  • Stephenie has the worst challenge win-loss ratio (10:39) of any contestant to play in multiple seasons.
  • Stephenie is the first castaway to experience all three phases of the game: being voted out pre-jury, serving on the jury, and becoming a finalist. She became a jury member in Palau, made it to the Final Tribal Council in Guatemala, and was voted out pre-jury in Heroes vs. Villains.
  • Stephenie is the first person to be voted out on their third time playing Survivor.
  • Stephenie is the first person to play three times and never start on the same tribe as the eventual winner. She would be followed by Jeff Varner and Aubry Bracco.
  • Stephenie was contacted to compete on Winners at War before the theme was finalized.[11]

References[]

Survivor: Palau Castaways
 Angie
Ulong
S10 angie t
 Ashlee
Ulong
S10 ashlee t
 Bobby Jon
Ulong
S10 bobbyjon t
 Caryn
Koror
S10 caryn t
 Coby
Koror
S10 coby t
 Gregg
Koror
S10 gregg t
 Ian
Koror
S10 ian t
 Ibrehem
Ulong
S10 ibrehem t
 James
Ulong
S10 james t
 Janu
Koror
S10 janu t
 Jeff
Ulong
S10 jeff t
 Jenn
Koror
S10 jenn t
 Jolanda
Ulong
S10 jolanda t
 Jonathan
No tribe
S10 jonathan t
 Katie
Koror
S10 katie t
 Kim
Ulong
S10 kim t
 Stephenie
Ulong
S10 stephenie t
 Tom
Koror
S10 tom t
 Wanda
No tribe
S10 wanda t
 Willard
Koror
S10 willard t
Survivor: Guatemala Castaways
 Amy
Yaxhá
S11 amy t
 Blake
Nakúm
S11 blake t
 Bobby Jon
Nakúm
S11 bobbyjon t
 Brandon
Nakúm
S11 brandon t
 Brian
Yaxhá
S11 brian t
 Brianna
Yaxhá
S11 brianna t
 Brooke
Nakúm
S11 brooke t
 Cindy
Nakúm
S11 cindy t
 Danni
Nakúm
S11 danni t
 Gary
Yaxhá
S11 gary t
 Jamie
Yaxhá
S11 jamie t
 Jim
Nakúm
S11 jim t
 Judd
Nakúm
S11 judd t
 Lydia
Yaxhá
S11 lydia t
 Margaret
Nakúm
S11 margaret t
 Morgan
Yaxhá
S11 morgan t
 Rafe
Yaxhá
S11 rafe t
 Stephenie
Yaxhá
S11 stephenie t
Survivor: Heroes vs. Villains Castaways
 Amanda
Heroes
S20 amanda t
 Candice
Heroes
S20 candice t
 Cirie
Heroes
S20 cirie t
 Coach
Villains
S20 coach t
 Colby
Heroes
S20 colby t
 Courtney
Villains
S20 courtney t
 Danielle
Villains
S20 danielle t
 J.T.
Heroes
S20 jt t
 James
Heroes
S20 james t
 Jerri
Villains
S20 jerri t
 Parvati
Villains
S20 parvati t
 Randy
Villains
S20 randy t
 Rob
Villains
S20 rob t
 Rupert
Heroes
S20 rupert t
 Russell
Villains
S20 russell t
 Sandra
Villains
S20 sandra t
 Stephenie
Heroes
S20 stephenie t
 Sugar
Heroes
S20 sugar t
 Tom
Heroes
S20 tom t
 Tyson
Villains
S20 tyson t
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