From Sweden to Raleigh: NC State's Tilda Trygger brings family together

By Louis Fernandez, WRAL Sports

When NC State women's basketball fans see No. 18, they think of a freshman stepping up in a big way for the Wolfpack this season. When Ulrika Trygger sees 18, she sees her daughter, Tilda.

"She's spontaneous, a little bit crazy, and very sweet," Ulrika Trygger laughed.

The 6'6" freshman, Tilda Trygger, has seen her role shift in a major way during her first year in Raleigh. What was always going to be a new frontcourt for the Wolfpack quickly shrunk because of injuries. Trygger started her first game at the end of 2024, a home matchup against Clemson, and has been in the starting lineup ever since.

She's averaging 6.8 points per game and 4.9 rebounds per game, all while playing out of position. Trygger is a stretch four: a taller player who can create spacing with their ability to shoot from the outside. The Wolfpack have asked her to play a more typical center role, banging around in the paint, providing some much needed size against bigger opponents.

She played perhaps her best game of the season in the team's upset against then No. 1 Notre Dame, scoring 19 points and adding 10 rebounds. It was one of three double-doubles she's had this season.

Even at her young age, Trygger's basketball journey has been a long one.

Her family is from a small town in Sweden, just outside of the capital, Stockholm.

"It's in Saltsjöbaden, Sweden. It's pretty small. I just played basketball for fun there," Tilda Trygger said.

Then the basketball grew. Trygger moved away from home at just 15 years old, playing all over Sweden, even Spain.

Now in Raleigh it's a long way from home, but she still talks to mom every day.

"I'm just so thankful to have her support, and we talk about everything," Tilda Trygger said.

Ulrika Trygger said her daughter calls about practice, school and of course the necessities.

"'Oh mom, how do you wash your clothes? How do you cook?'" she asks.

Of course Ulrika Trygger misses her daughter, but sees the joy on Tilda's face when she plays.

"Oh it's, my heart," she said as she grabbed her chest. "I see she's happy here, so it's not a big problem."

She can see that happiness in person at times like this, visiting Raleigh during the NCAA Tournament. It's not her first time making the trip to the United States. The family helped Tilda move in and visited at the beginning of the season. Watching the Wolfpack host the first weekend of the big dance though? That's a different experience.

"I don't know, everybody is so engaged, do you say engaged? In the game, so many people coming here, the games are really super to watch," Ulrika Trygger said.

And if there's one thing Tilda Trygger has learned, it's how to make a new place home.

"Every time you move somewhere you get a new family or friends," she said with a smile.