Women’s Lacrosse Set to Host NCAA Tournament Play for the Fourth Straight Year
Back in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight traditional (non-COVID impacted) season, the No. 2 ranked Wesleyan women's lacrosse team is hosting First and Second Round action for the fourth straight year and sixth time overall. The Cardinals (15-3) will face the winner of Colby vs. SUNY Cortland on Sunday at 1 PM from Smith Field. The Mules and Dragons meet for a neutral site First Round game that will take place on Saturday at 1 PM on Smith Field.
MIDDLETOWN, Conn. – Back in the NCAA Tournament for the eighth straight traditional (non-COVID impacted) season, the No. 2 ranked Wesleyan women's lacrosse team is hosting First and Second Round action for the fourth straight year and sixth time overall. The Cardinals (15-3) will face the winner of Colby vs. SUNY Cortland on Sunday at 1 PM from Smith Field. The Mules and Dragons meet for a neutral site First Round game that will take place on Saturday at 1 PM on Smith Field.
Ticket prices for the weekend are $6 for adults, $4 for seniors and students, $3 for children ages 4-12, and kids who are 3 years of age and younger are free. Ticket sales can be made via cash or card and are available one hour prior to the start of play on both Saturday and Sunday. There are no online ticket sales or presales.
Wesleyan has advanced to the Second Round of the NCAA Tournament in all seven of their prior appearances. The Cardinals are 6-1 all-time in the Second Round, having advanced beyond the Third Round in 2019 when Wesleyan made the Final Four and last season when the Cardinals advanced to the Elite 8. Wesleyan, the NESCAC Runner-Up for three years running, defeated Williams 14-3 in the Quarterfinal round of the NESCAC Tournament. The Cardinals then stunned Tufts in the Semifinal Round of NESCAC's, scoring a game-tying goal with no time left in regulation before a tipped pass in front on the opening possession of overtime won it for Wesleyan by a score of 10-9 over the Jumbos. The Cardinals couldn't get past Middlebury in the title game, as Wesleyan fell to the undefeated and No. 1 ranked Panthers 7-5.
The Cardinals enjoyed a terrific regular season, finishing 13-2 with seven wins coming over ranked opponents including four wins over Top 10 ranked foes. Wesleyan is 8-1 at home this season, with the one defeat coming in OT to Top 5 ranked Tufts. Defense has been the calling card all year to the Cardinals' success, with Wesleyan allowing just 6.16 goals per game as just one opponent has scored double-digit goals against Wesleyan all year. The Cardinals tied a single-season team record with five All-NESCAC honorees while senior midfielder
Lindsey Diomede '26 made history, earning NESCAC Defensive Player of the Year honors to become the first Cardinal in team history to earn POY.
Diomede is having one of the most-impressive statistical seasons in team history, already establishing new single-season records in both caused turnovers (61) and ground balls (55) while she leads the team with 50 draw controls and has 14 points on the year.
Izzy Weintraub '26 is back on the All-NESCAC First Team for the second time in her career, becoming the first Cardinal goalkeeper to earn three career All-NESCAC honors. She sports 6.12 goals against average with a .505 save percentage and 106 saves in over 1,000 minutes.
Molly Simon '26 is a All-NESCAC First Team defender, ranking second on the team with 29 caused turnovers.
Addie Cummings '26 leads the team in goals (39) and points (53) while
Dylan Green '26 (26 goals, 17 assists) has the most assists on the team. Eight Cardinals have 10+ goals and 10 players on the team have double-digit point totals.
Colby (9-7) is back in the NCAA Tournament for the fifth straight year and 15
th time in team history. The Mules enter the 2026 bracket having advanced to the Final Four just last season, falling to Middlebury 13-12 in overtime in the NCAA Semifinal round. Defenders Gisele Uva and Izzy Wang were both named All-NESCAC with Uva leading the team in both ground balls (24) and caused turnovers (20) while Wang has 22 ground balls and seven caused turnovers on the year. Stella Regan leads the team in assists (22) and points (36) while Charlotte Michener leads the Mules with 24 goals. Brynna Hall and Gigi Peloso have split time in cage this season while 10 players on the roster have 10+ points.
Cortland (14-4) earned their way into the NCAA Tournament by winning the State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) title with a 9-4 win over Oswego. Cortland's SUNYAC Championship is the 25
th in program history and third in five seasons. The Dragons are making their 27
th NCAA appearance, having last appearance in the national tournament in 2024. The Dragons won the NCAA title in 2015 and advanced to at least the national semifinal round in six straight seasons from 2011-16. Seven Dragons landed on All-Conference Teams while Sydney Elizalde was named SUNYAC Co-Rookie of the Year. Elizalde has 48 goals and 17 assists for 65 points to go along with 35 ground balls and 19 caused turnovers on the team. Ashley Melillo is a First Team All-SUNYAC honoree, leading the team with 68 points on 40 goals and 28 assists while adding 42 ground balls and a team-best 41 caused turnovers. Lexi Caron is a two-time All-SUNYAC selection on defense as the 2025 SUNYAC DPOY has 29 ground balls, 21 caused turnovers, and 37 draw controls on the year. Trinity Parks has led a Top 10 scoring defense all year, posting a .466 save percentage with a 5.78 goals against average in nearly 900 minutes of action.