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Opening day of the 2026 NCAA Division I women's lacrosse season is Feb. 6.
Throughout the month of January, we'll pose three burning questions for each team ranked in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Preseason Top 20, presented by CWENCH Hydration, starting with No. 20 James Madison and finishing with No. 1 North Carolina.
Join the conversation on social media @USALMag (IG/X/FB). Wrong answers only.
The Denver women's lacrosse team crashed the annual “Blue Blood” Memorial Day Weekend bash in 2023. But the core pieces of that time-zone-bending squad have slowly matriculated in the years since.
Defensive stalwarts Sam Thacker and Trinity McPherson graduated in 2024, and defender Sarah Pokorny (36CT, 31GB) did the same last year. Ditto for attackerers Lauren Black (55G, 21A) and Raegan Wilson (33G, 36A, 34DC) and goalie Emelia Bohi (10.79 GAA, 43.8 SV%).
In previous seasons, Denver has plugged holes with transfers, notably of the Division III variety, like attacker Jane Earley of Middlebury in 2024 and defender Maddie Montgomery (33CT, 32GB) of William Smith last year.
But 2026 will mark not just a changing of the guard but a departure from that strategy, as Denver looks to lean more heavily on returning players and a talented group of freshmen. And, in another departure from previous seasons, the more experienced offensive unit might lead the way.
Bohi served as Denver’s last line of defense since starting 20 of 21 games her freshman year in 2022 and became the first Pioneer to lead Division I in goals against average as a sophomore (6.43).
With her gone, the Pioneers have an “open net” for the first time in nearly a half-decade. Bohi’s 2025 backup, Lexi Gwaku, emerged as the early favorite for the starting nod in the fall. Coach Liza Kelly describes her as small (at 5-6) but quick, and her 275-plus minutes last season include Denver’s March 1 game against Maryland and its NCAA tournament first-round loss to Stanford.
Other candidates include Lauren Hall, who saw action in three games totaling 36 minutes as a rookie. The 5-10 Hall has four inches on Gwaku and rally-the-troops vocal leadership skills.
“She’s someone you really want to do well in front of,” Kelly said.
Freshman Chloe Silverstein is also in the mix. A local product, Silverstein was a two-time All-American at Denver East and grew up watching the Pios.
Former Loyola starter Lauren Spence will coach the goalies. Combined with associate head coach and one-time Greyhound standout Taylor VanThof, Kelly quips the staff is “Loyola of the West.”
Goalie isn’t the only defensive question mark for Denver. Whoever this year’s netminder is will have a different cast in front of her without Montgomery and Pokorny.
It’s not entirely a unit of new faces, but more so players who may have flown under the radar (externally) but are poised to step up statistically and vocally in 2026.
Kelly says they’re ready.
In 2026, she’ll rely more on returning starter and senior Carly Frohnapfel (19CT, 18GB) for leadership. Frohnapfel has played in the roamer spot for Denver’s zone (the team has taken to calling the “gig” the “Froamer” spot). Senior Megan Klingenberg (25CT, 44GB), who has been starting since her freshman season, also stepped into more of a leadership role in the fall. Senior Landry Grover (21CT, 37GB) and redshirt junior Ava Welty will also factor in.
Welty had earned a starting spot last year before sustaining a season-ending injury in February, so 2026 marks a second chance.
Loyola of the West.
Denver coach Liza Kelly on the Pioneers' staff that includes former Greyhounds Lauren Spence and Taylor VanThof
Though Denver's defense gets the most recognition — especially after its stifling 5-4 NCAA quarterfinal win over defending champion UNC in 2023 — Kelly equally emphasizes the Pioneers' offense.
“That’s the goal — to have a strong enough defense so that your offense can feel like it can take chances and make mistakes out there,” Kelly said. “I hope that’s how they feel every year.”
Denver welcomes back Olivia Ripple, who paced the team in goals (63) and points (76) last season. Ryan Dineen (17G, 15A) is one of what Kelly describes as a “plethora of lefties” on offense. Midfielder Delaney Chernoff is another. Though Chernoff was limited for part of the fall while rehabbing from an injury, Kelly was impressed and said she has “great balance with Ripple.”
Speaking of balance, Kelly expects redshirt sophomore Caroline Kiel (20G, 3A) to be a threat from the right side.
Beth Ann Mayer is a Long Island-based writer. She joined USA Lacrosse in 2022 after freelancing for Inside Lacrosse for five years. She first began covering the game as a student at Syracuse. When she's not writing, you can find her wrangling her husband, two children and surplus of pets.
