NCAA 2026 Countdown: No. 3 Boston College Restarting a Dynasty

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.

This spring feels a bit different around Chestnut Hill.

Maybe that’s a slight exaggeration, but think about it. When’s the last time Boston College didn’t enter a college lacrosse season at the absolute top of the conversation of NCAA title contenders?

In 2026, all the talk is squarely on North Carolina, the undefeated defending national champion, and Northwestern, last year’s runner-up that returns the NCAA single-season goals leader in Madison Taylor and a vast array of impact transfers coming aboard.

It’s not as if Boston College is far off. The Eagles rank third in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 with an early-February date with the Wildcats that’ll have the No. 2 slot up for grabs.

Maybe that’s a fresh new persona for the Eagles — a sleeping giant. Acacia Walker-Weinstein always has her team ready for May, and even if there are more holes to fill this season than she and her staff have become accustomed to filling, the Eagles are still one of the premier programs in the nation.

Don’t completely count them out.

How do you “restart” a dynasty?

Boston College’s streak of reaching NCAA championship games ended last season — a seven-year streak that began in 2017. It ended in heartbreaking fashion, too. The Eagles led Northwestern 11-6 in the semifinals before the Wildcats scored six unanswered in the fourth quarter to win.

So, Walker-Weinstein and her team are focused on kickstarting a new streak — though eight straight championship weekends isn’t exactly something to shake a stick at, for what it’s worth.

“We talk about getting to championship weekend all the time,” Walker-Weinstein said. “We’re very open with the girls. It’s part of our conversation. We have to be manifesting what we want. It’s not some scary thing.”

A trio of offensive staples have graduated — Emma LoPinto, Rachel Clark and Mckenna Davis — as did impact transfer Mia Mascone. That leaves Molly Driscoll (33 goals, 24 assists) as the top returning scorer.

Walker-Weinstein brought in reinforcements, though, in the form of ex-rival Marrisa White (North Carolina).

But just about everywhere else, there’s a fair bit of continuity. Especially on defense, with Shea Baker, Lydia Colasante and Shea Dolce holding things down.

“One of the things I’ve loved about the staff and our leaders, they’ve embraced a lot of change and new themes,” Walker-Weinstein said. “They’ve embraced new ways to elevate things so that we can maintain excellence.”

What’s the plan for the offense?

With four key offensive positions to replace, new faces are going to enter the starting lineup. But because those four players were so prolific, there wasn’t a ton of room for players behind them to see significant time in big spots.

That made the fall fun for the coaching staff.

“It was a really fun fall because we had a lot of turnover, which means we have a lot of new players to coach and teach and develop,” Walker-Weinstein said. “Our girls are so hungry for that. It was so fun to get our hands on a new unit. They really rose to the occasion.”

With so many athletes fighting for meaningful time, Walker-Weinstein said the decision to settle on a lineup wasn’t easy. And it’s probably an ever-changing thing as the season progresses.

But expect new systems based on who and what the Eagles have. White will surely be involved as a former All-American and high-ranking recruit. As will Stony Brook transfer Casey Colbert, who collected a team-high 57 assists during her senior season with the Seawolves last year.

Walker-Weinstein pointed to Driscoll, Julia Colarusso, Hannah Davis and Brooke McCloy as others she expects to pop off your screens.

How has Shea Dolce grown?

It’s hard to believe, but Shea Dolce is a senior.

She’s been one of the nation’s top goalies ever since she took over the starting job as a freshman, and she delivered one of the most iconic saves in the history of the sport with her kick save that sealed the 2024 NCAA championship.

Her loss to graduation in about five months’ time will be a major hit to the program, and not just for her work on the field.

“The biggest shift in her role has been her calm, confident demeanor that allows her to really, truly be herself,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She’s a natural leader.”

None of Dolce’s successes have been surprising to anyone within the walls of the program.

“I knew she was so special,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I knew there was something very different about her. Her elite performance at a really young age, it was more than just talent. There was something else there. What I learned is that there’s a deep-rooted internal drive that steers her discipline and it makes for elite college performance.”

A member of the U.S. U20 Women’s National Team that won gold in Hong Kong, China, in 2024 and now one of two goalies on the U.S. Women’s National Team, this is hardly Dolce’s last ride. It’s just her last hoorah with the Eagles.