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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.
Princeton had its sights set on reclaiming the Ivy League crown that had eluded it since 2022 last season — and the Tigers had the team to do it.
The record-setting offensive trio of McKenzie Blake (89G, 9A), Jami MacDonald (58G, 34A) and Haven Dora (29G, 60A) had back-end support in solid netminder Amelia Hughes (.481SV%, 11.79GAA), making for a team with a real chance.
The Tigers won the regular-season title but had an unfortunate off day in the conference tournament championship game, falling to Yale on their home field 17-6. Princeton rebounded, winning a pair of NCAA tournament games to advance to the quarterfinals, where it lost to eventual champion North Carolina.
Outside of the prolific contributions of Blake, much of the roster remains intact — including the returns of MacDonald, Dora and Hughes — and once again has its eyes on the Ivy title and beyond.
But talk of last year’s losses aren’t necessary in the locker room.
“What’s fun about Princeton student-athletes is they’re incredibly driven,” said Jenn Cook, who is entering her fourth season at the helm of Princeton. “They’re motivated. They want to continue to have more and more success. That’s just who they are.”
With a veteran-heavy roster, something that recent Ivy League contenders Penn and Yale don’t have in 2026, Princeton seems poised to achieve its goals.
It’s a two-part question. MacDonald, Dora and Blake rewrote Princeton’s offensive record book. So, the bad news first: The Tigers’ all-time leader in goals, Blake (231), is gone. The good news? Their career assists queen, Dora (107), and one of her favorite targets, MacDonald, who finished second to Blake with 58 goals last season, are back.
“There’s so much chemistry between the two of them,” Cook said. “They see the game similarly. You look at those two and the way they play together, how dynamic and smart they are, and it’s fun to watch.”
Cook would be remiss if we didn’t mention that the Tigers actually return three of their top four goal scorers from last year. Junior Meg Morrisroe (38G, 4A) is also back, plus an experienced midfield including Collette Quinn (18G, 5A), Maggie Molnar (16G, 7A, 29DC) and Lane Calkins (10G).
“I understand that the McKenzie Blake piece is a hole,” Cook said. “[But we have] a ton of experience on all three sides of the ball, including in the cage.”
You look at those two and the way they play together, how dynamic and smart they are, and it’s fun to watch.
Jenn Cook on the relationship between Haven Dora and Jami MacDonald
Don’t be surprised if a few do, even with all the veterans. Cook was impressed by attackers Kate Dente and Grace Farrell, who showcased coachability and lacrosse IQ, in the fall.
Dente arrives from Episcopal (Pa.), which finished second in the country last season with an 18-0 record, as an All-American. Farrell is a local product out of Haddonfield (N.J.), who tallied 315 career points on 207 goals and 108 assists during her All-American high school career.
Midfielders Devon Lang (St. Anthony’s, N.Y.) and Becca Kirschner (The Pingry School, N.J.) also stood out.
Goalie-wise, Hughes’ job is likely safe, but she's a senior. Four-star recruit and USA Lacrosse High School All-American Jackie Feldman (St. Thomas Aquinas, Fla.) represents the future and might see some time in the spring.
Yale and Penn lose significant talent, with the Bulldogs essentially losing their entire starting lineup and Penn rostering just two seniors this year. Princeton is the worthy favorite to win the Ivy crown.
But Cook said the Tigers aren’t looking externally.
“We’re just focused on us,” Cook said. “You can’t control anything else or predict anything else. There’s talent across the board, on every team, regardless of if you’re returning or not returning players. That’s why you recruit. I have no doubt that there’s talent on all those rosters who lost heavy, senior-laden classes last year.”
Hence, the internal focus. But from the outside and on paper, Princeton looks pretty good — maybe even better than it was.
Justin Feil grew up in Central PA before lacrosse arrived. He was introduced to the game while covering Bill Tierney and Chris Sailer’s Princeton teams. Feil enjoys writing for several publications, coaching and running and has completed 23 straight Boston Marathons. Feil has contributed to USA Lacrosse Magazine since 2009 and edits the national high school rankings.
