Way-Early 2026 Division I Women's Rankings: 15-11

USA Lacrosse Magazine’s way-early look at the 2026 women’s season continues Wednesday with five teams from three of the most competetive conferences in the country a year ago. Today’s segment: Nos. 15-11.

Previously: Nos. 25-21 | Nos. 20-16

No. 15 Yale

2025 record: 16-4 (5-2 Ivy)

Last seen: In an 18-11 loss to No. 2 Boston College in the NCAA quarterfinals

Notable departures: Sophie Straka, D; Fallon Vaughn, M; Jenna Collignon, A; Taylor Lane, M; Sky Carrasquillo, M; Molly McGuckin, D; Cami Donadio, GK

Notable Additions: Avery Saviano, D; Whitnery Froeb, M

Initial forecast: It's likely that no team in the country is losing more talent than Yale. The Bulldogs graduated a frankly jaw-dropping 87 percent of their offensive production, including their primary draw taker and three of their starting defenders.

Second-team All-American attacker Jenna Collignon (67G, 5A) graduated as the Bulldogs' leader in goals and draw controls (91) last season, but the midfield production will be even more difficult to reproduce. Yale graduated a trio of All-Americans in Fallon Vaughn (50G, 30A), Sky Carrasquillo (52G, 7A) and Taylor Lane (39G, 27A).

Junior Ashley Kiernan (11G, 12A) and senior Megan Kitagawa (5G, 10A) return as the Bulldogs' most productive offensive players from last season, but neither started a game. Sophomore goalie Niamh Pfaff looks like a player Yale can build around, though, after she emerged as a starter last season.

No. 14 Michigan

2025 record: 13-7 (5-3 Big 10)

Last seen: Falling to a familiar foe in Northwestern, 15-7, in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Notable departures: Jill Smith, A; Kaylee Dyer, A Julia Schwabe, M; Ava Class, M; Maya Rutherford, D; Jane Fetterolf, A; Erin O’Grady, GK

Notable Additions: Brin Gotham, D; Lexi Mullahy, M

Initial forecast: 2026 will mark a brand new era of Michigan lacrosse after the Wolverines graduated their No. 1 and No. 2 all-time leading scorers in Jill Smith and Kaylee Dyer, respectively. Michigan will only return 36 percent of its offensive production from last season on the whole. 

Defender Maya Rutherford, the Wolverines' leader in career starts, will also be a major loss to a defense that finished eighth in the country in goals allowed per game (9.05).

To pour more salt on their wounds, the Wolverines' all-time leader in wins, goalie Erin O’Grady, has also run out of eligibility. The Wolverines haven’t been very active in the transfer portal, but Brin Gotham will join Michigan as one of the most sought after defenders in the Class of 2025. 

No. 13 Penn

2025 record: 12-7 (5-2 Ivy)

Last seen: Hanging close with Northwestern in the quarterfinals of the NCAA tournament but not having enough in a 17-12 loss.

Notable departures: Natasha Gorriaran, D; Anna Brandt, M; Keeley Block, A (Maryland); Erika Chung, A; Gracie Smith, M; Grace Lillis, D

Notable Additions: Mary Sack, M

Initial forecast: Multiple one-goal losses to Yale tarnished an otherwise successful season for Penn last year, and much uncertainty lies ahead. The Quakers are losing 61 percent of their offensive production and the reigning Ivy League Defensive Player of the Year in Natasha Gorriaran.

Attacker Keeley Block (42G, 23A) is ineligible to play her fifth season in the Ivy League, which leaves Penn without three of its top four scorers from last year. Junior Catherine Berkery (41G, 21A), who scored on just over 50 percent of her shots last year, is the Quakers’ strongest returning player on offense. 

Sophomore goalie Orly Sedransk looks like a future star in the making after taking home Ivy League Goalkeeper of the Year and Rookie of the Year honors.

No. 12 Syracuse

2025 record: 10-9 (5-4 ACC)

Last seen: Ending a rocky 2025 with a nail-biting 9-8 loss at Yale in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Notable departures: Olivia Adamson, A (Northwestern); Emma Ward, A; Superia Clark, M (Florida State)

Notable Additions: Ella Peers, A; Mackenzie Borbi, M

Initial forecast: Losing the two strongest recruits in the country and what would have been Syracuse’s top scoring option next year in Olivia Adamson are big blows, but the Orange will return a large bulk of last year's depth. Just 20 percent of their offensive production is leaving, and Syracuse’s entire starting defense will return outside of Superia Clark.

Midfielder Emma Muchnick (34G, 7A) is the Orange’s most productive returning player alongside encouraging sophomores Caroline Trinkaus (32G, 11A) and Mileena Cotter (21G, 2A). How Syracuse will replace the production of Emma Ward and Adamson on attack is still a major question for new head coach Regy Thorpe.

No. 11 Clemson

2025 record: 14-7 (6-3 ACC)

Last seen: Getting doubled up 18-9 against eventual national champ North Carolina in the second round of the NCAA tournament.

Notable departures: Lindsey Marshall, A; Lexi Edmonds, A; Katie Castiello, A; Bridget Babcock, M; Summer Agostino, D; Maggie Jordan, M

Notable Additions: Alexa Spallina, A; Emma Penczek, M; Maddigan Miller, M (Stanford); Mikaela Mooney, A (UAlbany); Tessa DeLuca, GK

Initial forecast: Step one for Clemson was completed last year. The Tigers put up a strong season in the ACC and earned the program’s first NCAA tournament win over Navy. Now Clemson can shoot for the stars with arguably the strongest incoming combined portal and freshman class in the nation.

The Tigers are bringing in the country’s top two recruits in Alexa Spallina and Emma Penczek, along with five other five-star prospects, according to Inside Lacrosse. They also added Maddigan Miller (36G 13A), who was one of the ACC’s most-productive midfielders at Stanford, and Mikaela Mooney (35G, 34A) with two years of eligibility left.

Clemson’s bulky incoming class was necessary, though, as the Tigers graduated a substantial 53 percent of their offensive production.