Way-Early 2027 Rankings: No. 15-No. 11 (Division I Women)
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© 2026 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
© 2026 USA Lacrosse. All Rights Reserved.
It’s time to look ahead 2027, even if next season’s first lacrosse game is six months away.
USA Lacrosse Magazine will spend the week counting down from No. 25 to No. 1 in our way-early rankings for the 2027 NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse season, continuing today with five teams looking to build on gains they made in 2026.
2026 record: 12-7 (4-4 Big Ten)
Last seen: Getting blanked in the second half of a 7-5 loss to Stanford in the first round of the NCAA tournament
Notable departures: Erika Ho, A; Emma Kelly, A; Lauren Tinson, D; Payton Wainman, A
Notable additions: Mya Carroll, M (Albany); Shae Hagans, A (Jacksonville); Hali Horvath, M; Carolyn Jones, A; Maggie Luviano, D; Alice Manzo, M; Reagan O'Donovan, GK
Initial forecast: Penn State made strides in Kayla Treanor’s first year, posting a five-win improvement overall and returning to the NCAA tournament. The Nittany Lions are down Emma Kelly’s 120 draw controls and a starting defender in Lauren Tinson. They’ll also miss offensive outputs from Payton Wainman (43 goals) and Erika Ho (11 goals, 35 assists).
But honestly? Much of the core of last season’s team is back, including netminder Sydney Manning (10.50 goals against average, 49.4% save percentage) and defenders Maggie Driver (27 ground balls, 30 caused turnovers) and Susannah O’Connell (28 ground balls, 28 caused turnovers).
Offensively, PSU brings back its three points leaders in Delaney Radin (27 goals, 57 assists), Kelly MacKinney (45 goals, 32 assists) and Rocquette Allen (45 goals, 22 assists).
What will be interesting is how Treanor mixes last season’s standouts with multiple noted recruits. Reagan O'Donovan, a top goalie prospect from McDonogh (Md.) and former Syracuse commit, leads the pack. It remains to be seen whether she’ll compete with Manning for the starting spot or take a redshirt year to develop.
2026 record: 16-4 (4-1 Big 12)
Last seen: Losing to eventual champion Northwestern on a controversial free position, 13-12, in double overtime of the NCAA quarterfinals.
Notable departures: Lily Assini, A; Mack Hanlon, D; Jess Peluso, D; Maddie Shoup, A
Notable additions: Keira Doyle-Odenbach, M (San Diego State); Rylee Fanelli, M; Ryn Gardner, A; Jillian Murphy, M; Angelina Longo, D (Arizona State); Claire Lopez, A; Elena Torres, A (Villanova); Rose Woolery, M
Initial forecast: Colorado upended the favorite and inaugural Big 12 champion, Florida, in the conference tournament final, advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals for the first time and gave Northwestern a run for its money. Much of the Buffs’ success rested on a talented senior class that included star attacker Maddie Shoup (47 goals, 24 assists), Lily Assini (23 goals, 53 assists), Jess Peluso (31 ground balls, 42 caused turnovers, 60 draw controls) and Mack Hanlon (22 ground balls, 22 caused turnovers).
But Colorado has a strong group returning. Elana Oh (6.89 goals against average, 46.4% save percentage) anchored Colorado’s second-ranked scoring defense (6.95 goals allowed per game) as a sophomore. Offensively, returns from Rachel Kennedy (31 goals, 13 assists), Teagan Ryan (41 goals) and Jaimey Hill (24 goals, 17 assists) should neutralize losses of Shoup and Assini.
Colorado also brings in a trio of sophomores, including attacker Elena Torres, who started at Villanova and tallied 21 goals and 16 assists en route to second-team All-Big East honors.
2026 record: 17-5 (8-2 ACC)
Last seen: Succumbing to conference foe North Carolina 14-11 in its first-ever trip to the NCAA quarterfinals.
Notable departures: Kate Bellissimo, D; Rylee Bouvier, M; Jordyn Case, M; Annabel First, M; Mallory Hasselbeck, A; Lucy Pearson, G
Notable additions: Olivia Abbott, M; Ruby Cacioppo, GK; Ava Thompson, D
Initial forecast: Stanford advanced past the first round for the first time in the Danielle Spencer era, concluding the season with a historic trip to the NCAA quarterfinals. The Cardinal bring back their leading scorers in Aliya Poiisky (51 goals, 27 assists), Ava Aceri (48 goals, 12 assists) and Martha Oakey (28 goals, 32 assists). Kaleigh Sommers and Olivia Rose will provide veteran leadership on defense.
The biggest question marks for the Cardinal are in the net and circle. Lucy Pearson (8.38 goals against average, 43.2% save percentage) graduated. Ella Morton saw more than 425 minutes of action and produced a 9.58 goals against average and stopped 42.9% of the shots she faced. But she’ll likely have competition from Ruby Cacioppo, a five-star stopper out of Manhasset (N.Y.).
Jordyn Case, Annabel First and Rylee Bouvier combined for 190 of Stanford’s 277 draws (68%). That’s an area of need.
2026 record: 12-6 (6-4 ACC)
Last seen: Bowing out in the first round of the NCAA tournament with a 13-12 loss to James Madison
Notable departures: Abigail Lyons, D; Emma Murphy, A; Franny O’Brien, M/D
Notable additions: Ellie Amato, M; Anna Christie, M; Maris McGinty, A; Ava Newman, M; Kenzie Rassas, M
Initial forecast: Notre Dame’s young group made early noise with wins over Michigan and Boston College but stalled as the season went on, making early exits from the ACC and NCAA tournaments. Still, it was enough to get back to the NCAA tournament, which the Irish missed in 2025.
Notre Dame returns most of its starting lineup and will welcome multiple coveted recruits to the fold as they turn the page to 2027. Kenzie Rasses will join sister Madison, who tied Kate Timarky with a team-best 54 goals last year. Charley Bacigalupo (28 goals, 22 assists) and Grace Maroney (32 goals, 14 assists) are among the other top guns returning.
Defensively, Notre Dame sparkled last season, finishing seventh nationally in scoring defense at 7.89 goals allowed per game. Ceci Patterson (8.07 goals against average, 41.7% save percentage) stood out as a rookie.
The Irish are on the rise as we look toward 2027. But, as usual, it remains to be seen whether they can come for UNC’s crown, especially with Clemson, which knocked Notre Dame out of the ACC tournament, also boasting a bevy of young talent. Speaking of which….
2026 record: 15-6 (7-3 ACC)
Last seen: Losing 17-6 to UNC in the second round of the NCAA tournament
Notable departures: Bridget Babcock, M; Jordan DeBlasio, D; Paris Masaracchia, D; Maddigan Miller, M; Natalie Shurtleff, M (Boston College)
Notable additions: Anna Bogan, M; Ava Findora, M; Brinn Findora, M; Ayiana Rippin, M; Kylie Waters, A
Initial forecast: The Tigers have young talent for days returning on offense — and more talent on the way. All of the above “notable additions” are of the four and five-star variety. They’ll join a group of veterans headlined by Alexa Spallina (39 goals, 72 assists), who led freshmen nationally in assists per game (3.43) and points per game (5.29), proving her selection as the top recruit in her class wasn’t nepotism, but rather skill.
The Tigers also bring back Brooke Goldstein (43 goals, 20 assists), Emma Penczek (33 goals, 30 assists) and Aubrie Eisfeld (36 goals) — that’s four of their top five goal scorers. Only Natalie Shurtleff (43 goals, 17 assists) departs for Boston College.
Things are a tad trickier defensively, as starters Paris Masaracchia, Bridget Babcock and Paris Masaracchia graduated. But rising sophomore Teagan Scott, who caused a team-high 66 turnovers last season, returns. Ditto for goalie Tess DeLuca, another rising sophomore who posted an 8.50 goals against average and 39% save percentage.
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.
