Northwestern Selected to Repeat as Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Champions

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Reigning Big Ten champion Northwestern has been selected as the unanimous favorite to win the 2025 Big Ten Conference women’s lacrosse regular season title, according to a vote of the league’s coaches.

The Wildcats are followed in the poll by Michigan in second, with Johns Hopkins and Maryland tied for third. Penn State and USC were selected fifth and sixth, respectively, followed by Ohio State, Rutgers, and Oregon.

Ranked No. 2 in the 2025 KANE Women’s Division I Media Preseason Poll, Northwestern claimed both the regular season and tournament titles in 2024 before making its fifth consecutive appearance at NCAA Championship weekend.

The conference also unveiled the 2025 Big Ten Players to Watch List, as selected by the league’s coaches. Nine players who earned All-Big Ten honors in 2024, including a pair of major award winners, were included among the Players to Watch.

Returning All-Big Ten First Team honorees include Michigan’s Kaylee Dyer, 2024 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year Erin O’Grady, and Jill Smith, Samantha Smith and Madison Taylor from Northwestern, and Penn State’s Ellie Hollin. Last season’s Freshman of the Year, Penn State goaltender Sydney Manning was also named to the Players to Watch List.

The 2025 Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Tournament will take place at Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex, beginning with three quarterfinal games on April 23. The quarterfinal winners along with the top seed will advance to the semifinal round on Friday, April 25, with the championship game contested two days later.

The 2025 preseason poll and complete Players to Watch list can be found below.

2025 BIG TEN WOMEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL

1. Northwestern (Unanimous)
2. Michigan
T-3. Johns Hopkins
T-3. Maryland
5. Penn State
6. USC
7. Ohio State
8. Rutgers
9. Oregon

2025 BIG TEN WOMEN’S LACROSSE PLAYERS TO WATCH
Ava Angello, Jr., A, Johns Hopkins
Ashley Mackin, Sr., A, Johns Hopkins
Reagan O'Brien, Jr., D, Johns Hopkins
Kori Edmondson, Jr., M, Maryland
Jordyn Lipkin, Jr., A, Maryland
Kennedy Major, Jr., D, Maryland
Kaylee Dyer, Sr., A, Michigan
Erin O'Grady, Sr., GK, Michigan
Jill Smith, Sr., A, Michigan
Samantha Smith, Sr., M, Northwestern
Madison Taylor, Jr., A, Northwestern
Sammy White, Sr., D/M, Northwestern
Brynn Ammerman, Sr., A, Ohio State
Annie Hargraves, Sr., M, Ohio State
Jocelyn Torres, Jr., GK, Ohio State
Lexi Jenkins, So., D, Oregon
Anna Simmons, Jr., M, Oregon
Avery Young, So., A, Oregon
Ellie Hollin, Sr., D, Penn State
Kelly MacKinney, So., A, Penn State
Sydney Manning, So., GK, Penn State
Emalie Clothier, Sr., D, Rutgers
Lexie Coldiron, Grad., GK, Rutgers
Alexa Corbin, Sr., A, Rutgers
Maddie Dora, Sr., A, USC
Catherine Lord, Sr., D, USC
Isabelle Vitale, R-Sr., A, USC