Northwestern Expected to Repeat at Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Champion

ROSEMONT, Ill. – Reigning Big Ten and national champion Northwestern has been selected as the unanimous favorite to win the 2024 Big Ten Conference women’s lacrosse championship, according to a vote of the league’s coaches.

The Wildcats are followed in the poll by Maryland in second, Johns Hopkins in third, Michigan in fourth, and Penn State in fifth, with Rutgers and Ohio St. closing the poll in sixth and seventh places, respectively.

Ranked No. 1 in the 2024 ILWomen/IWLCA Preseason Poll, Northwestern claimed both the regular season and tournament titles before topping Boston College 18-6 in the national championship game.

The conference also unveiled the 2024 Big Ten Players to Watch List, as selected by the league’s coaches. Thirteen players who earned All-Big Ten honors in 2023, including four major award winners, were included among the Players to Watch.

Returning All-Big Ten First Team honorees include Maryland’s Shaylan Ahearn, Meghan Ball, and Emily Sterling, Michigan’s Maddie Burns and Jill Smith, Northwestern’s Erin Coykendall, Izzy Scane, and Sammy White, Penn State’s Ellie Hollin and Kristin O’Neill, and Rutgers’ Cassidy Spilis. Scane was named Big Ten Attacker of the Year, while Ahearn, Ball, and Sterling were named Midfielder, Defender, and Goaltender of the Year, respectively.

The 2024 Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse Tournament will begin on Saturday, April 27 with three quarterfinal round games on the campuses of the number two, three, and four seeds. The quarterfinal winners along with the top seed will advance to the semifinal round, to be played at Northwestern on Thursday, May 4, with the championship game contested two days later.

The 2024 preseason poll and complete Players to Watch list can be found below.

2024 BIG TEN WOMEN’S LACROSSE PRESEASON POLL

1. Northwestern

2. Maryland

3. Johns Hopkins

4. Michigan

5. Penn State

6. Rutgers

7. Ohio State

2024 BIG TEN WOMEN’S LACROSSE PLAYERS TO WATCH

Ava Angello, So., Johns Hopkins

Madison Doucette, Gr., Johns Hopkins

Abbey Hurlbrink, Sr., Johns Hopkins

Shaylan Ahearn, Grad., Maryland

Meghan Ball, Grad., Maryland

Emily Sterling, Grad., Maryland

Maddie Burns, Sr., Michigan

Kaylee Dyer, Jr., Michigan

Jill Smith, Jr., Michigan

Erin Coykendall, Grad., Northwestern

Izzy Scane, Grad., Northwestern

Sammy White, Jr., Northwestern

Regan Alexander, Sr., Ohio State

Jamie Lasda, Sr., Ohio State

Emily Magalotti, Sr., Ohio State

Sammy Dupcak, Sr., Penn State

Ellie Hollin, Jr., Penn State

Kristin O’Neill, Sr., Penn State

Jessica Beneducci, Gr., Rutgers

Sophia Cardello, Sr., Rutgers

Cassidy Spilis, Grad., Rutgers