Northwestern Claims 2025 Big Ten Women's Lacrosse Tournament Title

COLLEGE PARK, Md. – The Northwestern Wildcats erased a 6-2 deficit in the game’s final 20:04 before Aditi Foster’s goal with 15 seconds to play secured their fifth Big Ten Tournament Championship, defeating number two seeded Maryland 8-7 at the Maryland Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex in College Park, Md.

The win marks Northwestern’s third consecutive conference tournament crown and its fifth since 2019. As Big Ten Tournament champions, the Wildcats also earn the Big Ten’s automatic bid to the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament.

Northwestern’s sixth-year defender Jane Hansen was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player after anchoring a defensive effort that limited Maryland to just one goal over the game’s final 22:30 and its second lowest scoring output of the season.

The Terps grabbed an early lead, as Kori Edmondson scored the first of her four goals in the game’s opening minutes. Northwestern’s Madison Taylor leveled the score before Maryland turned up its defense.

The Terps held the Big Ten’s highest scoring team to just one goal over the next 34-plus minutes on the strength of goaltender JJ Suriano’s Big Ten Tournament record tying 18 saves. Maryland’s offense took advantage, as four players marked the scoring column, helping the Terps build a 5-2 lead at the half and 6-2 after an Edmondson goal at the 7:30 mark of the third quarter.

Foster’s first goal of the afternoon came with just over five minutes left in the third, snapping Northwestern’s scoring drought and spurring the Wildcats to three unanswered goals to pull within 6-5 with 15 minutes to play.

The score remained 6-5 until Northwestern’s Emerson Bohlig unassisted goal evened the score at 6-6 with just under three minutes to play. Just 16 seconds later, Taylor gave Northwestern its first lead of the game. Maryland tied the score at 7-7 on Edmondson’s free position goal with 64 ticks left on the clock.

Northwestern won the ensuing draw and, with just 15 seconds left on the clock, Bohlig found Foster cutting to the net for the game-winning goal. The Terps had a chance to even the scoring in the game’s final seconds, but could not convert a free position opportunity.

Niki Miles joined Foster and Taylor with two goals each for the Wildcats, while Hansen tallied three caused turnovers. Sam Smith collected seven draw controls with goaltender Delaney Sweitzer notched seven saves.     

Edmondson led the Maryland attack with four goals on the day, with Kayla Gilmore, Lauren Lapointe, and Shelby Sullivan also marking the scoring column.

2025 Big Ten Women’s Lacrosse All-Tournament Team
Taylor Hoss, Soph., A, Johns Hopkins
Reagan O’Brien, Jr., D, Johns Hopkins
Kori Edmondson, Jr., M, Maryland
Sophie Halus, Sr., D, Maryland
JJ Suriano, Soph., GK, Maryland
Emma Burke, Fr., M, Michigan
Jill Smith, Jr., M, Michigan
Jane Hansen, Gr, D, Northwestern
Sam Smith, Sr., M, Northwestern
Delaney Sweitzer, Gr., GK, Northwestern
Madison Taylor, Jr., A, Northwestern
Sammy White, Sr., D, Northwestern

Most Outstanding Player: Jane Hansen, Northwestern