MARLBOROUGH, Mass. – With eight first-place votes, defending NEWMAC champions MIT take the top spot in the 2026 NEWMAC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll. The Engineers welcome back NEWMAC Defensive Player of the Year and All-American
Gwen Flusche, as well as fellow All-American
Ashley Thomas. Fellow All-Conference first team honorees
Annica Lam and
Kelsey Dwyer also return, along with second team All-Conference goalkeeper
Pauline Vien, who was named the 2025 NEWMAC Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
Head coach
Anne Versprille returns for her tenth season at the helm of the program.
Babson College claimed the remaining three first-place votes to slide into second place. Head coach
Michelle Smith returns for her 14th season after leading the Beavers to the NEWMAC regular season title last season. Babson returns two all-conference honorees from a team that won its opening game of the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. Midfielder
Claire Jones was an All-NEWMAC first-team selection, and junior defender
Lyndsey Newsome garnered second-team accolades for the Beavers, who advanced to their eighth straight conference tournament final last May.
Springfield College claims third place in the poll, as head coach
Jennifer Thomas returns for her fourth season after leading the Pride to the NEWMAC semifinals last season.
Lily Johnson returns after earning All-Conference and All-Region accolades a season ago.
Landing in the fourth spot is the U.S. Coast Guard Academy. The Bears are coached by
Sue Behme, and reached the semifinal round of the NEWMAC Championship last season. First team All-Conference and Third Team All-American
Rowan Walsh returns for the Bears, along with NEWMAC Rookie of the Year
Ella Campbell, who earned USA Lacrosse All-America Honorable Mention honors.
Fifth place goes to Smith College. Under the direction of head coach
Katie Moore, the Bears bring back four of their top-five goal scorers from a season ago, including All-Conference honorees
Kyra Hawk and
Caroline Sanders.
Wheaton College takes the sixth spot. Head Coach
Emily Kiablick returns for her 18
th season with the Lyons and will coach a strong group of returners led by All-Conference performer
Katie Hallee.
Salve Regina University enters the poll in the seventh spot.
Meghan Malloy enters her third season as head coach for the Seahawks, who return sophomore
Adelaide Baird, a second Team All-Conference honoree in 2025, as well as goalkeeper
Flynn Kayajan, who competed for Team Armenia in the 2025 Heritage Cup.
Clark University takes the eighth spot. The Cougars enter the 2024 campaign under fourth-year head coach
Ashley Chagnon. The scarlet and white return 12 players from last year’s squad, led by graduate student
Meghan Fogarty, who scored a team-high 32 goals. Clark also welcomes nine first-years to the program.
Mount Holyoke College fills in the ninth spot as
Libby Morrison steps into her first year as head coach for the Lyons. Senior midfielder
Emi Bisson returns after leading the Lyons with 60 points.
Juliana Spaulding also returns after leading her squad with 40 goals.
Emerson College rounds out the top ten, led by
Jessie Koffman, who enters her eighth season for the Lions. Emerson is returning a strong group of starters, including
Ava DelliCompagni, who led the Lions with 71 points last season.
Wellesley College finishes the poll in eleventh place. Head Coach
Corinne Desrosiers returns for her second year and brings in seven first-years. Sophomore goalie
Aspen Caudill returns after making 103 saves last year.
The NEWMAC Women’s Lacrosse Champion will be crowned on May 2.
2026 NEWMAC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
1. MIT (8)
2. Babson (3)
3. Springfield
4. Coast Guard
5. Smith
6. Wheaton
7. Salve Regina
8. Clark
9. Mount Holyoke
10. Emerson
11. Wellesley
About the NEWMAC
The NEWMAC is an association of 12 selective academic institutions: Babson College, Clark University, U.S Coast Guard Academy, Emerson College, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Mount Holyoke College, Salve Regina University, Smith College, Springfield College, Wellesley College, Wheaton College, and Worcester Polytechnic Institute, that are committed to providing high quality competitive athletic opportunities for student-athletes within an educational and respectful environment that embodies the NCAA Division III Philosophy. The conference also partners with eight Associate Members: Brandeis University (Women's Lacrosse, 2026-2027), New York University (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), Norwich University (Football), Simmons College (Rowing), SUNY Maritime College (Football), SUNY New Paltz (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), U.S. Merchant Marine Academy (Football), and Vassar College (Men's Volleyball, 2026-2027), while sponsoring 20 sports.