2026 W&L Women's Lacrosse Season Preview

2/6/2026 2:00:00 PM

LEXINGTON, Va. — The ninth-ranked Generals Women's Lacrosse team returns to Watt Field as the defending ODAC champions for the 15th consecutive year and open the spring as the conference’s preseason favorite, while preparing for a nationally demanding schedule that again places W&L among Division III’s elite programs.

Washington and Lee topped the 2026 ODAC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Poll, earning 99 points and nine first-place votes from the league’s head coaches—just one point shy of a unanimous selection. Shenandoah University finished second with 92 points, followed by Roanoke College (81), as the Generals set their sights on a historic 16th straight conference title.

The Generals’ position atop the poll is anchored by experience and continuity. Washington and Lee returns seven of its nine All-ODAC honorees from a season ago, the most of any program in the conference, including ODAC Rookie of the Year and First Team selection Lara Baki. First Team attacker Hannah Van Son, midfielder Emma Marsh, and goalkeeper Iman Haddad also return after ranking among the league’s statistical leaders in 2025.

The Generals 2026 Roster

2026 ODAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll

Washington and Lee University (9) 99 pts.
Shenandoah University (2) 92 pts.
Roanoke College 81 pts.
Randolph-Macon College 74 pts.
University of Lynchburg 64 pts.
Bridgewater College 55 pts.
Virginia Wesleyan University 46 pts.
Eastern Mennonite University 34 pts.
Guilford College 30 pts.
Randolph College 19 pts.
Sweet Briar College 11 pts.

Click HERE to read the ODAC release.

Women's Lacrosse Ranked 6th in the Week One IWLCA DIII Coaches' Poll

NATIONAL POLLS

W&L enters the season ranked No. 9 in the IWLCA Preseason Coaches' Poll and No. 11 in the USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Poll, following an 18-5 campaign in 2025 that included a 25th Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) championship and a trip to the NCAA regional semifinals.

Defending national champion Middlebury topped each poll. To view the complete rankings from both organizations, click the following links: Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine | IWLCA Poll

Junior Defender Ciara Smith '27

PRESEASON HONORS

Three Washington and Lee University women’s lacrosse players were recognized with Preseason All-America honors by USA Lacrosse Magazine when the selections were announced Jan. 27. Junior defender Ciara Smith earned Third Team distinction, while attackers Lara Baki and Hannah Van Son were both named Honorable Mention selections.

Baki and Van Son combined to account for 31 percent of the Generals’ total goals during the 2025 season, while Smith emerged as a fixture in the starting lineup after transitioning from a reserve role in zone defensive sets and a player-down specialist during her rookie campaign.

A steady force on the W&L back line for the 2025 season, Smith started all 23 games and played a key role on one of the stingiest defenses in the nation. She collected 25 ground balls, caused 14 turnovers, and added five draw controls while consistently shutting down the opposing team’s top options. Smith helped anchor a defense that allowed fewer than seven goals per game and held opponents to single-digit scoring in 15 contests.

The 2025 ODAC Rookie of the Year, Baki made an immediate impact in her first season, scoring 48 goals and dishing out 11 assists for 59 total points in 20 appearances. She ranked second on the team in goals and third in total points, while posting a shooting percentage of .558. Her breakout year also earned her First Team All-ODAC, Second Team All-Region, and ODAC All-Tournament Team honors.

A consistent scoring threat and offensive leader, Van Son paced the Generals in goals (64) and points (67) last season. She appeared in 23 games with 20 starts and posted a shooting percentage of .444 while recording four game-winning goals and converting 15 free-position attempts. Her strong junior campaign garnered First Team All-Region, First Team All-ODAC, and ODAC All-Tournament Team honors, along with two ODAC Offensive Player of the Week selections.

To view the complete preseason All-America teams from the organization, click the following link: USA Lacrosse Magazine

As we look ahead to the 2026 competition schedule, we’re excited about the opportunities in front of us and encouraged by the progress made since last season. This team has put in a great deal of work to prepare, and it’s been rewarding to see that effort translate into a shared commitment to growth, new challenges, and moving our program forward.

We’re fortunate to have a strong group of returning players who have developed through experience and dedication. Our upperclassmen have been intentional this fall, providing leadership and support while mentoring and welcoming the first-year class into the program.

Head Coach Maddie Coleman (4th Season)

Maddie Coleman and Avery Blackmon - 2024 season at Guilford

Head Coach Maddie Coleman (left) and Assistant Coach Avery Blackmon (right)

2026 SCHEDULE OVERVIEW

The 2026 season schedule features a strong lineup of ranked opponents and a competitive Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) slate.

Washington and Lee University women’s lacrosse enters the 2026 season with one of the most demanding schedules in Division III, highlighted by nine matchups against preseason ranked opponents and a home slate that includes several national heavyweights at Alston Parker Watt Field.

Key Ranked Matchups

The Generals open the season on Sunday, Feb. 15, hosting No. 6 Franklin & Marshall at noon in a marquee nonconference showdown that sets the tone early. One week later, W&L heads to Maryland to face No. 8 Salisbury on Feb. 22, continuing a long-standing rivalry against one of the nation’s premier programs.

March brings a stretch loaded with national tests, including road contests at No. 7 York on March 14 and home dates against No. 4 Gettysburg on March 22 and Catholic on March 7. The Generals close the regular season with three ranked opponents over the final five games, traveling to No. 10 Denison on April 21 and No. 12 William Smith College on April 25 at USA Lacrosse Headquarters in Sparks, Md.

Home Field Advantage at Alston Parker Watt Field

Feb. 15 (Sunday) — Noon vs. No. 6 Franklin & Marshall
Feb. 25 (Wednesday) — 5 p.m. vs. University of Mary Washington
March 4 (Wednesday) — 6 p.m. vs. Christopher Newport
March 7 (Saturday) — Noon vs. Catholic
March 22 (Sunday) — 1 p.m. vs. No. 4 Gettysburg
March 28 (Saturday) — 3 p.m. vs. Virginia Wesleyan
April 1 (Wednesday) — 6 p.m. vs. Roanoke
April 8 (Wednesday) — 6 p.m. vs. Shenandoah
April 18 (Saturday) — Noon vs. Lynchburg

Road Tests and ODAC Play
Conference play ramps up in late March and April with ODAC road trips to Randolph-Macon (March 18) and Bridgewater (April 4), as W&L positions itself for postseason contention. The Generals will look to carry momentum into the ODAC Tournament, where the top seed hosts all rounds.

ODAC and NCAA Postseason
The ODAC Semifinals are scheduled for Friday, May 1, followed by the ODAC Championship on Sunday, May 3, with sites determined by conference seeding.

The NCAA Tournament begins the following weekend, with first- and second-round games set for May 9–10. Third-round and regional rounds follow on May 16–17, with regional finals on May 22. W&L hopes to host NCAA Tournament rounds at Alston Parker Watt Field, though pod sites will be announced following the conclusion of conference championship weekend.

The national semifinals and championship will be held in Rochester, N.Y., hosted by RIT, with the NCAA Semifinals on May 22 and the National Championship on May 24.

CAPTAINS

Sophie Edwards – Senior | Attack | San Francisco, Ca.

A USA Lacrosse Preseason All-America Honorable Mention selection in 2025, Sophie Edwards returns as one of Washington and Lee’s most reliable and creative offensive threats. She earned Second Team All-ODAC honors after starting all 23 games in 2025, finishing the season with 28 goals and 23 assists for 51 points while leading the Generals in assists. Over her first three seasons, Edwards has totaled 79 goals, 38 assists, and 117 points across 65 career games.
Off the field, Edwards is a Business Administration major with a strong academic record, earning Academic All-ODAC and W&L Scholar-Athlete honors during her career. She studied at the London School of Economics during the summer of 2023 and brings an entrepreneurial mindset as the founder of HappyBeads, her own jewelry business. Edwards is active in the Connolly Entrepreneurship Society, Morgan’s Message, and Project Horizon in Lexington.
A composed and versatile attacker, Edwards combines vision, efficiency, and experience, entering her senior season as a trusted playmaker and steady presence in Washington and Lee’s offense.
Emma Marsh – Senior | Midfield | Millersville, Md.
An All-ODAC and IWLCA All-Region First Team selection in 2025, Emma Marsh returns as a proven presence in the midfield, impacting the game on the draw, defensively, and in transition. Entering her senior season, she has totaled 107 draw controls, 24 caused turnovers, 43 ground balls, 45 goals, and 23 assists over the past three seasons.
Off the field, Marsh is a three-time Academic All-ODAC and W&L Scholar-Athlete while majoring in history with a minor in entrepreneurship. She studied abroad at Trinity College, University of Oxford, during the fall of 2024, where she also competed with the university’s lacrosse program.
A dynamic two-way midfielder, Marsh started 23 games in 2025 and served as a deputy captain, bringing steady leadership and experience to the Generals’ lineup.
Iman Haddad – Senior | Goalkeeper | Alexandria, Va.

Second Team All-ODAC and First Team All-State honoree in 2025, Iman Haddad returns as the anchor of Washington and Lee’s defense after a standout junior campaign in goal. She commanded a unit that held opponents to single-digit goals in 15 contests, finishing the season with a 8.98 goals-against average and 127 saves. Her play earned ODAC Defensive Player of the Week (Feb. 24) and IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week (Feb. 25) honors, along with selection to the ODAC All-Tournament Team.
Off the field, Haddad is a Business Administration major with minors in data science and art history, and a multi-time Academic All-ODAC and W&L Scholar-Athlete. Off the field, Haddad is active in the Washington and Lee Real Estate Society, serves as Vice President of Membership for Alpha Delta Pi, and gained professional experience as a development intern with Portman Holdings in Atlanta during the summer of 2024.
A poised and vocal presence in the cage, Haddad enters her senior season as a steady leader and proven difference-maker for the Generals.

KEY RETURNERS

Washington and Lee returns the most All-ODAC talent in the conference, welcoming back seven of its nine all-league honorees from the 2025 season.

Leading the way is ODAC Rookie of the Year and First Team All-ODAC attacker Lara Baki, who made an immediate impact in her debut season. Baki ranked second on the team with 48 goals and 59 points, while posting an efficient .814 shots-on-goal percentage, giving the Generals a dynamic scoring presence returning to the attack.

Fellow First Team All-ODAC selections Hannah Van Son and Emma Marsh provide veteran production across the field. Van Son returns after leading W&L with 64 goals in 2025, while Marsh continues to be a steady two-way presence in the midfield, contributing on the draw, in transition, and defensively. Marsh finished second on the team with 83 draw controls and added 29 goals and 14 assists during her junior season.

In goal, Second Team All-ODAC selection Iman Haddad returns after anchoring a defensive unit that held opponents to single-digit goals in 15 contests. Haddad posted a 8.98 goals-against average with 127 saves, earning both ODAC and IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week honors.

The Generals’ defensive depth is further strengthened by Second Team All-ODAC defender Dagny Tombaugh, who emerged as a reliable presence in her first season. Tombaugh earned ODAC Defensive Player of the Week honors (March 31) and finished the year with 17 caused turnovers and 16 ground balls, providing poise and consistency on the back line.

The General's returning depth is rounded out by Second Team All-ODAC honorees Sophie Edwards and Betty Boatwright. Edwards developed into one of the Generals’ primary playmakers, starting all 23 games and totaling 51 points on 28 goals and 23 assists, while Boatwright contributed across all phases of play with 36 draw controls, 27 ground balls, and 21 caused turnovers.