Xavier University Athletics
Sunday, March 8
Williamsburg, Va.
12 p.m.
Xavier University
at
William & Mary
Lacrosse Opens Spring Break Trip at William & Mary
03.06.26 | Women's Lacrosse
The Musketeers head to Virginia for a two-game road trip starting with the Tribe on Sunday afternoon.
CINCINNATI - The Xavier lacrosse team is headed to Virginia this weekend for a match up with the William & Mary Tribe on Sunday. The Musketeers will then stay in Virginia to face Old Dominion on Tuesday afternoon.Â
XU is fresh off a dominant 16-2 win over Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night in the Musketeers' first home win of the season. The win marked a new program record 14-goal differential.
For the first time in program history, four different Musketeers recorded a hat trick in the game including Samantha Balara, Maya Graham, Genevieve Hathaway and Cameron Yard. Hathaway and Yard each notched their first career hat tricks while Graham totaled three goals and three assists for a career-high nine points.
The Musketeers are facing William & Mary for the first time in program history and their first opponent from the CAA conference. The Tribe is 4-15 all time against the BIG EAST.
First draw is set for 12:00 p.m. on Sunday in Williamsburg, Va.
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SUNDAY, MARCH 8 | 12:00 PM
Feb. 23 - Genevieve Hathaway - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Feb. 23 - Samantha Balara - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
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BIG EAST Preseason Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Denver (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 36 pts.
2. Villanova         28
3. UConn (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26
4. Georgetown            24
5. Marquette        16
6. Butler            11
7. Xavier            6
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BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
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BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
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Preseason All-BIG EAST Team *
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
Rayea Davis, A, R-Sr., UConn^
Alex Dorr, DS, R-So., Denver^
Lexi Gwaku, GK, So. Denver
Megan Klingenberg, Sr., D- Denver^
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
Gracie Driggs, A, Sr., Georgetown^
Sophia Loschert, A, So., Georgetown
Kendall Steer, D, Sr., Georgetown
Hanna Bodner, M, Gr., Marquette^
Lauren Grady, M, Jr., Marquette
Tess Osburn, A, Sr., Marquette^
Mary Velner, D, Jr., Marquette
Rose Christie, M, Jr., Villanova^
Leslie Iorio, M, So., Villanova
Elena Torres, A, R-Jr., Villanova^
Emma Verhoest, DS, Jr., Villanova^
XU is fresh off a dominant 16-2 win over Detroit Mercy on Wednesday night in the Musketeers' first home win of the season. The win marked a new program record 14-goal differential.
For the first time in program history, four different Musketeers recorded a hat trick in the game including Samantha Balara, Maya Graham, Genevieve Hathaway and Cameron Yard. Hathaway and Yard each notched their first career hat tricks while Graham totaled three goals and three assists for a career-high nine points.
The Musketeers are facing William & Mary for the first time in program history and their first opponent from the CAA conference. The Tribe is 4-15 all time against the BIG EAST.
First draw is set for 12:00 p.m. on Sunday in Williamsburg, Va.
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game information
SUNDAY, MARCH 8 | 12:00 PM
- Xavier Musketeers (2-4, 0-0 BIG EAST) vs. William & Mary Tribe (3-3, 0-0 CAA)
- Williamsburg, Va. // Martin Family Stadium at Albert-Daly Field
- Listen
- Live Stats
about the musketeers
- Megan Droney leads the Musketeers with 15Â points this season on five goals and a team-high 10 assists. The junior ranks fourth in the BIG EAST for her 1.67 assists per game.
- Samantha Balara has scored a team-leading 10 goals this year including two hat trick performances.
- Maya Graham has contributed eight goals and six assists for 14 points.
- Colby Wasson leads the team with 20 ground balls and 12 caused turnovers. She ranks third in the BIG EAST for both ground balls (3.33) and caused turnovers (2.00) per game.
- Jada Brandon averages 8.67 saves per game on a .515 save percentage, ranking second in the league for both statistics.
- The Musketeers scored a season-high 16 goals in the win over Detroit Mercy and the most since a 17-10 win ove Radford on Feb. 17, 2024.
- Xavier will open BIG EAST play on Saturday, March 21 against Villanova in Pennsylvania.
- Head coach Brittney Morris picked up her first win as a Division I head coach on Feb. 20 in the 13-6 victory over Mercyhurst. She is in her first season at the helm of Xavier lacrosse after leading Division III St. Mary's College of Maryland to four-straight United East conference championships and NCAA Tournament appearances.
- Morris retained 20 players from last year's squad with the addition of five transfers and seven newcomers.
- Samantha Balara, Catherine Gurd and Katelyn McDonnell were named the 2026 team captains.
scouting the tribe
- William & Mary is off to a 3-3 start to the 2026 season and coming off a 20-11 loss to VCU on Wednesday.
- The Tribe was picked to finish sixth in the CAA this season after a 2-6 league finish in 2025.
- Senior midfielder Kate Draddy was a 2026 Preseason All-CAA Honorable Mention after totaling 55 draw controls, 26 goals and eight assists last season.
- Sophomore Grace Walter leads the Tribe with 20 points on 14 goals and six assists. Senior Jaylin Locke has 11 ground balls and eight caused turnovers.
- Junior goalkeeper Lauren Solis has started four games for the Tribe and averages 4.5 saves per game.
- Sophia Busam was named the CAA Co-Defensive Player of the Week for her four ground balls and three caused turnovers in the Tribe's 9-7 win over Coastal Carolina last weekend.
- Head coach Kelyn Freedman is in her second season at the helm of William & Mary lacrosse.
big east weekly honors
Feb. 23 - Genevieve Hathaway - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Feb. 23 - Samantha Balara - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
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big east preseason honors
BIG EAST Preseason Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Denver (6)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 36 pts.
2. Villanova         28
3. UConn (1)Â Â Â Â Â Â Â Â 26
4. Georgetown            24
5. Marquette        16
6. Butler            11
7. Xavier            6
Â
BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
Â
BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
Â
Preseason All-BIG EAST Team *
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^
Rayea Davis, A, R-Sr., UConn^
Alex Dorr, DS, R-So., Denver^
Lexi Gwaku, GK, So. Denver
Megan Klingenberg, Sr., D- Denver^
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^
Gracie Driggs, A, Sr., Georgetown^
Sophia Loschert, A, So., Georgetown
Kendall Steer, D, Sr., Georgetown
Hanna Bodner, M, Gr., Marquette^
Lauren Grady, M, Jr., Marquette
Tess Osburn, A, Sr., Marquette^
Mary Velner, D, Jr., Marquette
Rose Christie, M, Jr., Villanova^
Leslie Iorio, M, So., Villanova
Elena Torres, A, R-Jr., Villanova^
Emma Verhoest, DS, Jr., Villanova^
Players Mentioned
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GK
/ Women's Lacrosse
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/ Women's Lacrosse
A
/ Women's Lacrosse
D
/ Women's Lacrosse
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/ Women's Lacrosse
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M/DS
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