Lacrosse Wraps Up BIG EAST Play at No. 18 Denver

Saturday, April 18

Denver, Colo.

2 p.m. ET

Xavier University

Denver

Lacrosse Wraps Up BIG EAST Play at No. 18 Denver

04.17.26 | Women's Lacrosse

Watch (ESPN+)Live Stats

The Musketeers will face the ranked Pioneers on Saturday afternoon in the Mile High City.

By: Abbey Curtis, Xavier Athletic Communications

CINCINNATI - The Xavier lacrosse team travels to No. 18 Denver for their final BIG EAST match up this season. The Musketeers look to hand DU their first conference loss of 2026.

XU is coming off a 15-6 loss to UConn last Saturday in Cincinnati. Brynley Hodge recorded her first career hat trick in the contest and Gabby Bouman contributed four points.

The Pioneers dropped a 9-6 decision to No. 16 Colorado on Wednesday evening in Denver. DU's six goals against the Buffaloes were a season-low.

Xavier looks to total two league wins for the first time in program history. The Musketeers defeated Butler earlier this season by a score of 14-9 for their lone BIG EAST win this season.

First draw is set for 2:00 p.m. EST in Denver. The game will be streamed on ESPN+.

game information

SATURDAY, APRIL 18 | 2:00 PM EST

Xavier Musketeers (3-12, 1-4 BIG EAST) vs. Denver Pioneers (11-3, 4-0 BIG EAST)
Denver, Colo. // Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium
Watch (ESPN+)
Live Stats

about the musketeers

Megan Droney leads the team with 31 points on 12 goals and 19 assists. The junior averages 1.27 assists per game, good for ninth-best in the BIG EAST.
Samantha Balara follows up with 30 points behind a team-high 23 goals. She ranks seventh in the league for her 5.20 shots per game.
Jada Brandon became the all-time saves leader at Xavier with her 222 saves and counting. The senior ranks second in the league with 7.53 saves per game and third with a .445 save percentage.
Colby Wasson anchors Xavier's defense with her 42 ground balls and 28 caused turnovers. She is second in the BIG EAST at 2.80 ground balls per game and third for her 1.87 caused turnovers per game.
Mya Miller has recorded a team-high 26 draw controls. She tallied a career-high eight draw controls in the Musketeers' win over Butler on April 1.
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 pioneers

Denver is currently 11-3 with a perfect 4-0 record in BIG EAST play. All three of DU's losses this season are to ranked opponents.
The Pioneers lead the BIG EAST with 14.00 goals per game, good for 21st in the nation.
Olivia Ripple, the BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, averages a league-leading 3.50 goals and 4.43 points per game. Her 49 total goals are tied for 18th in the nation.
Caroline Keil has scored 43 goals for the Pioneers to follow Ripple in league rankings at 3.07 goals per game.
Goalkeeper Lexi Gwaku leads the BIG EAST in both goals against average (7.53) and saves percentage (.484).
Landry Grover leads the team with 34 ground balls while Megan Klingenberg has caused a team-high 26 caused turnovers.
Denver was unanimously picked to win the BIG EAST this season after their fifth consecutive league title in 2025.
Head coach Liza Kelly is in her 20th season at the helm of Denver women's lacrosse.

big east weekly honors

Feb. 23 - Genevieve Hathaway - BIG EAST Freshman of the Week
Feb. 23 - Samantha Balara - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
March 9 - Maya Graham - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll
April 6 - Gabby Bouman - BIG EAST Weekly Honor Roll

big east preseason honors

BIG EAST Preseason Women's Lacrosse Coaches' Poll
First-place votes in ( )
1. Denver (6) 36 pts.
2. Villanova 28
3. UConn (1) 26
4. Georgetown 24
5. Marquette 16
6. Butler 11
7. Xavier 6

BIG EAST Preseason Offensive Player of the Year
Olivia Ripple, A, Jr., Denver^

BIG EAST Preseason Defensive Player of the Year
Abby Beran, D, Jr., UConn^

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^