ANNAPOLIS, Md. – The #16/16 Navy women's lacrosse team (0-0) is set to open the 2026 campaign on the road against #10/8 Virginia (0-0) on Friday, Feb. 6 at 4:00 p.m. at the Cavaliers' Lower Turf Field in Charlottesville, Va. The game, which marks the first top 25 match up for the Mids this season, will be broadcast on ACCNX and live stats will be available.
 
The 2026 season opener between Virginia and Navy women's lacrosse programs will be closed to the public due to icy conditions on the playing surface at Klöckner Stadium.

Navy is 14-4 (.778) all time in season openers. The Midshipmen are 12-1 (.923) when opening the season at home, but 2-3 (.400) in road games to start the year.
 
All-Time Series
Navy and Virginia have met on the lacrosse field eight times in program history with the Cavaliers holding a 6-2 advantage. The Midshipmen are 1-2 against the Cavs at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, but 1-4 on the road versus UVA.
 
The two teams have played close in every game with the largest margin of victory for either team being four goals (Virginia W, 13-9 in 2016). The games have been decided by an average of nearly three goals (2.63) with the four of the last six meetings being determined by exactly three scores.
 
Last season, the Midshipmen pulled off a 14-12 upset victory over the Cavaliers at Klockner Stadium. The Mids trailed by four on three separate occasions, but rallied to score eight of the final 10 goals, including closing out the game on a 5-0 run to secure the upset win.
 
The game on Friday marks the second meeting between the two teams since 2020. The two teams met at least once each season between 2015 and 2020, including twice during the 2019 season. The Mids opened the 2019 campaign in Charlottesville, dropping a 15-12 decision in the season opener. The two teams met in the NCAA Tournament with the Cavaliers once again claiming a 15-12 win to end the Mids' season.
 
Head coach Cindy Timchal is no stranger to the Cavaliers, holding a 23-19 overall record against Virginia in 42 meetings.
 
Additionally, UVA's head coach Sonia LaMonica ('03) played for Timchal during her time with the Maryland. LaMonica is the first of two former players that Timchal will coach against during the regular season with Jen Adams (Maryland '01) and the Loyola Greyhounds on the schedule for Saturday, March 28 in Baltimore.
 
Four current Midshipmen – freshman Kelsey Kirkeide (Charlottesville), senior Morgan Lewis (Alexandria), senior Josie Mazzeo (Virginia Beach), and senior Bella Paradiso (Falls Church) – call Virginia home.
 
Patriot League Preseason
In a vote cast by the league's coaches, defending champion Navy has been picked to finish first in the 2026 Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll, it was announced by the conference office. The Midshipmen boasted a league-best five student-athletes – Alyssa Chung, Jaclyn Johns, Emma Kennedy, Mikayla Williams, and Ava Yovino – on the Preseason All-Patriot League Team with Johns claiming Defensive Player of the Year honors.
 
It is the fifth time in program history that Navy has earned the top spot in the preseason poll and the first time since 2018. The Mids were tabbed as the Patriot League favorites in 2011, '12, '13, and '18 prior to the 2026 selection.
 
Additionally, Johns becomes the first Midshipmen to be named Preseason Defensive Player of the Year since Annalise Heyward ('20) claimed the honor as a senior prior to the 2020 season.
 
Head coach Cindy Timchal and the Mids received 80 points and eight first-place votes, while Loyola, the 2025 regular-season champions, received 71 points and one first-place vote. Army placed third in the preseason poll with 68 points and one first-place vote. Holy Cross (51), Colgate (48) and Boston University (41) ranked fourth through sixth, with Lehigh (35), Bucknell (23), American (15) and Lafayette (13) rounding out the 10-team preseason poll.
 
Navy placed a League-high five student-athletes on the 18-member Preseason All-Patriot League Women's Lacrosse Team, while Army had four student-athletes recognized, including three major awards. Loyola had three Preseason All-Patriot League selections, Colgate had two, and Bucknell, Boston University, Holy Cross, and Lehigh each had one representative on the squad.
 
Fifteen of the 18 preseason team selections were selected to one of the two 2025 All-Patriot League squads, including seven first-team honorees. Navy's Williams and Chung were the 2024 and 2025 Patriot League Rookies of the Year, respectively.
 
Voting for the Patriot League women's lacrosse preseason poll, major awards and All-Patriot League team was conducted by League head coaches. The group was not permitted to vote for its own team or student-athletes.
 
Scouting the Midshipmen
Last season, Navy concluded the 2025 season with a 15-6 overall record, including an 7-2 mark in the Patriot League. Navy earned the No. 3 overall seed in the Patriot League Tournament. The Midshipmen handled No. 6 Lehigh, 19-2, at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in the tournament quarterfinal. The Mids posted an 18-9 victory over second-seeded and 19th-ranked Army in the semifinals to advance to the Patriot League Championship for the 13th time in program history. Navy received a golden-goal from Mikayla Williams to notch a 14-13 victory in overtime against top-seeded and #15 Loyola in the Patriot League Championship.
 
It was the seventh Patriot League Championship in program history and the first since 2018. The Midshipmen earned the conference's automatic berth into the NCAA Tournament. It was the eighth time in program history the Mids advanced to the NCAA Tournament and the first time since 2019.
 
Six (6) members of the Navy women's lacrosse team were named to the 2025 All-Patriot League Team. The Midshipmen tallied four first-team selections – Alyssa Chung (attack), Emily Messinese (attack), Mikayla Williams (midfield), and Alyssa Daley (defense) – while also claiming a pair of second-team honors – Tori DiCarlo (attack) and Ava Yovino (midfield). Additionally, Chung was selected as the Patriot League Rookie of the Year.
 
As a team, the Midshipmen tallied 328 goals with 132 assists, while picking up 334 ground balls, winning 380 draw controls, and causing 160 turnovers. In conference games, Navy recorded 158 goals and 67 assists with 140 ground balls, 182 draw controls, and 73 caused turnovers.
 
Chung, Messinese, and Williams led the team with over 60 points each. Chung had a team-high 66 goals with 15 assists for 81 total points, while Messinese had 43 goals and a team-best 26 helpers for 69 points. Williams was second on the team with 51 goals to go along with 14 assists for 65 total points. Emma Kennedy and DiCarlo were fourth and fifth on the team with 54 and 48 points, respectively, to round out Navy's top five scorers.
 
The Navy defense held eleven (11) opponents to single-digit goals, including seven during Patriot League regular season play. Defensively, Navy caused 160 of its opponents 300 turnovers (53.3 percent), including 76 unsuccessful clear attempts. Jaclyn Johns led the team with 21 caused turnovers with Maggie DeFabio one back with 20. Felicia Giglio led the team with 46 ground balls with Yovino following with 39 and DeFabio picking up 30.
 
Giglio notched 141 saves in 1168:09 minutes of action in 21 games played. In her first two seasons, the goalkeeper has seven double-digit save performances (six in 2025), including five against ranked opponents – 10 at #7 Loyola (2024); 10 at #11 Virginia (2025); 11 at #6 Florida (2025); #17 Loyola (2025), and 10 vs. #14 Clemson (2025).
 
Scouting the Opposition
Head coach Sonia LaMonica is entering her third season with the Cavaliers, leading UVA to being named a No. 5 national seed in each of the last two NCAA Championships. LaMonica's squad went 12-7 last season, advancing to the second round of the NCAA tournament.
 
The team was voted fourth in the preseason coaches' poll behind the top-ranked defending national champion North Carolina, #3 Boston College, and #5 Stanford.
 
Virginia junior midfielder Kate Galica and junior attacker Madison Alaimo were named to the 2026 Preseason All-ACC team. Galica was named to the Preseason All-ACC Team in both the midfield and draw specialist categories. Alaimo was named as one of three in the attack category.
 
Galica was a consensus All-American last year, earning first-team honors from the IWLCA and Nike Lacrosse. The ACC Midfielder of the Year was among 25 nominees for the 2025 Tewaaraton Award, as well as earning All-ACC First Team honors, setting both the Virginia single-game and single-season records in draw controls. Galica was also named to the USA Lacrosse All-America first team and was ranked as the No. 5 player in the IL Women's Top 50 Players preseason rankings.
 
Alaimo, a preseason second-team USA Lacrosse All-American, was an IWLCA Third-Team All-American last season, leading the team in points while ranking in the top 10 nationally in assists.
 
The Cavaliers start the season as a consensus Top 10 team, ranked #7 by USA Lacrosse, #8 by Inside Lacrosse and #10 by the IWLCA.
 
Preseason All-Americans
USA Lacrosse announced its Division I Women's Preseason All-Americans on Tuesday, Jan. 20 as part of its 2026 preseason coverage. Navy women's lacrosse had two student-athletes named to the list with junior Mikayla Williams earning third-team honors and sophomore Alyssa Chung claiming honorable mention accolades.
 
Two weeks later, Inside Lacrosse announced its Nike Lacrosse Preseason Media All-Americans and Chung was selected to the second team.
 
Preseason Recognition
Inside Lacrosse announced its ILWomen Power 100 Rankings for Class of 2025 with Navy freshman Angelina Price being named to the watch list for incoming freshmen. Price marks the fifth Midshipmen selected to the Power 100 Rankings for incoming freshmen in the last four years. Three years ago, Ava Yovino was named to the list prior to her rookie season, while Felicia Giglio earned the honor two seasons ago. Last year, Alyssa Chung was ranked No. 8 and Chloe Brown was on the watch list (ranked between 51-100).
 
Senior Team Captains
Navy women's lacrosse head coach Cindy Timchal announced that seniors Emma Kennedy and Ava Yovino would serve as team captains for the 2026 season.
 
In her first three seasons, Kennedy has appeared in 55 games, making a pair of starts in her career. The attacker has recorded 90 points on 67 goals and 23 assists, while adding 16 ground balls. As a junior, Kennedy finished the year with 54 points on 43 goals and 11 assists with eight ground balls. She scored goals in 18 games with 13 multi-goals performances, including six hat tricks. For her efforts last season in the Patriot League Tournament (10g 4a), Kennedy was selected to the all-tournament team.
 
Heading into her final season, Yovino has played and started 40 games in her career. The midfielder is a two-time All-Patriot League performer, earning All-American honors from USA Lacrosse Magazine and Inside Lacrosse following her freshman year. In her career, Yovino has 124 points on 60 goals and 64 assists, while adding 54 draw controls, 64 ground balls, and 35 caused turnovers. Last season, she finished with 32 points on 18 goals and 14 assists with 39 ground balls, 15 caused turnovers, and three draws. Yovino scored goals in 13 games with five multi-goal performances.
 
Navy Sports Magazine
Senior attacker Anna Gotterup chatted with Tim Nolan on the Navy Sports Magazine nine days before the Mids' open the season at #10 Virginia. Click Here
 
Class of 2029
The Navy women's lacrosse team added nine (9) members to its 2026 roster with the addition of the Class of 2029.
 
The Class of 2029 includes Greer Coughlan (Chevy Chase, Md.), Maggie Davis (Bonney Lake, Wash.), Julia Frosch (Pensacola, Fla.), Kylee Henderson (Monroe, Conn.), Kelsey Kirkeide (Charlottesville, Va.), Analisa La Monica (Hauppauge, N.Y.), Angelina Price (Wading River, N.Y.), Zoe Ryan (Larchmont, N.Y.), and Emma Tayloe (West Chester, Pa.).
 
Paradiso Selected to Wear No. 6
Navy women's lacrosse senior Bella Paradiso has been selected by her teammates to wear No. 6 this season to honor former Navy women's lacrosse player the late Lt. Valerie (Cappelaere) Delaney. Spearheaded by the Class of 2024, the Navy women's lacrosse team wanted to begin a tradition to honor Cappelaere's legacy by selecting a member of the senior class to wear No. 6 for the season. The player selected has shown the spirit and character with which Cappelaere lived her life.
 
Paradiso becomes the third Midshipmen to wear No. 6 in honor of Valerie (Cappelaere) Delaney since the tradition began. She joins Emily Armero ('24) and Tori DiCarlo ('25) as No. 6 honorees.
 
Cappelaere earned an appointment to the United States Naval Academy's Class of 2009. She was instrumental in Navy's transition from a club sport to an NCAA Division I varsity program.  Her love for lacrosse and her teammates resulted in deep friendships, and she inspired and mentored many of her teammates to pursue aviation with her same fearlessness and determination.
 
Cappelaere will always be remembered as a person of great integrity, strong faith and an unyielding compassion for all those she met. Her legacy is an inspiration to future aviators and all women. Navy women's lacrosse and the Wings for Val Foundation have been connected since its founding in 2015 with the foundation presenting an award each year to the Navy women's lacrosse player that best represents the legacy of Cappelaere.
 
Up Next
Following the game against #10 Virginia, Navy will take on Villanova (0-0) in the home opener on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 11:00 a.m. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+ and live stats will be available.