Northwestern University Athletics
Wednesday, March 25
Chapel Hill, N.C.
5 p.m. CT
Northwestern
at
#1 North Carolina
No. 11 Northwestern Readies for National Title Rematch at No. 1 UNC
3/24/2026 1:21:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. — In one of the most anticipated regular-season matchups in NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse, No. 11 Northwestern will face No. 1 North Carolina in a rematch of the 2025 national championship game at Dorrance Field on Wednesday. Opening draw is scheduled for 5 p.m. CT on ESPNU.
The Wildcats (6-3, 1-1 Big Ten) are making their first trip to Chapel Hill since the 2024 season. Wednesday's affair marks NU's final non-conference game in 2026. The matchup will feature 10 players on the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
Perennially two of the top programs in the country, Northwestern and UNC have combined for 12 national championships (NU 8; UNC 4) and 30 NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances (NU 16; UNC 14).
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
Northwestern ranks inside the nation's top five Division I squads in assists per game (No. T-5, 9.22), draw control percentage (No. 5, 65.2%), draw controls per game (No. 2, 17.67), points per game (No. 3, 25.67), save percentage (No. 5, 51.3%), scoring margin (No. 4, 7.78), scoring offense (No. 4, 16.44), shots per game (No. 2, 35.44) and shots on goal per game (No. T-4, 25.11).
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern knocked off Oregon 17-3 in a wire-to-wire victory on Saturday afternoon at Papé Field.
Behind a 10-point display from Taylor (seven goals, three assists), the Wildcats secured an emphatic bounce-back win over the Ducks. Northwestern's three goals allowed marked the fewest scores it has ever surrendered in Big Ten play.
Nine 'Cats netted goals in the win.
Oregon's 11 shots marked the fewest NU has allowed in a game this season, as well as the lowest figure against a Big Ten opponent since Rutgers registered 10 shots against the Wildcats on April 10, 2015.
SCOUTING UNC
The Tar Heels (9-0, 7-0 ACC) enter Wednesday's affair on a 31-game winning streak. Led by head coach Jenny Levy, UNC captured its fourth national championship last season in a 12-8 win over the Wildcats in Foxborough, Mass. The Tar Heels most recently took down then-No. 16 Boston College 21-12.
Boasting the nation's No. 1 scoring offense and No. 3 scoring defense, UNC has proven one of the most complete squads in Division I throughout the season's opening month and a half.
2025 Tewaaraton Award winner Chloe Humphrey has posted 46 goals and 20 assists this season. Humphrey leads the nation in points per game (7.33) and goals per game (5.11). Addison Pattillo has carved out a niche as a complementary scorer, netting 29 goals this season.
Betty Nelson returns for her second season as UNC's starting goalkeeper. She averages 3.89 saves per game on a 38.5% save percentage.
Humphrey, Pattillo, Nelson, Kate Levy, Sam Forrest, Eliza Osburn and Brooklyn Walker-Welch have all been named to the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
SERIES STUFF
Wednesday will mark the 29th meeting between the two programs. UNC leads the all-time series 15-13, with the teams splitting their last four matchups 2-2.
Last season, the Tar Heels prevailed in both their regular-season and NCAA Tournament games against the 'Cats. When these two squads last faced off in Chapel Hill, NU took down UNC 16-10.
NEXT UP
The Wildcats will return home for a Big Ten clash with No. 7 Johns Hopkins on Sunday, March 29. Opening draw from Ryan Fieldhouse is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
The Wildcats (6-3, 1-1 Big Ten) are making their first trip to Chapel Hill since the 2024 season. Wednesday's affair marks NU's final non-conference game in 2026. The matchup will feature 10 players on the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
Perennially two of the top programs in the country, Northwestern and UNC have combined for 12 national championships (NU 8; UNC 4) and 30 NCAA Tournament Final Four appearances (NU 16; UNC 14).
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
Northwestern ranks inside the nation's top five Division I squads in assists per game (No. T-5, 9.22), draw control percentage (No. 5, 65.2%), draw controls per game (No. 2, 17.67), points per game (No. 3, 25.67), save percentage (No. 5, 51.3%), scoring margin (No. 4, 7.78), scoring offense (No. 4, 16.44), shots per game (No. 2, 35.44) and shots on goal per game (No. T-4, 25.11).
- 407: Madison Taylor's career points tally, which ranks No. 1 among all active NCAA Division I players. She and Izzy Scane are the only Wildcats in program history to eclipse the 400-point mark.
- 290: Madison Taylor's NCAA-best career goals figure. With a Big Ten-high 45 goals in nine games this season, Taylor has jumped to No. 2 in NU program history.
- 652: Jenika Cuocco's career saves figure, the highest among all active NCAA Division I players. This season, Cuocco ranks third in the Big Ten in save percentage (.490) and No. 2 in saves per game (7.78). Cuocco has logged 3,742 minutes between the pipes, the second most among all active Division I players.
- 503: Draw controls pulled down by Maddie Epke in her career thus far. She leads all active NCAA Division I players in career draw controls and ranks 13th in NCAA Division I history.
- 8.11: Draw controls per game for Madison Smith, which ranks third in the Big Ten. Smith is on pace for a top-five season in program history in draw controls per game.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern knocked off Oregon 17-3 in a wire-to-wire victory on Saturday afternoon at Papé Field.
B1G VICTORY! #catswin pic.twitter.com/Wj04rRMccQ
— Northwestern Lacrosse (@NULax) March 21, 2026
Behind a 10-point display from Taylor (seven goals, three assists), the Wildcats secured an emphatic bounce-back win over the Ducks. Northwestern's three goals allowed marked the fewest scores it has ever surrendered in Big Ten play.
Nine 'Cats netted goals in the win.
Oregon's 11 shots marked the fewest NU has allowed in a game this season, as well as the lowest figure against a Big Ten opponent since Rutgers registered 10 shots against the Wildcats on April 10, 2015.
SCOUTING UNC
The Tar Heels (9-0, 7-0 ACC) enter Wednesday's affair on a 31-game winning streak. Led by head coach Jenny Levy, UNC captured its fourth national championship last season in a 12-8 win over the Wildcats in Foxborough, Mass. The Tar Heels most recently took down then-No. 16 Boston College 21-12.
Boasting the nation's No. 1 scoring offense and No. 3 scoring defense, UNC has proven one of the most complete squads in Division I throughout the season's opening month and a half.
2025 Tewaaraton Award winner Chloe Humphrey has posted 46 goals and 20 assists this season. Humphrey leads the nation in points per game (7.33) and goals per game (5.11). Addison Pattillo has carved out a niche as a complementary scorer, netting 29 goals this season.
Betty Nelson returns for her second season as UNC's starting goalkeeper. She averages 3.89 saves per game on a 38.5% save percentage.
Humphrey, Pattillo, Nelson, Kate Levy, Sam Forrest, Eliza Osburn and Brooklyn Walker-Welch have all been named to the 2026 Tewaaraton Award Watch List.
SERIES STUFF
Wednesday will mark the 29th meeting between the two programs. UNC leads the all-time series 15-13, with the teams splitting their last four matchups 2-2.
Last season, the Tar Heels prevailed in both their regular-season and NCAA Tournament games against the 'Cats. When these two squads last faced off in Chapel Hill, NU took down UNC 16-10.
NEXT UP
The Wildcats will return home for a Big Ten clash with No. 7 Johns Hopkins on Sunday, March 29. Opening draw from Ryan Fieldhouse is scheduled for 1 p.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
Players Mentioned
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