Northwestern University Athletics
Sunday, April 26
Ann Arbor, Mich.
11 a.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
#4 Maryland
Photo by: David Dermer
No. 2 Northwestern to Face No. 4 Maryland in Big Ten Championship
4/25/2026 12:59:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — No. 2 Northwestern lacrosse will take on No. 4 Maryland in the Big Ten Tournament Championship on Sunday, April 26, at U-M Lacrosse Stadium. Opening draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on the Big Ten Network.
Dean Linke (play-by-play) and Taylor Cummings (color) will be on the call.
On Friday, the top-seeded Wildcats (14-3, 7-1 Big Ten) downed No. 8 Michigan 10-7 to advance to their fourth consecutive Big Ten Tournament title game. The Terrapins punched their ticket to the final with a 15-14 overtime win over No. 5 Johns Hopkins.
Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller is 5-2 all-time in Big Ten Championship games. Amonte Hiller is 10-4 in conference tournament title games.
The two programs have faced off in six conference championships, with NU holding a 4-2 advantage — including a three-game winning streak — in such contests.
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
5: Big Ten Tournament Championships for the 'Cats, the most in the conference.
453: Career points for senior attacker Madison Taylor, the most among active NCAA Division I players and No. 4 in NCAA history. Taylor is 30 points behind Izzy Scane's Wildcat record of 483 and 45 away from Kylie Ohlmiller's career NCAA record. She is the first player in Division I history to record 450 points and 200 draw controls.
725: Career saves for Jenika Cuocco, the No. 1 figure among active NCAA Division I goalkeepers. The dynamic graduate transfer has compiled 134 saves on a 49.4% save percentage this season.
545: Career draw controls for Maddie Epke, the NCAA's active DCs leader. Epke, Taylor and Cuocco were selected in the inaugural WLL College Draft on April 14.
2: Northwestern's strength of schedule, per the NCAA RPI metrics. The Wildcats are the first team to knock off multiple No. 1-ranked squads in the same season since Florida did so in 2012.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern defeated Michigan 10-7 on April 24 to advance to Sunday's Championship game. A 4-0 second-half run helped the Wildcats put the game out of reach.
Madison Taylor led all scorers with five points. Aditi Foster and Taylor Lapointe each posted hat tricks. Maddie Epke and Noel Cumberland both buried goals.
Jenika Cuocco posted nine saves on a 56.3% save percentage. She made five stops in the second half.
Madison Smith commanded the draw circle, pulling down seven draw controls to help the 'Cats outdraw the Wolverines 10-9.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
The Terrapins (16-2, 6-2 Big Ten) earned the two seed in the conference tournament after opening Big Ten play with five consecutive wins. Maryland defeated Ohio State and Johns Hopkins en route to the title game.
Led by head coach Cathy Reese, the Terrapins have become a mainstay in the Big Ten Championship. Sunday's matchup will be a rematch of the 2025 title game, which Northwestern captured 8-7 in comeback fashion.
Lauren LaPointe has paced the Maryland offense with 80 points in 18 games. Kristen Shanahan (66 points) and Kori Edmondson (54 points) have presented a plethora of scoring possibilities for the Terrapins.
Kayla Gilmore leads the Maryland draw team with 101 draw controls. She and Edmondson have formed a one-two punch in the circle, with Edmondson pulling down 65 draw controls.
JJ Suriano, one of five Terrapins to garner First Team All-Big Ten honors, has backstopped the Maryland defense with 183 saves on a 51% save percentage.
SERIES STUFF
Thursday will mark the 35th all-time meeting between the two programs. Maryland leads the series 18-16, but Northwestern has captured six straight wins over its conference rival. The teams last met on April 9, when the Wildcats knocked the then-top-ranked Terrapins from the unbeaten ranks in an 11-10 win.
Dean Linke (play-by-play) and Taylor Cummings (color) will be on the call.
On Friday, the top-seeded Wildcats (14-3, 7-1 Big Ten) downed No. 8 Michigan 10-7 to advance to their fourth consecutive Big Ten Tournament title game. The Terrapins punched their ticket to the final with a 15-14 overtime win over No. 5 Johns Hopkins.
Championship Sunday ?? pic.twitter.com/PKL9MIXmYE
— Northwestern Lacrosse (@NULax) April 24, 2026
Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller is 5-2 all-time in Big Ten Championship games. Amonte Hiller is 10-4 in conference tournament title games.
The two programs have faced off in six conference championships, with NU holding a 4-2 advantage — including a three-game winning streak — in such contests.
NUMBERS TO KNOW:
5: Big Ten Tournament Championships for the 'Cats, the most in the conference.
453: Career points for senior attacker Madison Taylor, the most among active NCAA Division I players and No. 4 in NCAA history. Taylor is 30 points behind Izzy Scane's Wildcat record of 483 and 45 away from Kylie Ohlmiller's career NCAA record. She is the first player in Division I history to record 450 points and 200 draw controls.
725: Career saves for Jenika Cuocco, the No. 1 figure among active NCAA Division I goalkeepers. The dynamic graduate transfer has compiled 134 saves on a 49.4% save percentage this season.
545: Career draw controls for Maddie Epke, the NCAA's active DCs leader. Epke, Taylor and Cuocco were selected in the inaugural WLL College Draft on April 14.
2: Northwestern's strength of schedule, per the NCAA RPI metrics. The Wildcats are the first team to knock off multiple No. 1-ranked squads in the same season since Florida did so in 2012.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern defeated Michigan 10-7 on April 24 to advance to Sunday's Championship game. A 4-0 second-half run helped the Wildcats put the game out of reach.
Championship Sunday bound!
— Northwestern Lacrosse (@NULax) April 24, 2026
?? Aditi hatty
?? Lapointe hatty
?? Maddy T 5 pts
?? Jenika 9 saves
Recap of this morning's game:https://t.co/GNSjsGpZxO pic.twitter.com/W23xZtC3Mh
Madison Taylor led all scorers with five points. Aditi Foster and Taylor Lapointe each posted hat tricks. Maddie Epke and Noel Cumberland both buried goals.
Jenika Cuocco posted nine saves on a 56.3% save percentage. She made five stops in the second half.
Madison Smith commanded the draw circle, pulling down seven draw controls to help the 'Cats outdraw the Wolverines 10-9.
SCOUTING MARYLAND
The Terrapins (16-2, 6-2 Big Ten) earned the two seed in the conference tournament after opening Big Ten play with five consecutive wins. Maryland defeated Ohio State and Johns Hopkins en route to the title game.
Led by head coach Cathy Reese, the Terrapins have become a mainstay in the Big Ten Championship. Sunday's matchup will be a rematch of the 2025 title game, which Northwestern captured 8-7 in comeback fashion.
Lauren LaPointe has paced the Maryland offense with 80 points in 18 games. Kristen Shanahan (66 points) and Kori Edmondson (54 points) have presented a plethora of scoring possibilities for the Terrapins.
Kayla Gilmore leads the Maryland draw team with 101 draw controls. She and Edmondson have formed a one-two punch in the circle, with Edmondson pulling down 65 draw controls.
JJ Suriano, one of five Terrapins to garner First Team All-Big Ten honors, has backstopped the Maryland defense with 183 saves on a 51% save percentage.
SERIES STUFF
Thursday will mark the 35th all-time meeting between the two programs. Maryland leads the series 18-16, but Northwestern has captured six straight wins over its conference rival. The teams last met on April 9, when the Wildcats knocked the then-top-ranked Terrapins from the unbeaten ranks in an 11-10 win.
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/ Women's LacrosseLacrosse - 'Cats Advance To Big Ten Tournament Championship With 10-7 Win Over No. 8 Michigan
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