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University of Maryland Athletics

Kennedy Major

Women's Lacrosse

No. 1 Ranked Women's Lacrosse Set For No. 14 Penn

#1 Maryland (9-1) vs. #14 Penn (7-1)
March 27, 2024
Field Hockey & Lacrosse Complex
6 p.m. ET
Big Ten Network
COLLEGE PARK, MD - The No. 1 Maryland Terrapins remain home for a mid-week matchup with No. 14 Penn on Wednesday. The game will start at 6 p.m., and will air live on Big Ten Network with Mark Dixon and Taylor Cummings on the call. 

Maryland earned top rank in the IWLCA poll after taking down Georgetown and Rutgers to advance to 9-1 with a 2-0 conference advantage. Hannah Leubecker showcased two impressive performances, first with a season-high five goals against the Hoyas. She followed it up with a seven-point showing, from six goals and one assist against the Scarlet Knights on Sunday. This is Maryland's first number one ranking since the 2020 preseason poll.

 
Where we are
  • Maryland remains undefeated in March after taking down Rutgers, 13-8. Hannah Leubecker collected a season-high six goals and Libby May added three of her own. Eloise Clevenger added four assists and sits fifth in program history for career assists at 116.
  • The 2024 schedule consists of ten non-conference and six conference matchups. The Terps own a strong strength of schedule with ten opponents ranked in this week's IWLCA Top 25. Out of those schools, five sit in the Top 10 including conference opponents Michigan, Northwestern and Johns Hopkins.
  • The Terps are coming off a season where they earned their 33rd consecutive NCAA Tournament bid. Maryland finished the 2023 season 15-7 overall and with a 4-2 conference record. 
  • Maryland announced six of its games will be broadcast nationally. Five games will air on Big Ten Network, including three home contests and one will show on ESPNU.
Maryland Women's Lacrosse vs. Rutgers at the Lacrosse Complex  in College Park, MD on Sunday, Mar. 24, 2024. Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins
Maryland women's lacrosse against Rutgers, March 24, 2024
Championship facility
  • The Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex completed renovations this fall, achieving a comprehensive enhancement of the facility transforming the existing 5,500 square foot facility into a 17,193 square foot team house.
  • The facility features larger, separated locker rooms for Field Hockey and Women's Lacrosse student-athletes with spacious team rooms with all-new technologies, an increased Sports Medicine room with new rehabilitative and recovery equipment, inclusive of hydrotherapy space, a signature lobby to recognize and celebrate the championships and success of both programs, a relocated fan entrance for ease of access to the complex seating areas and a second floor addition with coaching offices and meeting spaces.
2024 standouts
  • Hannah Leubecker leads Maryland in scoring with 28 goals. She ranks second in points behind Eloise Clevenger who leads the team in points (49), as well as assists 33. She averages 3.70 assists per game, leading the Big Ten, and 4.90 points per game ranking second in the conference. Her assists per game average ranks third in the nation. 
  • Maryland owns one of the best defensive reputations in the country and has consistently proven why. They currently rank second in the conference and fifth in the nation in scoring defense (7.30) and average 1.40 shot clock violations per game. 
  • Shaylan Ahearn and Meghan Ball combine for 63 percent of the 147 team draw controls. Ahearn leads the team with 52 draws. She picked up eight against Rutgers, more than all the Scarlet Knights combined.
  • Emily Sterling continues to be stellar as the last line of defense, posting the third-best save percentage in the country of .564 after ten games.
  • Clevenger, Leubecker, Sterling and Ball were each named to the Tewaaraton Watch List earlier this season.
Maryland Women's Lacrosse vs. Rutgers at the Lacrosse Complex  in College Park, MD on Sunday, Mar. 24, 2024. Mackenzie Miles/Maryland Terrapins
Emily Sterling against Rutgers, March 24, 2024
conference Dominance
  • The Terps have won 10 Big Ten titles (six regular season championships (2015-19, 22) & four tournament championships (2016-18, 22) and 31 conference championships in total, winning 21 in the ACC (10 Regular Season, 11 Tournament).
  • In nine seasons in the Big Ten (no 2020 due to COVID-19), Maryland is 47-7 in Big Ten regular season play and 60-10 overall including the Big Ten Tournament. Maryland has never lost a Big Ten home game and has gone undefeated in regular season Big Ten play in every season but 2021 and 2023. 
  • Maryland has won 15 Conference Tournament Championships in program history, with 10 of those coming since Cathy Reese became the head coach in 2007 (six ACC, four Big Ten). The Terps took home six-straight ACC titles from 2009-14 and three-straight B1G titles from 2016-18. Reese is 27-6 as the coach of Maryland in conference tournament games.
  • The Terps have won 24 Big Ten conference player of the year awards (four attacker, five midfielder, seven defender, six goalie, two freshman) in eight years in the conference. Cathy Reese has been named the Big Ten Coach of the Year four times (2016-19).
2022 WLax Team celebrating Big Ten Championship
2022 Team celebrating Big Ten Championship, April 23, 2022
Dominance Under Reese
  • Head Coach Cathy Reese enters her 18th season at the helm of Maryland women's lacrosse. The winningest coach in program history, Reese is 326-42 as head coach and has led the Terps to five National Championships, 12 Final Fours and 22 Conference Championships.
  • Maryland is 171-7 at home under Reese, with eight undefeated home campaigns in the last 11 seasons (2013, '14, '15, '16, '17, '18, '19, '21).
Head Coach Cathy Reese. (1) Maryland Terrapins vs. (3) Rutgers Scarlet Knights in the Championship Game of the 2022 Big Ten Womenâ??s Lacrosse Tournament at SHI Stadium in Piscataway, NJ. on Sunday, May. 8, 2022.
Cathy Reese after B1G Tournament, May 8, 2022
History vs. Penn
  • The Terps lead the all-time series against Penn, 27-2. Maryland has won 14-straight against Penn dating back to 2010.
  • Maryland defeated Penn, 16-12, last season in Philadelphia. Chrissy Thomas had a career-day for the Terps, totaling seven points off four goals (a career-high) and three assists. Kori Edmondson scored four goals to notch her sixth consecutive hat trick. Eloise Clevenger notched five total points thanks to two goals and three assists. 
  • The Terps dominated the draw control, winning 23 of 32 possible attempts. Shaylan Ahearn led the way with 13 draw controls.
  • Emily Sterling made 11 saves in goal.
Chrissy Thomas against Penn
Chrissy Thomas against Penn, March 22, 2023
Click here for this week's game notes.
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Players Mentioned

Shaylan  Ahearn

#24 Shaylan Ahearn

M
5' 7"
Graduate Student
Eloise Clevenger

#6 Eloise Clevenger

A
5' 6"
Senior
Kori Edmondson

#14 Kori Edmondson

M
5' 8"
Sophomore
Hannah Leubecker

#40 Hannah Leubecker

A
5' 5"
Graduate Student
Libby May

#9 Libby May

A
5' 7"
Graduate Student
Emily Sterling

#33 Emily Sterling

G
5' 5"
Graduate Student
Chrissy Thomas

#18 Chrissy Thomas

A
5' 2"
Senior
Meghan Ball

#29 Meghan Ball

D
5' 7"
Graduate Student

Players Mentioned

Shaylan  Ahearn

#24 Shaylan Ahearn

5' 7"
Graduate Student
M
Eloise Clevenger

#6 Eloise Clevenger

5' 6"
Senior
A
Kori Edmondson

#14 Kori Edmondson

5' 8"
Sophomore
M
Hannah Leubecker

#40 Hannah Leubecker

5' 5"
Graduate Student
A
Libby May

#9 Libby May

5' 7"
Graduate Student
A
Emily Sterling

#33 Emily Sterling

5' 5"
Graduate Student
G
Chrissy Thomas

#18 Chrissy Thomas

5' 2"
Senior
A
Meghan Ball

#29 Meghan Ball

5' 7"
Graduate Student
D