CAMBRIDGE, Mass. -No. 25 women's lacrosse opens the 2026 season at Jordan Field against No. 16 Notre Dame on Sunday on NESN.

The first of seven home games at Jordan Field this season, the Crimson will celebrate the 50th season of women's lacrosse at Harvard, including the 50th anniversary game on Mar. 28.

WHAT TO KNOW

• Harvard opens the season with a nationally ranked opponent for the first time since 2023, when it traveled to Michigan to take on No. 17 Michigan.
• Dating back to 2010, Harvard has not hosted a nationally ranked opponent to open the season.
• The Crimson leads the all-time series with Notre Dame, 3-2, ahead of the season opener.
• Harvard last defeated the Fighting Irish in 2000, picking up a 12-10 win.

LOOKING BACK

• With the Crimson consistently ranked in the top 25 all season long, Harvard opened the year with three wins in its first four games, defeating UAlbany at Jordan Field in the season opener before notching a pair of upsets against No. 15 Navy and No. 23 UConn in late February.
• Caroline Mullahy was the story of the season for the Crimson, as the senior rewrote the Harvard, Ivy League, and NCAA record books after a remarkable campaign. She tallied her 100th career assist in the season opener against UAlbany, broke the Harvard program record with her 112th assist against Bryant in late March, and then broke the Ivy League record in her next game against Brown. Mullahy became just the seventh player in program history to record 200 career points after a six-point outing against Yale. She added two assists in the final game of the season to become just the 15th player in NCAA history to record 150+ career assists.
• Mullahy was joined by Annabel Child as Crimson honorees on the All-Ivy First Team, and both were named USA Lacrosse All-Americans after earning Honorable Mention recognition.

NEW TO THE GROUP

• The Crimson will welcome eight new members to the program as part of the Class of 2029.
• Three members from the rookie class were named to the Inside Lacrosse Power 100 rankings, as Alexandra Koch checked in with the highest ranking at No. 40, while Emerson Midura and Cece Batchelder both earned honorable mention recognition.

LEADING THE GROUP

• Despina Gianakopulos and Kate Gilliam are set to lead the Crimson this season.
• Gianakopulos started all 14 games last season and all 15 games the season before as a key member of the defensive unit throughout her tenure.
• Gilliam returns for her senior season after playing in 29 games throughout her Crimson career. The New York native scored three goals last season.

KEY RETURNERS

• Offensive leaders Charlotte Hodgson, Callie Batchelder, and Grace Mullahy all return for the Crimson.
• Batchelder recorded a career-high 45 points after tallying 26 goals and 18 assists in her sophomore campaign.
• Hodgson added a career-best 40 points after leading the team in goals with 30.
• Playing alongside her sister, Grace Mullahy increased her point production by 33 points in her sophomore season.

NEXT UP
Harvard plays Bryant in Smithfield on Wednesday at 6:00 PM as the group plays three games in seven days to open the season.