Three years ago, Clemson women’s lacrosse had not yet played a Division I lacrosse game. Then, on Feb. 11, 2023, the Tigers debuted in front of a sold-out crowd. If you had told any one of the 1,204 fans in attendance that, in a few short years, Clemson would be in contention for a national title, very few would have believed you.
Those who did believe, however, were vindicated by the Tigers’ meteoric rise.
After proving it belonged in the national conversation last season, women’s lacrosse is eyeing 2026 to capitalize on the massive strides it has made.
Last year, the Tigers set records nearly every week.
They defeated then-No. 11 Notre Dame on the road in overtime in late February, triumphing over the Fighting Irish for the first time and tying the team’s record for the highest-ranked victory.
That record lasted only a week.
The very next weekend, Clemson upset then-No. 6 Syracuse, setting a new team record en route to a 6-0 start, another team best.
The Tigers ended the regular season at 12-5, qualifying for the ACC quarterfinals in April. Clemson knocked off fourth-seeded Duke to advance to the ACC semifinals for the first time.
Despite a loss to No. 1 North Carolina, the Tigers earned their first bid to the NCAA Tournament.
Clemson was unfazed by the big stage; the Tigers defeated Navy in the first round for their first postseason victory in history.
The eventual National Champion Tar Heels ended Clemson’s season in the second round, and the momentous year came to an end.
“Now it’s ingrained in them that much more than getting to the NCAA Tournament should be our goal every year,” head coach Allison Kwolek told USA Lacrosse Magazine. “When I was recruiting them, I said, ‘This isn’t going to be a slow build-up. We are going to compete, and we are going to compete right away.’”
Graduation hit the Tigers hard.
They lost star goalie Emily Lamparter, who started every game over the last three years between the pipes for Clemson, and Summer Agostino, whose 2025 season was the best statistical defensive season for a Tiger to date, with a record 58 caused turnovers and 57 ground balls.
Graduate transfer Lindsey Marshall and her record-setting 60 goals and 73 total points
will be missed as well. Marshall, alongside Lamparter and Agostino, was on the IWLCA South All-Region First Team.
With last season in the rearview mirror, it’s easy to wonder how the Tigers will top it.
Enter the 2025 recruiting class.
In November of 2024, Clemson inked the No. 1 recruiting class in the country. Alexa Spallina joined Trevor Lawrence as the only top-ranked recruits to sign with Clemson out of high school.
The Tigers also landed Emma Penczek, a five-star and the No. 2 recruit in the country. Joining them were two five-stars, Aubrie Eisfeld, ranked No. 14, and Tessa DeLuca, ranked No. 30.
Commits Marleigh O’Day, Ella Pauley and Teagan Scott were also in the top 100, ranked No. 48, No. 84 and No. 92, respectively.
Ella Wilner, Kyla Orlando and four-star Kiera Schwartz rounded out the impressive class.
One year later, this group of freshmen is ready to leave their mark on Clemson.
“We’ve been talking about leadership on the offensive end and having a vocal presence,” Kwolek said. “It’s geared toward younger players who are going to be on the field and need to find their voice and find it quickly.”
All the eyes will be on Spallina, who spent the fall season behind the net at the X attackman spot. The freshman will be responsible for quarterbacking the offense this season.
“She’s obviously a talented feeder, but she can put the ball in the back of the net, too,” Kwolek said. “It was clear that, when the ball was in her stick, good things were going to happen.”
Spallina and company won’t have to do it alone, however. Although Clemson lost about 86% of its offensive scoring and starting goalie to graduation, many of last year’s emergent stars are back.
Kayla MacLeod will return from a torn ACL that she suffered in the regular season finale. The junior attacker became Clemson’s all-time goals and points leader last season with 77 and 90, respectively, during a 47-goal, 10-assist campaign.
Natalie Shurtleff, an All-ACC and ACC All-Tournament First Teamer last year, returns for her junior season, strengthening the midfield unit. Shurtleff was the team’s greatest two-way threat, scoring 57 points with 36 goals, grabbing 24 ground balls and causing 11 turnovers.
In her first season, Kira Balis dominated the draw control circle, turning it into one of Clemson’s greatest strengths as a team. She was the fastest Tiger to reach 100 draw controls in a career, doing so in only 12 games. Balis also shattered the previous single-season record with 148 draws. The previous record was 108, and she had 109 after 11 and a half games.
Kwolek grabbed junior attacker Mikaela Mooney of Albany and graduate midfielder Maddigan Miller of Stanford in the transfer portal as well.
Clemson is ranked No. 9 in the USA Lacrosse 2026 Women’s NCAA Division I Preseason Rankings.
The Tigers will face six teams this season in the preseason top 20. In sequential order, they are No. 6 Stanford, No. 4 Florida, No. 3 Boston College, No. 1 North Carolina, No. 7 Virginia and No. 17 Duke.
While it is undoubtedly no easy schedule, the roster is reloaded and rejuvenated, and the Tigers are ready for action.
Women’s lacrosse returns to the Clemson Lacrosse Complex at noon on Saturday, Feb. 7, to play Vanderbilt.
