Florida starts their season with three straight ranked matchups
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – Florida Lacrosse will kick off their season ranked No. 4 in the IWLCA Coaches Preseason Poll, the IWLCA announced Monday morning. This is the sixth straight season where the Gator’s are inside the top 10 in the IWLCA’s first Coaches Poll.
Florida’s ranking the IWLCA poll matches their ranking in the USA Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll that came out this earlier this month. The Gators return seven starters, Gianna Monaco, Frannie Hahn, Kaitlyn Davies, Theresa Bragg, Ashley Dyer, Samantha Hughes, and Jenny Woodings, from a team that went 20-3 on the season and winning the Big 12 conference championship, their 11th straight conference title. The Gators made their 15th consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance in 2025, advancing to their second consecutive Final Four, the third appearance in program history.
The Gators will face six teams that find themselves in the IWLCA preseason poll, including three ranked matchups in their first three games. Florida kicks off their season traveling to No. 18 Loyola (Feb. 7) and then will take on No. 15 Michigan (Feb. 13) in the home opener at Donald R. Dizney Stadium, before taking on No. 12 Clemson (Feb. 21) in a neutral-site matchup in Milton, Ga.
The Gators will travel to No. 16 Navy on Feb. 28 and then face No. 9 Penn at home on March 11. Florida will take on the reigning National Champions No. 1 North Carolina on March 17 in Chapel Hill, a rematch of last season’s NCAA Tournament Final Four.
Below is the full IWLCA Coaches Preseason Poll.
1. North Carolina* (March 17)
2. Northwestern
3. Boston College
4. Florida
5. Stanford
6. Princeton
7. Maryland
8. Johns Hopkins
9. Penn* (March 11)
10. Virginia
11. Yale
12. Clemson* (Feb. 21)
13. Syracuse
14. Duke
15. Michigan* (Feb. 13)
16. Navy* (Feb. 28)
17. Stony Brook
18. Loyola* (Feb. 7)
19. James Madison
20. Denver
21. Army
22. Brown
23. Harvard
24. Penn State
25. Notre Dame
*- 2026 Opponent
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