NORTHBOROUGH, MA - This past spring, the Utica University women's lacrosse program put together one of the best campaigns in school history, as a relatively young Pioneer team advanced all the way to the Empire 8 Semifinals in the first year under head coach Andrea Duffy-Cofrin. Following that exciting athletic showing, the team was also recognized for its superb academic standing, as the program earned an IWLCA Academic Honor Squad selection. Additionally, six individual Pioneers achieved a spot on the IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll, continuing the program's tradition as one of the strongest athletic and academic teams in Division III lacrosse.

The IWLCA named 357 schools across Division I, II, III, and NAIA as IWLCA Academic Honor Squads for the 2025-26 academic year. To qualify for this prestigious honor, the women's lacrosse team must have posted a 3.2 or higher team GPA for the academic year. The women's lacrosse team had a stellar year in the classroom, as their 3.36 team cumulative GPA contributed to a department GPA of 3.34 in the Spring 2026 semester. 

The IWLCA also honored 1,350 student-athletes from 174 different institutions on the 2025-26 IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll. To be eligible for this honor, student-athletes must have been a junior, senior, or graduate student and have earned a cumulative academic GPA of 3.50 or greater. Six Pioneers fulfilled this rigorous requirement and were named to the IWLCA Division III Academic Honor Roll:

2025-2026 IWLCA Academic Honor Roll Selections
Meghan Brennan (Southbury, CT/Pomperaug) | Senior | Midfield | Physical Therapy
Ella Jentsch (Rosendale, NY/Our Lady of Lourdes) | Graduate Student | Defense | Special Education
Bella Kolb (New Hartford, NY/New Hartford) | Junior | Attack | Physical Therapy
Vanessa Leon (Riverhead, NY/Riverhead) | Junior | Defense | Accounting
Ella Stanton (Macedon, NY/Palmyra-Macedon) | Senior | Defense | Nursing
Maria Stuhlman (Whitesboro, NY/Whitesboro) | Junior | Attack | Occupational Therapy

The Pioneers are set to return three of their top four point-getters from this past season, along with the program's all-time winningest goaltender, Makayla Purdy (Shirley, NY/William Floyd), in what should be another exciting season for the blue and orange.

Make sure to follow the team's social media to stay up to date on everything Utica women's lacrosse!

Utica Women's Lacrosse Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utica_lacrosse/

Utica Athletics Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/utica_pioneers/?hl=en