Women's Lacrosse Set to Open 2025 Season on Tuesday Afternoon at Delaware State

The Retrievers open the season against the Delaware State Hornets in Dover, Delaware on Tuesday afternoon.
Delaware State dropped a 15-4 decision against La Salle in their season-opener last Saturday.
UMBC finished 9-6 overall in 2024 and were 4-2 in the America East.

Dawg Bites

Following an appearance in the 2024 America East Conference Tournament, UMBC was picked fourth in the America East Women's Lacrosse Preseason Poll.
Three Retrievers were named to the Preseason All-Conference Team, including senior Grace Bruce. senior Katana Nelson, and junior Ella Killian.
Bruce made an instant impact in her first season as a Retriever, and earned First Team America East All-Conference honors. She Led UMBC with 51 goals and ranked third in the league and was 28th nationally with 3.40 goals per game. In addition, she became the ninth player in program history to find the back of the net 50 times. Bruce finished sixth on the circuit in points per game (3.67) and recorded 10 hat tricks on the season to lead the Retrievers.
Nelson made a massive jump in her third season in Baltimore and earned America East First Team All-Conference honors, She finished fourth in the conference with 2.86 goals per game and was second on the squad with 40 goals. Nelson recorded eight hat tricks on the season and produced at least two goals in all 15 contests.
Killian earned A Second Team America East All-Conference honors in her second season in Baltimore. She finished second on the squad in ground balls (23) and caused turnovers (15) while adding 35 draw controls, third most on the squad. Killian was a key reason why the Retrievers excelled on clears in 2024 as her speed is difficult to defend.
Graduate Student Isabella Fontana is primed for a terrific final season in goal. Fontana led the league in goals against average (9.97) and was also 21st in the country in goals against average. She Finished fourth on the circuit in saves percentage (.426) and her 1.87 ground balls per game slotted seventh in the league.

About the Hornets

London Downing, Madden Alexander, Hannah McMasters, and Zahra Gotz scored their first goals of the season versus La Salle.
Alexander led the team with two caused turnovers on defense.
Kimaari Mondy played all 60 minutes in goal and made six saves.
The 2025 season will be the first under head coach Madeline Price. Price has previously served as head coach at Delaware Military Academy and Milford High School. She played collegiately at Shenandoah University in Winchester, Va.
Last year, the Hornets finished with a 2-13 record (2-8 Northeast Conference), securing both wins at home on Drass Field. 2025 will be the second season Delaware State women's lacrosse is in the NEC.
Among the key returners are senior midfielders London Downing and Saniya Craft, junior attacker Zahra Gotz, and junior goalie Kimaari Mondy.
In 2024, Gotz scored 19 goals and dished out two assists for 21 points. She finished second on the team in goals and third in points. Downing was just behind with 17 points, (11 goals and six assists). She was fourth on the team in both goals and points, and she was in a three-way tie for first in assists. Craft, who caused a season-high two turnovers against Merrimack last season, contributed seven goals and five assists (fourth-most assists on the team) for 12 points. Mondy, who played over 450 minutes in goal, made 55 saves on 227 shots faced.

Last Season

BALTIMORE – Senior attacker Kolby Weedon scored five goals and added three assists and sophomore midfielder Lauryn Warfield recorded 13 draw controls as UMBC cruised past Delaware State, 20-2, in the season opener for both teams at UMBC Stadium.
Weedon set a career high with eight points and tied her career best in goals scored.
Warfield came up one draw control short of a program record. She also added a goal and an assist. She helped UMBC control 19 of 22 draws in the contest.
Sophomore Libby Staples and junior transfer Grace Bruce added hat tricks for the Retrievers, their first scores in the black and gold.
With the game knotted at 1-1 in the first 2:52, UMBC scored 11 consecutive goals, holding DSU scoreless for over 26 minutes. Junior midfielder Ria Lagdameo scored both of her goals in the scoring run.
The Retrievers led, 9-1 after 15 minutes and 12-2 at halftime. They outscored Delaware State, 8-0, in the second half.
Junior Katana Nelson added a pair of goals, while freshman Abby Cudzilo also debuted with two scores. Sophomore defender Sydney Baker also tallied her first career goal.
Senior goalkeeper Isabella Fontana played the first 45 minutes and made six saves, while allowing a pair of goals. Mikaela Staranko turned aside two shots on goal in a perfect fourth quarter.