Northwestern University Athletics
Monday, February 9
Evanston, Ill.
7 p.m. CT
Northwestern
vs
Colorado
No. 2 Northwestern Entertains Colorado in Monday Home Opener
2/8/2026 2:42:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
Evanston, Ill. – Northwestern lacrosse will open its 2026 home slate on Monday, Feb. 9 against Colorado in Ryan Fieldhouse. The game is scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on B1G+.
The Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) have won 10 consecutive home openers, dating back to the 2016 season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern earned a decisive 20-12 road victory at No. 3 Boston College this past Friday. Eight different Wildcats scored goals in the program's most prolific scoring display against a top-five opponent under Combe Family Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. NU never trailed and outscored the Eagles 12-6 in the second half.
Senior attacker Madison Taylor led the charge with a team-high nine points (five goals, four assists), sophomore attacker Aditi Foster tallied a career-high five points (four goals, one assist) and junior attacker Taylor Lapointe had a hat trick.
The Wildcats' No. 1-ranked transfer portal class by Inside Lacrosse lived up to its lofty billing. Senior attacker Maddie Epke and graduate student attacker Olivia Adamson combined for six points, graduate student defender Annabel Child dispatched a goal and graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco posted 15 saves on a .556 save percentage. Cuocco set a new program record for saves in a season-opener.
SCOUTING COLORADO
Led by former Wildcat assistant Ann Elliott Whidden (2009-2012), the Buffaloes enter the 2026 campaign searching for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.
Last season, Colorado had the NCAA's No. 80 scoring offense (11.13 goals per game) and No. 43 scoring defense (11 goals allowed per game).
Maddie Shoup, the Buffaloes' top scoring returner, tallied 43 points last season (30 goals, 13 assists). Lily Assini, who scored 39 points last season (23 goals, 16 assists), will look to complement Shoup in Colorado's offensive scheme.
Goalkeeper Elena Oh, a Big 12 All-Newcomer Team selection in 2025, backstops the Buffaloes' defense. She recorded 83 saves, 9.8 goals allowed per game, a .399 save percentage and an 8-6 record in 14 starts last season.
Defender Jess Peluso led Colorado with 19 caused turnovers, 29 ground balls and 96 draw controls last season. Peluso was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
SERIES STUFF
Monday will mark the seventh all-time matchup between the two programs, with Northwestern holding a 5-1 record in the series. The teams most recently faced off on Feb. 21, 2025, when the Wildcats secured a 20-5 victory. Northwestern is 4-0 against Colorado in Evanston.
UP NEXT
Northwestern will host Army West Point and Central Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. CT and Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CT, respectively. Both games will be inside Ryan Fieldhouse and streamed on B1G+.
The Wildcats (1-0, 0-0 Big Ten) have won 10 consecutive home openers, dating back to the 2016 season.
LAST TIME OUT
Northwestern earned a decisive 20-12 road victory at No. 3 Boston College this past Friday. Eight different Wildcats scored goals in the program's most prolific scoring display against a top-five opponent under Combe Family Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller. NU never trailed and outscored the Eagles 12-6 in the second half.
Senior attacker Madison Taylor led the charge with a team-high nine points (five goals, four assists), sophomore attacker Aditi Foster tallied a career-high five points (four goals, one assist) and junior attacker Taylor Lapointe had a hat trick.
The Wildcats' No. 1-ranked transfer portal class by Inside Lacrosse lived up to its lofty billing. Senior attacker Maddie Epke and graduate student attacker Olivia Adamson combined for six points, graduate student defender Annabel Child dispatched a goal and graduate student goalkeeper Jenika Cuocco posted 15 saves on a .556 save percentage. Cuocco set a new program record for saves in a season-opener.
SCOUTING COLORADO
Led by former Wildcat assistant Ann Elliott Whidden (2009-2012), the Buffaloes enter the 2026 campaign searching for their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 2019.
Last season, Colorado had the NCAA's No. 80 scoring offense (11.13 goals per game) and No. 43 scoring defense (11 goals allowed per game).
Maddie Shoup, the Buffaloes' top scoring returner, tallied 43 points last season (30 goals, 13 assists). Lily Assini, who scored 39 points last season (23 goals, 16 assists), will look to complement Shoup in Colorado's offensive scheme.
Goalkeeper Elena Oh, a Big 12 All-Newcomer Team selection in 2025, backstops the Buffaloes' defense. She recorded 83 saves, 9.8 goals allowed per game, a .399 save percentage and an 8-6 record in 14 starts last season.
Defender Jess Peluso led Colorado with 19 caused turnovers, 29 ground balls and 96 draw controls last season. Peluso was named the Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year in 2025.
SERIES STUFF
Monday will mark the seventh all-time matchup between the two programs, with Northwestern holding a 5-1 record in the series. The teams most recently faced off on Feb. 21, 2025, when the Wildcats secured a 20-5 victory. Northwestern is 4-0 against Colorado in Evanston.
UP NEXT
Northwestern will host Army West Point and Central Michigan on Saturday, Feb. 14 at 1 p.m. CT and Sunday, Feb. 15 at 3 p.m. CT, respectively. Both games will be inside Ryan Fieldhouse and streamed on B1G+.
Players Mentioned
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