ALBANY, N.Y. - The University at Albany women's lacrosse team is headed to the 2025 NCAA Tournament and will face Yale in the First Round on Friday, May 9 at 1:00 p.m. The matchup will take place at Reese Stadium in New Haven, Conn., with coverage on ESPN+.
 
The winner of UAlbany vs. Yale will advance to play the winner of Syracuse vs. Brown in the Second Round on Sunday at 2:00 p.m..
 
The Great Danes earned their NCAA berth by capturing the program's fourth America East Championship, defeating No. 1 seed Bryant on the road in Smithfield, R.I. UAlbany returns to the NCAA Tournament for the second time in three years, marking its fifth appearance all-time and the second under head coach Katie Thomson.
 
Tournament Info
Friday, May 9 - First Round
UAlbany at Yale - 1:00 p.m.
Syracuse vs. Brown - 4:00 p.m.
 
Sunday, May 11 - Second Round
Winner of UAlbany/Yale vs. Winner of Syracuse/Brown - 2:00 p.m.
 
Location: Reese Stadium | New Haven, Conn.
ESPN+ | Live Stats | Tickets
 
Leading the Pack

• The UAlbany women's lacrosse team holds a 9-9 overall record, with a 3-5 mark on the road.
• Mikaela Mooney leads the Great Danes with 65 points, comprising 34 goals and a team-high 31 assists.
• Dylana Williams has netted 48 goals on 94 shots, recording a shooting percentage of 51.1%.
• Paisley Cook continues to dominate the draw, securing 123 draw controls and averaging 6.8 per game.
• Gracie McCauley leads the team with 27 ground balls and ranks second with 17 caused turnovers, while Delilah Mile anchors the defensive unit with 21 ground balls and a team-high 19 caused turnovers.
• Grace Cincebox has logged 696 minutes and 13 seconds in goal, posting a 12.50 goals-against average and a .316 save percentage across 18 appearances.

 
McCauley Madness
One Great Dane could not be stopped in the America East final. Gracie McCauley delivered a historic performance to lead UAlbany to its fourth America East Tournament title and an NCAA Tournament berth with a 14-10 victory over top-seeded Bryant.
 
McCauley scored eight goals on 12 shots, tying her career high and setting a new America East Tournament single-game scoring record. Four of her goals came on free position opportunities, where she went a perfect 4-for-4. Whether she was slicing through Bryant's defense on dodges or finishing clinically from the 8-meter arc, McCauley proved unstoppable. She also tallied a caused turnover and collected two ground balls in the win.
 
Her heroics extended beyond the stat sheet. McCauley earned national recognition as the AXIA Time Women's DI Player of the Conference Tournaments, edging out a stacked field that included Yale's Sky Carrasquillo, Denver's Olivia Ripple, and Navy's Emma Kennedy. She also claimed victory in ILWomen's fan vote on Instagram.
 
According to the LaxElo model, McCauley's eight-goal outing was as efficient as it was explosive. Six of her goals were unassisted, and she even added an assist to round out a complete offensive effort. She reached the 89th percentile in individual efficiency, a significant leap from her season average of 34th percentile.
 
The championship game showcased more than just McCauley's brilliance. UAlbany's overall offensive efficiency against Bryant reached the 86th percentile, with a 36% opponent-adjusted mark.
 
Scouting #7 Yale
Yale enters the NCAA Tournament with a 14-3 overall record, including a 7-1 mark at home and 6-2 on the road. The Bulldogs have scored 236 goals and recorded 108 assists on 582 shots for a .405 shooting percentage. They have placed 423 of those shots on goal, good for a .727 shot-on-goal percentage. Yale is 53-for-116 on free position attempts, converting at a .457 clip.
 
Defensively, the Bulldogs have collected 298 ground balls, caused 149 turnovers, and committed just 183. They've also secured 258 draw controls and successfully cleared 282 of 301 attempts for an impressive .937 clear percentage.
 
Senior attacker Jenna Collignon leads Yale with 59 goals and 63 points overall, followed closely by Fallon Vaughn, who has 69 points on 43 goals and 26 assists. Sky Carrasquillo has added 45 goals, while Taylor Lane provides balance with 33 goals and 23 assists.
 
On the draw, Collignon leads the team with 74 draw controls, while Lane (65) and Carrasquillo (57) round out a deep unit. Defensively, Katie Clare and Emmy Pascal have contributed a combined 41 ground balls and 24 caused turnovers.
 
In goal, Yale splits time primarily between Niamh Pfaff and Cami Donadio. Pfaff has played 603 minutes across 14 games, allowing 80 goals with 71 saves for a 7.96 goals-against average and a .470 save percentage. Donadio has made 12 appearances, posting a 9.01 goals-against average and a .356 save percentage. As a unit, Yale ranks among the best defensively, allowing just 8.16 goals per game.
 
Previously vs. the Bulldogs
February 26, 2022 | UAlbany dropped a hard-fought battle at home, falling 16-14 to Yale at John Fallon Field. Graduate attacker Sarah Falk delivered a career performance, scoring seven goals and adding two assists for a personal-best nine points, tied for the fifth-highest single-game goal total in program history. Hailey Carroll added a hat trick with an assist, while Kathryn Sancilio also recorded three goals to complete a balanced offensive effort.
 
The Great Danes took a 5-2 lead in the first quarter behind a trio of goals from Falk, but Yale responded with a 5-1 run to swing the momentum. UAlbany trailed 8-7 at halftime and, despite tying the game at 10 midway through the third, the Bulldogs rattled off a three-goal stretch that ultimately proved decisive. The Great Danes closed the gap to 13-12 entering the final quarter, but Yale's two early goals in the fourth created separation that UAlbany couldn't recover from.
 
Scouting Syracuse
Syracuse enters NCAA Tournament play with a 9-8 overall record, including a 5-4 mark at home and 4-3 on the road. The Orange have scored 212 goals and recorded 371 shots on goal from 492 total attempts, resulting in a .432 shot percentage and a .754 shot-on-goal percentage. On free-position chances, Syracuse has converted 38 of 80 attempts (.475).
 
Defensively, the Orange have collected 269 ground balls, caused 242 turnovers, and committed 242 of their own. They've successfully cleared 325 of 359 attempts (.906), one of the top marks nationally.
 
Syracuse averages 12.47 goals per game while allowing 11.94, with the largest scoring output coming in a 21-9 win over UAlbany to open the season. The Orange have been outscored in fourth quarters (56-45) but have outpaced opponents in the first three quarters combined (166-146).
 
In goal, Delaney Sweitzer has played every minute of the season, making 149 saves across 501 opponent shots. She holds an overall save percentage of .420 and has made 38 or more saves in each of the four quarters.
 
The Orange fell to Yale earlier this season (13-10 on April 2) and are looking to rebound as they open NCAA Tournament action against Brown, with the winner set to meet the UAlbany-Yale victor in the second round.
 
Previously vs. the Orange
February 7, 2025 | UAlbany opened its 2025 season on the road with a tough test against No. 6 Syracuse, falling 21-9 inside the JMA Wireless Dome. Mikaela Mooney led the Great Danes with four points on one goal and three assists, while Emma Weaver added a goal and two assists. Haley Phalines and Courtney Rowe each scored twice to pace the scoring effort.
 
After falling behind 6-0 early, Paisley Cook put UAlbany on the board with the team's first goal of the season midway through the opening quarter. Goals from Emma Torkoff, Weaver, and Phalines helped trim the deficit to 8-4 early in the second, but Syracuse responded with a seven-goal run to take a commanding 15-4 lead into halftime. The Orange extended the margin to 19-5 before UAlbany mounted a late surge, scoring four straight in the fourth quarter to cut it to 20-9. Rowe netted both of her goals during the run, and Mooney capped her performance with a late tally.
 
UAlbany was outshot 34-17 overall and 26-12 in shots on goal. Syracuse also held a 21-11 edge in ground balls and narrowly led in clears, going 18-for-19 compared to UAlbany's 16-for-17. Ravan Marsell led the Great Danes with five draw controls and tied for the team lead in ground balls with two, alongside Torkoff and Mackenzie Salentre.
 
Scouting Brown
Brown enters the NCAA Tournament with a 10-6 overall record, including a 5-2 mark at home and 5-3 on the road. The Bears have scored 235 goals and recorded 137 assists on 517 total shots, good for a .455 shooting percentage. They've placed 384 of those shots on goal, resulting in a .743 shot-on-goal percentage. Brown is 36-for-76 on free position attempts for a .474 conversion rate.
 
Defensively, the Bears have collected 210 ground balls, caused 118 turnovers, and committed 186. They've secured 253 draw controls and successfully cleared 248 of 269 attempts, for an impressive .922 clear percentage.
 
Offensively, Annie Burton leads the team with 70 points, powered by a team-best 53 assists and 17 goals. Greta Criqui follows with 62 points, including a team-high 51 goals. Leah Caputo (33g, 8a) and Avery Doran (21g, 23a) provide consistent secondary scoring, while Maddie Joyce adds 26 goals and five assists.
 
On the draw, Beth Anderson leads with 82 draw controls, while Joyce and Camphausen have contributed 23 and 18, respectively. Defensively, Caroline Korn (16 caused turnovers), Claire Mahoney (13 ground balls), and Codi Johnson (16 fouls, 3 CTs) have been key contributors.
 
In goal, Claire Mahoney (8-2) has seen the bulk of action, playing 563 minutes with an 8.95 goals-against average and a .465 save percentage. Anne Booth has also played in 10 games, recording a 12.75 GAA and .400 save percentage over 381 minutes.
 
Brown averages 14.69 goals per game while holding opponents to 10.50, making them one of the more balanced teams heading into postseason play.
 
Previously vs. the Bears
February 20, 2024 | UAlbany battled hard in its home opener but came up short against No. 23 Brown, falling 14-10 at John Fallon Field. Courtney Rowe delivered a career-best outing with five points on four goals and one assist, while Grace Cincebox recorded 12 saves in goal, marking her third double-digit save performance in the first four games of the season.
 
Katie Pascale added two goals in the opening quarter, including one on a free-position attempt, and Kloey Roos scored twice to keep UAlbany within striking distance. After trailing 7-4 at halftime, the Great Danes pulled within two goals midway through the third quarter following back-to-back strikes from Rowe, but Brown responded with a 3-0 run to regain control.
 
UAlbany was outshot 34-23 overall and 14-10 in the second half. Brown also held advantages in ground balls (24-14) and draw controls (16-11). Despite a 4-2 fourth-quarter run sparked by goals from Emma Weaver and Rowe, the Bears added a final insurance goal late to seal the win.
 
Last Time Out
May 4, 2025 | UAlbany captured its fourth America East Tournament title with a 14-10 victory over top-seeded Bryant on the road. Gracie McCauley delivered a record-setting performance, scoring eight goals to break the America East Tournament single-game scoring record, earning Most Outstanding Player honors. Dylana Williams added a hat trick and one assist, while Ava Poupard chipped in one goal and three assists to lead the Great Danes' offense.
 
Emma Weaver and Zareena Sorho each scored once, and Grace Cincebox made eight saves while playing the full 60 minutes in net. UAlbany and Bryant were tied 7-7 at halftime before the Great Danes outscored the Bulldogs 7-3 in the second half, including five goals from McCauley. The win improved UAlbany to 9-9 overall and clinched the team's spot in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2021.
 
Social Central
Stay up to date with UAlbany women's lacrosse by following the team on X (@UAlbanyWLax) and Instagram (UAlbanyWLax) for all of the latest news and highlights throughout the year.