NOTRE DAME vs #12/15 Michigan – Friday, Feb. 6 at 7 P
Location: South Bend, IN | Loftus Sports Center
LIVE STATS
NOTRE DAME vs. CENTRAL MICHIGAN – Sunday, Feb. 8 at 1 PM
Location: South Bend, IN | Loftus Sports Center
LIVE STATS
The Notre Dame Fighting Irish are set to open up their 2026 season with a pair of games at Loftus on Friday, Feb. 6 and Sunday, Feb. 8. The No. 22/25 Irish will first take on the No. 12/15 Michigan Wolverines on Friday evening at 7:00 p.m. They will then host the Central Michigan Chippewas on Sunday at 1:00 p.m
This will be the seventh match up between the Irish and the Wolverines as the overall series stands at an even 3-3. The last matchup was in 2022 as the Irish fell 11-17 at home on May 13 in the NCAA Tournament First Round.
Notre Dame posts an undefeated 4-0 record against Central Michigan with their most recent win coming last season as they downed the Chippewas in dominant fashion. The Irish defeated Central Michigan 20-7 in their home opener with a big-time performance from Madison Rassas.
She not only scored her first career goal in the win, but led all players that night with five goals. The standout freshman had a hat trick by the end of the first quarter. She finished the day with an impressive stat line of 5 goals, 3 assists, 8 points, 3 draw controls, 2 caused turnovers, and a ground ball. Check out more on Rassas’s record breaking performance here.
Rassas, who led the Irish in goals last year, received 2026 Preseason All-ACC Team, USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention honors, and was ranked #41 in the Inside Lacrosse Top 50 player rankings this year.
Last season, Rassas earned All-ACC Second Team honors and IWLCA West/Midwest All-Region Second Team honors in her rookie season. She led the Irish with 29 goals, recording 4 assists as well for a combined 33 points on the season. Rassas has also tallied 33 draw controls, 5 ground balls, 5 caused turnovers and recorded 6 hat tricks, 8 multi-point games, and 4 or more goals in 4 games.
The Irish also return key leaders in upperclassmen Meghan O’Hare (M), Kathryn Morrissey (M), Franny O’Brien (M), Abigail Lyons (D), Julia Carr (D), Izzy Pithie (GK), Kate Timarky (A), and Emma Murphy (A).
O’Hare was All-ACC Third Team honoree last year and is the top returner in draw controls (40) and was one of the top two in ground balls (24). Pithie was third in the ACC last season in save percentage (.479), third in GAA (9.41), and sixth in saves per game (7.73). Morrissey led the Irish in assists (19) and points last season (42).
With the Irish graduating five last season, they welcome 12 freshmen to this year’s roster with eight newcomers listed in the IWLCA Power 100 Incoming Freshmen Rankings:
- Ceci Patterson (#3)
- Uma Kowalski (#15)
- Charley Bacigalupo (#27)
- Maura Irish (#29)
- Maeve Cavanaugh (#45)
- Mackenzie Conley (Watchlist)
- Brooke Hopkins (Watchlist)
- Grace Maroney (Watchlist)
The Irish are slated for 16 games with an even eight games at home and eight games on the road. The ACC docket will feature 10 conference games with five games on the road and five games at home.
To view our full 2026 schedule, click here. To stay up to date with all things Notre Dame lacrosse, please follow on social media @NDWomensLax on X and @ndwomenslax on Instagram.