Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse

Last updated
Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse
Michigan Wolverines logo.svg
Founded2014
University University of Michigan
Head coach Hannah Nielsen (9th season)
StadiumU-M Lacrosse Stadium
(capacity: 2,000)
Location Ann Arbor, Michigan
Conference Big Ten Conference
Nickname Wolverines
ColorsMaize and blue [1]
   
Website http://mgoblue.com/index.aspx?path=wlax
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
2024
NCAA Tournament appearances
2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025

The Michigan Wolverines women's lacrosse team is the intercollegiate women's lacrosse program representing the University of Michigan. The school competes in the Big Ten Conference in Division I of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Wolverines play their home games in Ann Arbor, primarily at Michigan Stadium with the indoor Oosterbaan Field House as a secondary option. Women's lacrosse was established as a varsity sport in 2014, and the team played in the American Lacrosse Conference during its inaugural season before joining the Big Ten in 2015. The team is currently coached by Hannah Nielsen.

Contents

History

Michigan in action against Rutgers in 2015 Rutgers vs. Michigan women's lacrosse 2015 24.jpg
Michigan in action against Rutgers in 2015

Prior to the establishment of its varsity program, women's lacrosse was a club sport at the University of Michigan. In 2011, the club team compiled a record of 15–6 under the direction of head coach Jen Dunbar. [2] On May 25, 2011, Michigan officially promoted its women's lacrosse team to varsity status, the same day that the school's varsity men's program was announced. Unlike the men's team, the women's team was not originally scheduled to begin play until 2013. In May 2011, the most pressing priorities for the new women's program were the search for its first head coach and its application for membership in the American Lacrosse Conference, which counted among its members other Big Ten schools such as Northwestern, Ohio State, and Penn State, as well as more distant institutions such as Florida, Johns Hopkins, and Vanderbilt. [3]

In 2014, Michigan played its inaugural varsity season as a member of the American Lacrosse Conference under head coach Jennifer Ulehla. [4] Prior to being named head coach on September 8, 2011, Uleha had been an assistant coach at Florida and with the U.S. National Elite Team as well as an assistant coach at Temple and James Madison. [5] The program's first official varsity game was at Villanova on February 22, while its home opener was against Marquette on February 28 at Oosterbaan Field House. [4] [6] On June 3, 2013, the Big Ten Conference announced that it would begin sponsoring women's lacrosse in 2015; together with men's lacrosse, which would debut the same season, they would respectively be the conference's 27th and 28th official sports. Alongside Michigan, the five other teams competing in the new conference included Maryland, Northwestern, Ohio State, Penn State, and Rutgers. [7] As of 2015, head coach Uleha's coaching staff consists of assistant coaches Becca Block and Alyssa Murray. [8]

Coaching staff

NamePosition coachedConsecutive season at
Michigan in current position
Hannah Nielsen Head coach 7th
Ana HeneberryAssistant coach7th
Casey PearsallAssistant coach2nd
Nora BoergerAssistant coach1st
Reference: [9]

Season results

The following is a list of Michigan's season results as an NCAA Division I program:

SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
Jennifer Ulehla (American Lacrosse Conference)(2014–2015)
2014Jennifer Ulehla 4–130–67th
Jennifer Ulehla (Big Ten Conference)(2015–2017)
2015Jennifer Ulehla 5–120–56th
2016Jennifer Ulehla 6–120–56th
2017Jennifer Ulehla 5–121–56th
Jennifer Ulehla:20–49 (.290)1–21 (.045)
Hannah Nielsen (Big Ten Conference)(2018–Present)
2018Hannah Nielsen 7–102–45th
2019Hannah Nielsen 16–44–23rd NCAA Second Round
2020Hannah Nielsen 5–10–0
2021Hannah Nielsen 3–93–87th
2022Hannah Nielsen 11–72–4T–4th NCAA Second Round
2023Hannah Nielsen 12–83–3T–3rd NCAA Second Round
2024Hannah Nielsen 16–44–2T–2nd NCAA Quarterfinals
2025Hannah Nielsen 13–75–3T–3rd NCAA Second Round
Hannah Nielsen:83–50 (.630)23–26 (.469)
Total:103–99 (.510)

      National champion        Postseason invitational champion  
      Conference regular season champion        Conference regular season and conference tournament champion
      Division regular season champion      Division regular season and conference tournament champion
      Conference tournament champion

†NCAA cancelled 2020 collegiate activities due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Stadium

Michigan Stadium before a game in April 2015 Rutgers vs. Michigan women's lacrosse 2015 01.jpg
Michigan Stadium before a game in April 2015

Michigan plays its home games at both Michigan Stadium and Oosterbaan Field House. For both the 2014 and 2015 seasons, the team scheduled its first two games of the year at Oosterbaan, and then played the remainder of its home schedule (six games, in both cases) at Michigan Stadium. [10] [11] Oosterbaan Field House, which was built in 1970, has a total capacity of 1,000 and a FieldTurf playing surface. [12] Michigan Stadium boasts a capacity of 107,601 and was built for the Michigan football team in 1927; however, it did not host a varsity lacrosse game until 2012, when the Michigan men's lacrosse program played its first game there. The women's team played its first game at Michigan Stadium on March 20, 2014, losing to Winthrop, 14–12. [13]

Individual career records

As of 13 May 2025 [14]
RecordNumberPlayerYears
Goals196Jill Smith2022–2025
Assists90Caitlin Muir2018–2022
Points245Jill Smith2022–2025
Ground balls111Maddie Burns2021–2024
Draw controls239Anna Schueler2014–2017
Saves371Mira Shane2016–2019
Save %.519Erin O'Grady2022–2025

Individual single season records

As of 13 May 2025 [15]
RecordNumberPlayerYear
Goals65Jill Smith2023
Assists34Kaylee Dyer2025
Points82Jill Smith2025
Ground balls41Allison Silber
Maddie Burns
2014
2024
Draw controls135Emma Burke2025
Saves167Erin O'Grady2025
Save %.549Erin O'Grady2024

Individual honors

First Team All Americans

Big Ten Defender of the Year

Big Ten Goaltender of the Year

Postseason Results

The Wolverines have appeared in 5 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 6–5.

YearSeedRoundOpponentScore
2019 #8First Round
Second Round
Jacksonville
Denver
W 13–9
L 5–9
2022 First Round
Second Round
Notre Dame
#4 Northwestern
W 17–11
L 12–15
2023 First Round
Second Round
Central Michigan
#1 Northwestern
W 13–6
L 7–8
2024 First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinal
Mercer
#7 Notre Dame
#2 Boston College
W 17–6
W 15–14
L 9–14
2025 First Round
Second Round
Akron
#3 Northwestern
W 17–6
L 7–15

References

  1. "University of Michigan Style Guide: Colors". July 7, 2015. Retrieved July 7, 2015.
  2. Kercheval, Nancy (May 26, 2011). "Michigan Elevates Men's, Women's Lacrosse Teams to Varsity Level". Bloomberg Business . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  3. Nesbitt, Stephen J. (May 25, 2011). "Michigan adds men's and women's lacrosse to varsity lineup". The Michigan Daily . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  4. 1 2 "Women's Lacrosse: Eight Home Contests Highlight Michigan's Inaugural Schedule". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. August 1, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  5. "Jennifer Ulehla". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  6. Shaw, Zach (March 1, 2014). "Despite golden moments, women's lacrosse falls to Golden Eagles in inaugural home game". The Michigan Daily . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  7. "Big Ten Announces Institution of Men's and Women's Lacrosse and Addition of Johns Hopkins as Men's Lacrosse Sport Affiliate Member". BigTen.org. Big Ten Conference. June 3, 2013. Archived from the original on July 10, 2013. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  8. "2015 Michigan Women's Lacrosse Coaching Staff". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  9. "Michigan Wolverines Women's Lacrosse Coaches". MGoBlue.com. Board of Regents of the University of Michigan. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  10. "Michigan Women's Lacrosse Archive: 2014 Michigan Women's Lacrosse Schedule". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  11. "2015 Michigan Women's Lacrosse Schedule". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. 2015. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  12. "Oosterbaan Field House". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan . Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  13. "Michigan Stadium". MGoBlue.com. University of Michigan. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
  14. "Michigan Women's Lacrosse Record Book" (PDF). mgoblue.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  15. "Michigan Women's Lacrosse Record Book" (PDF). mgoblue.com. Retrieved 29 May 2024.
  16. 1 2 "Five Wolverines Garner Inside Lacrosse All-America Recognition". MGoBlue.com. CBS Interactive. May 17, 2024. Retrieved May 29, 2024.

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