Northwestern Wildcats women's lacrosse

Last updated
Northwestern Wildcats
women's lacrosse
Northwestern Wildcats logo.svg
Founded1982;43 years ago (1982); relaunched in 2002
UniversityNorthwestern University
Head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller (since 2001 season)
StadiumLanny & Sharon Martin Stadium [outdoor] and Ryan Fieldhouse [indoor]
(capacity: 2,000)
Location Evanston, Illinois
Conference Big Ten Conference
(previously ALC)
Nickname Wildcats
ColorsPurple and white [1]
   
NCAA Tournament championships
(8) - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2023
NCAA Tournament Runner-Up
(3) - 2010, 2024, 2025
NCAA Tournament Final Fours
(16) - 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
(20) - 1984, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
NCAA Tournament appearances
(26) - 1983, 1984, 1986, 1987, 1988, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025
Conference Tournament championships
(11) - 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025
Conference regular season championships
(12) - 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025

The Northwestern Wildcats women's lacrosse team is an NCAA Division I college lacrosse team representing Northwestern University as part of the Big Ten Conference. It was a member of the American Lacrosse Conference until the 2013-14 season, when the conference was dissolved as the Big Ten was sponsoring women's lacrosse from the 2014-15 season. The team began competition at the varsity level in 1982, operated as a club sport from 1993 to 2001, and resumed play at the varsity level in 2002. They play their home games at Lanny & Sharon Martin Stadium and Ryan Fieldhouse in Evanston, IL. From 2005 to 2009, the team won the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship five consecutive times and recorded two undefeated seasons. [2] After losing in the finals in 2010, the Wildcats added their sixth and seventh championships in 2011 and 2012. The Wildcats won their eighth championship in 2023. The Midwestern team's success is a rarity in a sport that enjoys most of its popularity on the East Coast - the Wildcats are the only team from outside the Eastern Time Zone to win the national title. [3]

Contents

History

2005 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship between the Virginia Cavaliers and Northwestern Wildcats 2005 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship - Virginia Cavaliers vs Northwestern Wildcats.jpg
2005 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship between the Virginia Cavaliers and Northwestern Wildcats

The Wildcats began playing in 1982 and enjoyed success early, appearing in the NCAA tournament five times before budget cuts forced the team to disband in 1993. Northwestern hired former Maryland player Kelly Amonte Hiller to be the head coach when the university revived the team in 2002. Hiller had to think outside the box in forming her squad; she recruited two freshmen who had never played the game before after seeing them jog around campus [4] (they went on to be named All-Americans). Her methods proved successful, however, and the team improved its record every year from its inception until 2005, when the Wildcats went undefeated and won their first national title. Two years and two more championships later in 2007, they joined Maryland as the only teams to win three consecutive national titles. The Wildcats would take home championship trophies again in 2008 and after a second undefeated season in 2009. The streak ended in 2010 when the team lost to Maryland in a championship game that set the attendance record for a women's lacrosse match in the United States. [5] During their five-year championship run, the Wildcats had a record of 106-3 and were undefeated at home. The Wildcats started a new streak the following year when they won their sixth championship, and then a seventh in 2012. Their streak of finals appearances would end in 2013 following a Final Four loss to the North Carolina Tar Heels.

When the team visited the White House after winning their first championship, they created a minor fashion scandal when some members wore flip-flops. The publicity inspired the team to auction off their sandals with the proceeds going to the Friends of Jaclyn charity. [6] The team first met Jaclyn Murphy in 2005 when she was recovering from a brain tumor and their support prompted her father to start a charity that matches other college teams with pediatric brain tumor patients. [7]

Historical Statistics

Overall
Years of Lacrosse33
1st Season1982
Head Coaches4
All-Time Record431-146
ALC Games
ALC W-L record66-17
ALC Titles8
Big Ten Games
Big Ten W-L record103-25
Big Ten Titles3
NCAA tournament
NCAA Appearances24
NCAA W-L record54-16
Final Fours14
National Championships8

*Statistics through 2023 season

Individual career records

Reference: [8]

RecordNumberPlayerYears
Goals376 Izzy Scane 2019-2024
Assists224Hannah Nielsen2006-09
Points483Izzy Scane2019-2024
Ground balls183Christy Finch2005-08
Draw controls496Shelby Fredericks2015-18
Saves553Morgan Lathrop2006-09

Individual single-season records

RecordNumberPlayerYear
Goals109Madison Taylor2025
Assists83Hannah Nielsen2009
Points158Madison Taylor2025
Draw controls185Sam Smith2025
Saves169Mallory Weisse2017

Seasons

Statistics overview
SeasonCoachOverallConferenceStandingPostseason
NCAA Division I (Independent)(1982–1992)
1982Cindy Timchal 8–3
1983Cindy Timchal 11–3 NCAA First Round
1984Cindy Timchal 10–4 NCAA Quarterfinal
1985Cindy Timchal 7–4
1986Cindy Timchal 10–4 NCAA First Round
1987Cindy Timchal 10–4 NCAA First Round
1988Cindy Timchal 10–5 NCAA First Round
1989Cindy Timchal 6–5
1990Cindy Timchal 4–8
1991Robin Cummings 1–10
1992Patti Bossio 2–8
No team (1993–2001)
NCAA Division I (American Lacrosse Conference)(2002–2014)
2002Kelly Amonte Hiller 5–102–4
2003Kelly Amonte Hiller 8–82–4
2004Kelly Amonte Hiller 15–35–1T–1st NCAA Quarterfinal
2005Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–06–01st NCAA Champions
2006Kelly Amonte Hiller 20–15–01st NCAA Champions
2007Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–14–01st NCAA Champions
2008Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–14–01st NCAA Champions
2009Kelly Amonte Hiller 23–06–01st NCAA Champions
2010Kelly Amonte Hiller 20–25–01st NCAA Runner–Up
2011Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–23–2T–2nd NCAA Champions
2012Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–24–12nd NCAA Champions
2013Kelly Amonte Hiller 19–34–1T–1st NCAA Final Four
2014Kelly Amonte Hiller 14–73–3T–3rd NCAA Final Four
NCAA Division I (Big Ten Conference)(2015–Present)
2015Kelly Amonte Hiller 14–73–23rd NCAA Quarterfinal
2016Kelly Amonte Hiller 11–103–2T–2nd NCAA Second Round
2017Kelly Amonte Hiller 11–104–23rd NCAA Second Round
2018Kelly Amonte Hiller 15–65–12nd NCAA Quarterfinal
2019Kelly Amonte Hiller 16–55–12nd NCAA Final Four
2020Kelly Amonte Hiller 4–30–0††
2021Kelly Amonte Hiller 15–111–01st NCAA Final Four
2022Kelly Amonte Hiller 16–55–12nd NCAA Final Four
2023Kelly Amonte Hiller 21–16–01st NCAA Champions
2024Kelly Amonte Hiller 18–35–11st NCAA Runner–Up
2025Kelly Amonte Hiller 19–38–01st NCAA Runner–Up
Total:468–152 (.755)

      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 canceled 2020 collegiate activities due to the COVID-19 virus.

Postseason Results

The Wildcats have appeared in 26 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 60-18. [9]

YearSeedRoundOpponentScore
1983 --First Round Harvard L, 4-9
1984 --First Round
Quarterfinal		 New Hampshire
#3 Temple 		W, 6-2
L, 8-16
1986 --Quarterfinal Maryland L, 7-11
1987 --Quarterfinal New Hampshire L, 9-11
1988 --Quarterfinal Penn State L, 6-12
2004 --First Round
Quarterfinal		 Notre Dame
#2 Virginia 		W, 10-8
L, 11-15
2005 #1First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Mount St. Mary's
#8 Princeton
#4 Dartmouth
#6 Virginia 		W, 16-3
W, 8-6
W, 8-4
W, 13-10
2006 #4First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Stanford
#5 North Carolina
#1 Duke
#7 Dartmouth 		W, 17-9
W, 17-6
W, 11-10 (ot)
W, 7-4
2007 #1First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Holy Cross
Syracuse
#4 Penn
#3 Virginia 		W, 19-7
W, 14-9
W, 12-2
W, 15-13
2008 #1First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Notre Dame
#8 Princeton
#5 Syracuse
#2 Penn 		W, 15-7
W, 18-11
W, 16-8
W, 10-6
2009 #1First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Massachusetts
#8 Princeton
#4 Penn
#3 North Carolina 		W, 23-6
W, 16-9
W, 13-12 (2ot)
W, 21-7
2010 #2First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Notre Dame
#7 Duke
#3 North Carolina
#1 Maryland 		W, 19-7
W, 18-8
W, 15-10
L, 11-13
2011 #2First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Boston College
#7 Albany
#3 North Carolina
#1 Maryland 		W, 11-8
W, 18-4
W, 11-10
W, 8-7
2012 #2First Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Notre Dame
#7 Duke
#3 Maryland
#4 Syracuse 		W, 12-7
W, 12-7
W, 9-7
W, 8-6
2013 #2Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal		 Stanford
#7 Penn State
#3 North Carolina 		W, 15-8
W, 15-7
L, 4-11
2014 #5Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal		 Louisville
#4 Florida
#1 Maryland 		W, 11-8
W, 12-11 (ot)
L, 6-9
2015 #8First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinal		 Louisville
Notre Dame
#1 Maryland 		W, 10-7
W, 16-11
L, 5-17
2016 --First Round
Second Round		 Louisville
#6 Notre Dame 		W, 15-5
L, 3-15
2017 --First Round
Second Round		 Albany
#8 Stony Brook 		W, 15-7
L, 9-13
2018 --First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinal		 Richmond
#7 Towson
#2 North Carolina 		W, 24-18
W, 21-17
L, 14-19
2019 #4Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal		 Notre Dame
#5 Syracuse
#1 Maryland 		W, 13-10
W, 18-14
L, 13-25
2021 #2Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal		 Denver
#7 Duke
#3 Syracuse 		W, 19-4
W, 22-10
L, 13-21
2022 #4First Round
Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal		 Central Michigan
Michigan
#5 Syracuse
#1 North Carolina 		W, 22-7
W, 15-12
W, 15-4
L, 14-15
2023 #1Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Michigan
#8 Loyola (MD)
#5 Denver
#3 Boston College 		W, 8-7
W, 16-6
W, 15-7
W, 18-6
2024 #1Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Denver
#8 Penn
Florida
#2 Boston College 		W, 17-4
W, 20-7
W, 15-11
L, 13-14
2025 #3Second Round
Quarterfinal
Semifinal
Final		 Michigan
Penn
#2 Boston College
#1 North Carolina 		W, 15-7
W, 17-12
W, 12-11
L, 8-12

Awards and records

Kristen Kjellman – 2006, 2007
Hannah Nielsen – 2008, 2009
Shannon Smith – 2011
Izzy Scane – 2023, 2024
Kristen Kjellman – 2005, 2006, 2007
Hannah Nielsen – 2008, 2009
Shannon Smith – 2011
Taylor Thornton – 2012
Izzy Scane – 2023, 2024
Hannah Nielsen – 2008
Shannon Smith – 2011
Kelly Amonte Hiller – 2005, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2023
Mallory Weisse – 2019
Izzy Scane – 2021, 2023, 2024
Jane Hansen – 2025

References

  1. ↑ "Northwestern University's Guide to Using Marks, Colors, Trademarks, and Logos" (PDF). September 21, 2016. Retrieved November 11, 2016.
  2. ↑ Phillip Hersh. "Northwestern wins 5th straight women's lacrosse NCAA title". Chicago Tribune . Archived from the original on May 28, 2009. Retrieved May 28, 2009.
  3. ↑ Archived September 25, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Chicago - Chicago : News : Politics : Things To Do : Sports". Suntimes.com. Retrieved 2015-05-17.
  5. ↑ "Northwestern loses bid for 6th straight NCAA women's lacrosse championship". Tribunedigital-chicagotribune. 2010-05-30. Retrieved 2015-05-17.
  6. ↑ "USATODAY.com - NU's lacrosse team sparks flip-flop flap at White House". Usatoday.com. 2005-07-19. Retrieved 2015-05-17.
  7. ↑ Pete Thamel (2009-05-15). "Four-Time Champions, and All Jaclyn's Big Sisters". The New York Times . Retrieved 2015-05-17.
  8. ↑ "2017-18 Big Ten Records Book" (PDF). Big Ten. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
  9. ↑ "Division I Women's Lacrosse Championships Records Book" (PDF). NCAA. Retrieved October 19, 2017.
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