Thursday, February 13
Stanford, Calif.
4:00 PM
Colorado
at
#15 Stanford
No. 21 Colorado Lacrosse Opens 2025 Campaign with Former Pac-12 Foes No. 15 Stanford and No. 24 USC
February 10, 2025 | Lacrosse
The Buffs will take on the Cardinal in a Pac-12 Championship revenge match before meeting the Trojans this weekend
BOULDER – The 21st-ranked Colorado lacrosse team (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) open the regular season on the road with the 15th-ranked Stanford Cardinal (1-0, 0-0 ACC) on Thursday and the 24th-ranked USC Trojans (0-1, 0-0 ACC) on Sunday.
The Buffs will head to Cardinal country on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. MT to play the first game of the season at Maloney Field. Following this matchup, the Black and Gold will continue its stint in the Bay Area for a neutral game against the Trojans hosted by Cal on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. MT at California Memorial Coliseum.
This season, the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Poll split with the Inside Lacrosse Women's (ILWomen) Division I Media Poll, eliminating this season's preseason coaches' poll. While the Buffs fell just short of the USA Lacrosse preseason rankings after receiving consideration, CU landed at No. 23 on the ILWomen/KANE Women's Division I Preseason Media Poll. In its first official week this season, the Black and Gold are ranked 21st on the IWLCA poll and moved up to 20th in the ILWomen poll.
The Buffs won 13 games in the 2024 season and finished third in the Pac-12 standings. Colorado made it to the Pac-12 Tournament, overcoming UC Davis (13-10) in the quarterfinal and USC (12-9) in the semifinal. The Buffs ultimately fell to the Stanford Cardinal in the Pac-12 Championship game, 11-8, to conclude the 2024 campaign. Four Buffs were selected to All-Pac-12 All-Conference teams: Madeline Pisani and Ashley Stokes to First Team, and Lily Assini and Jess Peluso to Second Team.
GAME #1 • Thursday, February 13 • 4 p.m. MT
No. 21 Colorado (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 15 Stanford (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
Maloney Field • Stanford, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: 9-13, Stanford Leads
LAST MEETING: L, 8-11 (May 4, 2024 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
STREAK: Lost 2 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 4-5
TV: ACCNX
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoStanford.com
GAME #2 • Sunday, February 16 • 2 p.m. MT
No. 21 Colorado (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 24 USC (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: 6-14, USC Leads
LAST MEETING: W, 12-9 (May 2, 2024 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
STREAK: Won 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-7
OPPONENT WEBSITE: USCTrojans.com
OPENING DRAW (TL;DR)
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' game against the Cardinal will be broadcast on ACCNX. CU's game against USC will be updated on the CUBuffs.com website later this week. Fans can also follow the Colorado games through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.
WILD CARDINAL: Colorado will face Stanford to open the season. This marks the 23rd meeting all-time between the Cardinal and the Buffs. CU met with Stanford twice last season, including in the Pac-12 Championship game where the Cardinal took it, 11-8 (May 4, 2024). The last time the Buffs beat the Cardinal was exactly one year prior in the 2023 season -- Colorado upset Stanford, 12-11, to reach the Pac-12 Championship for the first time since 2021 (May 4, 2023).
TROJAN MI(SC): The Buffs will go head-to-head with the Trojans after a bout with the Cardinal. This will be the 21st meeting all-time between CU and USC. Though the Trojans currently lead the rivalry, 14-6, the Buffs recorded a hefty win in the teams' matchup at the end of last season. With a 12-9 victory over USC, Colorado advanced to the Pac-12 Championship game and knocked USC out of the tournament (May 2, 2024). This will be the first time the Buffs play back-to-back neutral games against the Trojans.
BIG 12 HORIZONS: After stints in the Pac-12 and MPSF, Colorado is now playing lacrosse in the Big 12 Conference in its inaugural season. The conference consists of three Big 12 teams (CU, Cincinnati, Arizona State) and three affiliates (UC Davis, San Diego State, Florida). The Buffs are 64-26 (.711) in conference play going into the 2025 lacrosse season. Colorado will also play host to the first-ever Big 12 Lacrosse Championship. In preparation for the tournament, the Buffs will move to Prentup Field for all home contests after 11 seasons of competition at Kittredge Field.
For more information on the Colorado women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule and results, please visit CUBuffs.com. Fans of the Buffs can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @CUBuffsWLax.
The Buffs will head to Cardinal country on Feb. 13 at 4 p.m. MT to play the first game of the season at Maloney Field. Following this matchup, the Black and Gold will continue its stint in the Bay Area for a neutral game against the Trojans hosted by Cal on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. MT at California Memorial Coliseum.
This season, the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Poll split with the Inside Lacrosse Women's (ILWomen) Division I Media Poll, eliminating this season's preseason coaches' poll. While the Buffs fell just short of the USA Lacrosse preseason rankings after receiving consideration, CU landed at No. 23 on the ILWomen/KANE Women's Division I Preseason Media Poll. In its first official week this season, the Black and Gold are ranked 21st on the IWLCA poll and moved up to 20th in the ILWomen poll.
The Buffs won 13 games in the 2024 season and finished third in the Pac-12 standings. Colorado made it to the Pac-12 Tournament, overcoming UC Davis (13-10) in the quarterfinal and USC (12-9) in the semifinal. The Buffs ultimately fell to the Stanford Cardinal in the Pac-12 Championship game, 11-8, to conclude the 2024 campaign. Four Buffs were selected to All-Pac-12 All-Conference teams: Madeline Pisani and Ashley Stokes to First Team, and Lily Assini and Jess Peluso to Second Team.
GAME #1 • Thursday, February 13 • 4 p.m. MT
No. 21 Colorado (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 15 Stanford (1-0, 0-0 ACC)
Maloney Field • Stanford, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: 9-13, Stanford Leads
LAST MEETING: L, 8-11 (May 4, 2024 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
STREAK: Lost 2 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 4-5
TV: ACCNX
OPPONENT WEBSITE: GoStanford.com
GAME #2 • Sunday, February 16 • 2 p.m. MT
No. 21 Colorado (0-0, 0-0 Big 12) vs. No. 24 USC (0-1, 0-0 Big Ten)
California Memorial Stadium • Berkeley, Calif.
SERIES RECORD: 6-14, USC Leads
LAST MEETING: W, 12-9 (May 2, 2024 • Los Angeles, Calif.)
STREAK: Won 1 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 3-7
OPPONENT WEBSITE: USCTrojans.com
OPENING DRAW (TL;DR)
- CU is led by 12th-year head coach Ann Elliott Whidden, who has led the Buffs to a 122-67 (.646) record as CU's first and only head lacrosse coach. Coach Whidden has led the Buffs to three NCAA tournament appearances.
- After stints in the MPSF and Pac-12, Colorado is playing the 2025 season in the Big 12 Conference for its inaugural lacrosse season. In conference play, the Buffs will go head-to-head with Arizona State and Cincinnati from the Big 12, as well as Florida, UC Davis and San Diego State who are conference affiliates. CU lacrosse is 64-26 (.711) all-time in conference play.
- Following the first 11 seasons of CU Lacrosse at Kittredge Field, the team will now call Prentup Field home. As the Lacrosse Buffs enter the Big 12, CU was granted the honor of hosting the first-ever Big 12 Lacrosse Championship at the conclusion of the regular season.
- Whidden added three new coaches to the staff in the off-season. The assistant coach position was filled by Sam McGee, a former CU Lacrosse player from the Class of 2023. Additionally, Coach Whidden added Bailey Cheetham, a former Johns Hopkins Lacrosse athlete in the 2024 class, and Ashley Stokes, who graduated from CU at the end of the 2024 lacrosse season.
- Gr. A Madeline Pisani led the led the charge for the Buffs in preseason awards. Not only was she selected to the 2025 Preseason All-Big 12 team, but she was also named Preseason Big 12 Attack Player of the Year. Pisani also received USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention. Jr. M Lily Assini and Jr. D Jess Peluso were also named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team.
- In 2024, the Buffs recorded a season with the third-most goals in CU history with 253 (599 shots, 13.32 gpg), surpassing the 2023 season total by three goals. CU also surpassed the 2023 season assists total (106), ending the 2024 season with 108 (5.68 aps). CU also recorded the second-most caused turnovers with 172 (9.05 CTOs per game), just surpassing the 2016 total (171).
- Gr. A Kendall Havill joined the Buffs as a transfer this season from Colorado College. A back-to-back IWLCA All-American (2023, 2024), Havill surpassed 100 goals in her senior season and holds the Colorado College single season goals record (93) and single game goals record (9). At the end of the 2024 season, she was also selected to the IWLCA West All-Region First Team after earning offensive player of the week honors four times in the 2024 season. Havill finished her time at CC with 152 goals (36 free position), 38 assists, 190 points, 66 ground balls, 31 caused turnovers and 28 draw controls.
- The Buffs welcomed eight freshmen to the squad this season in M Amelia Byerly (Phillips Exeter Academy), A Addison Brower (San Ramon Valley HS), A Blaine Cosby (Bishop Ireton HS), M Anna Hoover (The Lawrenceville School), M Jenna Morley (The Episcopal Academy), G Elena Oh (East Chapel Hill HS), M Phoebe Rogala (Regis Jesuit HS) and D Briley Volpp (Cathedral Catholic HS Del Mar).
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: The Buffs' game against the Cardinal will be broadcast on ACCNX. CU's game against USC will be updated on the CUBuffs.com website later this week. Fans can also follow the Colorado games through live stats with links available at CUBuffs.com.
WILD CARDINAL: Colorado will face Stanford to open the season. This marks the 23rd meeting all-time between the Cardinal and the Buffs. CU met with Stanford twice last season, including in the Pac-12 Championship game where the Cardinal took it, 11-8 (May 4, 2024). The last time the Buffs beat the Cardinal was exactly one year prior in the 2023 season -- Colorado upset Stanford, 12-11, to reach the Pac-12 Championship for the first time since 2021 (May 4, 2023).
TROJAN MI(SC): The Buffs will go head-to-head with the Trojans after a bout with the Cardinal. This will be the 21st meeting all-time between CU and USC. Though the Trojans currently lead the rivalry, 14-6, the Buffs recorded a hefty win in the teams' matchup at the end of last season. With a 12-9 victory over USC, Colorado advanced to the Pac-12 Championship game and knocked USC out of the tournament (May 2, 2024). This will be the first time the Buffs play back-to-back neutral games against the Trojans.
BIG 12 HORIZONS: After stints in the Pac-12 and MPSF, Colorado is now playing lacrosse in the Big 12 Conference in its inaugural season. The conference consists of three Big 12 teams (CU, Cincinnati, Arizona State) and three affiliates (UC Davis, San Diego State, Florida). The Buffs are 64-26 (.711) in conference play going into the 2025 lacrosse season. Colorado will also play host to the first-ever Big 12 Lacrosse Championship. In preparation for the tournament, the Buffs will move to Prentup Field for all home contests after 11 seasons of competition at Kittredge Field.
For more information on the Colorado women's lacrosse team, a complete schedule and results, please visit CUBuffs.com. Fans of the Buffs can follow the team on Instagram and on Twitter @CUBuffsWLax.
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