Thursday, May 1
Boulder, Colo.
7:00 PM
Colorado
vs
[3] Arizona State
Colorado Hosts Inaugural Big 12 Championship, Faces Arizona State in Semifinal
April 28, 2025 | Lacrosse
The second-seeded Buffs will go up against the third-seeded Sun Devils for a place in the Championship final
BOULDER – The Colorado lacrosse team (8-7, 4-1 Big 12) hosts the Inaugural Big 12 Lacrosse Championship this week on Thursday, May 1, and Saturday, May 3, at Prentup Field. The Championship will consist of two semifinal games on May 1 at 4 p.m. MT and 7 p.m. MT, and one final on May 3 at 1 p.m. MT. The Buffs, placed at the two-seed, will take on three-seed Arizona State (10-7, 3-2) in the 7 p.m. semifinal.
This is the Buffs' first postseason meeting with the Sun Devils, but it is also their second meeting in the 2025 season and their 13th all-time. Earlier this season, the teams went head-to-head in Tempe, Ariz., on April 6. The Buffs took the game, 14-13, with graduate attacker Kendall Havill netting four goals and earning her 200th career goal. Colorado is 11-10 (.524) in conference tournament games and 9-3 all-time against ASU.
Colorado went on its final conference road trip of the season last week to face Cincinnati on April 26. The Buffs put their foot on the gas early, holding the Bearcats to two goals in the first half and scoring five unanswered to end the first quarter. Four Buffs saw hat tricks, including graduate attacker Madeline Pisani, who finished with eight points (4g, 4a), junior midfielder Lily Assini, sophomore attacker Teagan Ryan, and sophomore attacker Jaimey Hill, who recorded her first ever and ended the game with six points (3g, 3a). Junior attacker Maddie Shoup had seven points (2g, 5a), and Jess Peluso had three caused turnovers and nine draw controls.
THIS WEEK
GAME #16 • Thursday, May 1 • 7 p.m. MT
Colorado (8-7, 4-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (10-7, 3-2 Big 12)
Prentup Field • Boulder, Colo.
SERIES RECORD: 9-3, CU leads
LAST MEETING: W, 14-13 (April 6, 2025 • Tempe, Ariz.)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 7-3
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: TheSunDevils.com
OPENING DRAW (TL;DR)
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: All Big 12 Championship games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Streaming links and live stats for all three games are available for fans to follow along at CUBuffs.com.
FIRST YEAR, FIRST HOSTS: The Colorado lacrosse team clinched a spot in the Inaugural Big 12 Championship after its win over UC Davis on Sunday, April 20. The Buffs also have the privilege of hosting this championship in its first year at Prentup Field on May 1 and 3. In the 12th year of the program, this is the 12th time the Black and Gold have made it to a conference tournament. The Buffs are 11-10 in conference tournament games and were the 2018 Pac-12 Conference Champions. Having clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship, the Buffs become one of four teams admitted to the conference championship. The winner of the inaugural championship gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, much like in the Pac-12. The Championship will consist of two semifinal games – May 1 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. – and one final game to determine the NCAA bid – May 3 at 1 p.m. Tickets for the 2025 Big 12 Championship are on sale now.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Jr. D Jess Peluso sits at 92 draws on the season (97 in her career), and Fr. GK Elena Oh is at 81 saves -- both on the approach to 100 in their respective categories. Peluso is also three ground balls away (currently at 78) from becoming 10th in CU lacrosse history for ground balls, and she is three away (currently at 19) from becoming tied for eighth in caused turnovers in a single CU LAX season. Jr. M Lily Assini is four assists away (currently at 30) from becoming 10th in CU career assists.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: As a team, CU outplayed Cincinnati in almost every category. The Buffs had 22 shots on goal to the Bearcats' eight, won in the circle, 18-10, and caused 15 turnovers to their 10. Colorado also picked up 17 ground balls to Cincinnati's 10. Colorado is 20th in the NCAA for draw control percentage (.570) and 21st for clear percentage (.913).
IN THE CIRCLE: Overall, the Buffs lead their opponents in the draw circle. Colorado has collected 217 draw controls thus far this season while their opponents have 160. Juniors Jess Peluso, Lily Assini and Molly Reed, and sophomore Averi Gardner total for 198 of those draws with 92, 31, 34 and 41, respectively.
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.
This is the Buffs' first postseason meeting with the Sun Devils, but it is also their second meeting in the 2025 season and their 13th all-time. Earlier this season, the teams went head-to-head in Tempe, Ariz., on April 6. The Buffs took the game, 14-13, with graduate attacker Kendall Havill netting four goals and earning her 200th career goal. Colorado is 11-10 (.524) in conference tournament games and 9-3 all-time against ASU.
Colorado went on its final conference road trip of the season last week to face Cincinnati on April 26. The Buffs put their foot on the gas early, holding the Bearcats to two goals in the first half and scoring five unanswered to end the first quarter. Four Buffs saw hat tricks, including graduate attacker Madeline Pisani, who finished with eight points (4g, 4a), junior midfielder Lily Assini, sophomore attacker Teagan Ryan, and sophomore attacker Jaimey Hill, who recorded her first ever and ended the game with six points (3g, 3a). Junior attacker Maddie Shoup had seven points (2g, 5a), and Jess Peluso had three caused turnovers and nine draw controls.
THIS WEEK
GAME #16 • Thursday, May 1 • 7 p.m. MT
Colorado (8-7, 4-1 Big 12) vs. Arizona State (10-7, 3-2 Big 12)
Prentup Field • Boulder, Colo.
SERIES RECORD: 9-3, CU leads
LAST MEETING: W, 14-13 (April 6, 2025 • Tempe, Ariz.)
STREAK: Won 4 • LAST 10 MEETINGS: 7-3
TV: ESPN+
OPPONENT WEBSITE: TheSunDevils.com
OPENING DRAW (TL;DR)
- CU is led by 12th-year head coach Ann Elliott Whidden, who has led the Buffs to a 130-74 (.637) 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. CU lacrosse is 87-27 (.716) all-time in conference play. Against current Big 12 schools, CU is 30-8 (.790) against all five all-time.
- Gr. A Madeline Pisani led the charge for the Buffs against the Bearcats, finishing the game with eight points (4g, 4a), a ground ball and a caused turnover (April 26). Pisani is now 10th for points in a single season at CU with 61 (38g, 23a) and she is fifth for assists in a single season with 23. She is also tied for eighth in career assists with 37. Pisani is third in the Big 12 for shots per game with 5.73, which is good for 47th in the NCAA. She is also fourth in the Big 12 for points per game (4.00), sixth for assists per game (1.47) and ninth for goals per game (2.53).
- Jr. D Jess Peluso had nine draw controls, three caused turnovers and one ground ball against Cincinnati. She is currently ninth in CU history for career draw controls with 97, and she is tied for third in career caused turnovers with 71. Peluso is third in the Big 12 for draw controls per game with 6.00, good for 36th in the NCAA. She is also sixth in the Big 12 for both caused turnovers per game (1.07) and ground balls per game (1.80).
- Fr. GK Elena Oh, while she only faced eight shots on goal against the Bearcats and recorded three saves, sits in strong statistical spots in the Big 12 and NCAA. Oh is second in the Big 12 for goals against average with 9.48, good for 20th in the NCAA. She is also fifth in the Big 12 for saves per game (6.23) and seventh for save percentage (.413).
- Jr. A Maddie Shoup earned seven points for the Black and Gold from two goals and five assists. She is tied for third in assists in a single game. The last person to have five assists in a single game was Darby Kiernan vs. Jacksonville on May 11, 2018. The last person to have five or more assists was Ashley Stokes vs. ASU on April 12, 2024. Shoup also had one caused turnover, and she is eighth in the Big 12 for shots per game (5.73).
- So. A Jaimey Hill earned a career-high six points for the Buffs with her first hat trick of her career and three assists. She reached a career high in points, goals and assists.
- Jr. M Lily Assini earned her second hat trick with four goals, and she had two ground balls and a caused turnover. Assini is seventh in the Big 12 for assists per game with 1.07, and she is four assists away from becoming 10th in CU career assists, reaching for 34.
- Jr. D Mack Hanlon had two caused turnovers and two ground balls. Hanlon is fifth in the Big 12 for caused turnovers per game with 1.07 and 10th for ground balls per game with 1.53.
- Jr. M Molly Reed scored two goals, had one caused turnover, two draw controls and two ground balls. Reed is third in the Big 12 for caused turnovers per game with 1.13.
- So. D Averi Gardner had six draw controls and one ground ball. Gardner is 10th in the Big 12 for draw controls per game with 2.73.
- So. A Teagan Ryan scored three goals, had one assist and one ground ball.
ROAM WITH THE BUFFS: All Big 12 Championship games will be broadcast on ESPN+. Streaming links and live stats for all three games are available for fans to follow along at CUBuffs.com.
FIRST YEAR, FIRST HOSTS: The Colorado lacrosse team clinched a spot in the Inaugural Big 12 Championship after its win over UC Davis on Sunday, April 20. The Buffs also have the privilege of hosting this championship in its first year at Prentup Field on May 1 and 3. In the 12th year of the program, this is the 12th time the Black and Gold have made it to a conference tournament. The Buffs are 11-10 in conference tournament games and were the 2018 Pac-12 Conference Champions. Having clinched a spot in the Big 12 Championship, the Buffs become one of four teams admitted to the conference championship. The winner of the inaugural championship gets an automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament, much like in the Pac-12. The Championship will consist of two semifinal games – May 1 at 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. – and one final game to determine the NCAA bid – May 3 at 1 p.m. Tickets for the 2025 Big 12 Championship are on sale now.
EYES ON THE PRIZE: Jr. D Jess Peluso sits at 92 draws on the season (97 in her career), and Fr. GK Elena Oh is at 81 saves -- both on the approach to 100 in their respective categories. Peluso is also three ground balls away (currently at 78) from becoming 10th in CU lacrosse history for ground balls, and she is three away (currently at 19) from becoming tied for eighth in caused turnovers in a single CU LAX season. Jr. M Lily Assini is four assists away (currently at 30) from becoming 10th in CU career assists.
WE'RE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER: As a team, CU outplayed Cincinnati in almost every category. The Buffs had 22 shots on goal to the Bearcats' eight, won in the circle, 18-10, and caused 15 turnovers to their 10. Colorado also picked up 17 ground balls to Cincinnati's 10. Colorado is 20th in the NCAA for draw control percentage (.570) and 21st for clear percentage (.913).
IN THE CIRCLE: Overall, the Buffs lead their opponents in the draw circle. Colorado has collected 217 draw controls thus far this season while their opponents have 160. Juniors Jess Peluso, Lily Assini and Molly Reed, and sophomore Averi Gardner total for 198 of those draws with 92, 31, 34 and 41, respectively.
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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