Colorado University Athletics
Four Buffs Earn All-America Honors
May 07, 2026 | Lacrosse
SPARKS, Md. – Colorado's Lily Assini, Elena Oh, Jess Peluso, and Maddie Shoup garnered All-American honors as announced by USA Lacrosse Magazine on Thursday. This is the fourth straight season the Buffaloes have been represented in the national awards.
Peluso led the way, earning a Third Team selection, the highest honor since 2018. Assini, Oh, and Shoup were picked as honorable mentions.
The four selections are the most in a single season for the Buffs. It is the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America selections for the program.
Peluso, an East Islip, N.Y., native, became the first player in CU history to earn multiple conference player of the year awards, earning back-to-back Big 12 Defender of the Year honors. She has started all 17 games and leads the conference with 2.24 caused turnovers per game to lead the top defense in the country. Peluso won four Big 12 Defender of the Week honors and one Big 12 Draw Specialist of the Week this season. This year, she has put herself firmly in the record book in many regards. Peluso is now the all-time CU record holder with 109 caused turnovers, fifth in draw controls with 158, and sixth in ground balls with 107. She was named to the Preseason Tewaarton Watch List as well as a unanimous All-Big 12 selection.
Assini, a Colorado native, is currently third on the team with 29 goals and is tied for the team lead with 18 assists. She has a streak of 33 games with at least a point going back to last season. She has added 23 ground balls, 17 draw controls, and 16 caused turnovers.
Oh, a Chapel Hill, N.C., native, posted all 14 wins in net for the Buffs this season, recording her first season with double-digit wins and the second most in a season in CU history. She leads the conference and the country, allowing only 6.32 goals per game. Oh earned seven Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week honors this season, pushing her career total to 11. She was named to the Tewaarton Watch List during the season. Oh is the first Colorado player to earn Goalkeeper of the Year honors in addition to being a unanimous All-Big 12 selection.
Shoup has led the Buffs' offense this season. She leads the team with both goals (38) and assists (18). Shoup ranks sixth in the Big 12 in goals per game (2.24) and seventh in assists per game (1.06). She has moved up the all-time record books to 11th in points at Colorado with 127. After an eight-goal performance last weekend, she was named the Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
All-Americans were chosen by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff with input from coaches and conferences across the country.
Tickets for the Buffs' first-round game are on sale and are available exclusively here.
For more information on Colorado Lacrosse, please visit cubuffs.com/wlax. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffswlax on Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook.
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Peluso led the way, earning a Third Team selection, the highest honor since 2018. Assini, Oh, and Shoup were picked as honorable mentions.
The four selections are the most in a single season for the Buffs. It is the fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh USA Lacrosse Magazine All-America selections for the program.
Peluso, an East Islip, N.Y., native, became the first player in CU history to earn multiple conference player of the year awards, earning back-to-back Big 12 Defender of the Year honors. She has started all 17 games and leads the conference with 2.24 caused turnovers per game to lead the top defense in the country. Peluso won four Big 12 Defender of the Week honors and one Big 12 Draw Specialist of the Week this season. This year, she has put herself firmly in the record book in many regards. Peluso is now the all-time CU record holder with 109 caused turnovers, fifth in draw controls with 158, and sixth in ground balls with 107. She was named to the Preseason Tewaarton Watch List as well as a unanimous All-Big 12 selection.
Assini, a Colorado native, is currently third on the team with 29 goals and is tied for the team lead with 18 assists. She has a streak of 33 games with at least a point going back to last season. She has added 23 ground balls, 17 draw controls, and 16 caused turnovers.
Oh, a Chapel Hill, N.C., native, posted all 14 wins in net for the Buffs this season, recording her first season with double-digit wins and the second most in a season in CU history. She leads the conference and the country, allowing only 6.32 goals per game. Oh earned seven Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week honors this season, pushing her career total to 11. She was named to the Tewaarton Watch List during the season. Oh is the first Colorado player to earn Goalkeeper of the Year honors in addition to being a unanimous All-Big 12 selection.
Shoup has led the Buffs' offense this season. She leads the team with both goals (38) and assists (18). Shoup ranks sixth in the Big 12 in goals per game (2.24) and seventh in assists per game (1.06). She has moved up the all-time record books to 11th in points at Colorado with 127. After an eight-goal performance last weekend, she was named the Big 12 Tournament Most Outstanding Player.
All-Americans were chosen by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff with input from coaches and conferences across the country.
Tickets for the Buffs' first-round game are on sale and are available exclusively here.
For more information on Colorado Lacrosse, please visit cubuffs.com/wlax. Fans of the Buffs can follow @cubuffswlax on Instagram, X, TikTok, and Facebook.
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