Davidson College
Clemson
‘Cats Start Season Looking to Reach New Heights
2/7/2025 10:23:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
A new season for the Davidson College lacrosse program begins Saturday night on Field 76, as the Wildcats look to build off of their winningest four-year stretch in program history.
Opening draw is slated for 5 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 8 as the Clemson Tigers visit Davidson in a rematch of last year's season opener.
A Look Back at Last Year
The 'Cats ended last season with an 11-7 record overall and 7-2 ledger in Atlantic 10 play. The seven wins and .777 win percentage marked the Wildcats' best performance in A-10 conference play in program history. A 10-9 win over Saint Joseph's last April, Davidson's first over the Hawks since 2015, allowed the Wildcats to earn the No. 3 seed at the A-10 Championship for the first time in program history. The 'Cats went on to defeat George Mason 17-4 in the first round of the tournament, and advanced to the A-10 semifinals for the fourth consecutive season.
Against the Tigers
A fairly new NCAA program, the Clemson Tigers will meet Davidson for the second time in as many seasons on Saturday, after the 'Cats fell 19-10 on the road a year ago. This year's season opener offers the Wildcats a chance for a statement win, as Clemson enters the season ranked No. 21 in the Preseason Top 25. The Tigers are currently the only ranked team scheduled to play Davidson in 2025.
Preseason Nods
The Wildcats were selected to finish fourth in the 2025 Atlantic 10 preseason poll, with two players named to the Preseason All-Conference Team. Jenna Skibbe was named to the All-Conference squad on attack, while Allie Hartnett represents the Davidson midfield with her preseason selection. Hartnett has made the All-Conference First Team in the first two seasons of her career at Davidson.
Guess Who's Back
Davidson returns most of its attack that powered last year's success, with four of its five top point-contributors returning for the 2025 season. Josie Lambert returns for her senior year, after scoring 52 goals last season, which ranked 63rd in the country. She is joined by last year's A-10 Rookie of the Year Jenna Skibbe, who looks to build on her 48-goal, debut season. Skibbe ranked second among all freshmen in Division I in both total goals and goals per game (2.82).
The Wildcats are anchored in the midfield by returning First Team All-Conference player Allie Hartnett, and Brooke Ross, who was named to the All-Rookie Team last season. Hartnett was named to the Coaches Association' All-Region Team and contributed 19 goals and 19 assists from the midfield, as well as leading the team with 40 draw controls. Ross added 21 goals in her debut campaign. The defense will be led by two other 2024 All-Rookie Team selections, as goalkeeper Kayla Joyce and defender Kella McGrail are back to anchor the defense.
Up Next
The Wildcats will go on the road to visit 2024 ASun Champions Coastal Carolina before playing Winthrop, Jacksonville, Charlotte and Niagara to round out their non-conference schedule prior to the start of Atlantic 10 play.
