Two seasons ago, Boston College lacrosse found itself on top of the NCAA lacrosse world after an overtime victory against Northwestern in the national championship game.

Last year’s season also ended against the Wildcats, just not with confetti falling. A 12–11 loss in the Final Four meant the Eagles would miss the title game for the first time since 2016.

But for BC’s most consistent and accomplished sports team of the last decade—with two national titles, five national runner-up finishes, and eight final fours—the offseason is not about rebuilding, it’s about reloading. And that is just what BC head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein and company have done as BC heads into the season ranked No. 3.

“I think it’s a fun opportunity for new faces,” Walker-Weinstein said. “A lot of these girls have been working really hard for their moment.”

Departures 

The main area of change is on the offensive side of the field, as the Eagles lost three First-Team All-Americans from their attack.

Rachel Clark’s absence will be the biggest hole BC needs to fill. Clark, who played two years for BC after transferring in from Virginia, was an offensive wrecking ball during her time on the Heights. Clark set a BC single-season record with 106 goals last season, including eight in last year’s quarterfinal victory against No. 7 Yale, and ended with the second-most goals in the NCAA.

Emma LoPinto also departed from BC’s lacrosse program. LoPinto, who spent two seasons at BC after transferring in from Florida, was sixth in the country in both points and goals last year, with 78 and 113, respectively. Despite having finished her collegiate career on the field, Eagles fans can still find LoPinto competing on the hardcourt, as she’s appeared in 13 games for BC women’s basketball this year.

McKenna Davis is the third and final 100-point attacker the Eagles will be without when the ball drops to start the season. Davis played in all of BC’s 91 games over the past four seasons and was the chief facilitator for BC’s offense, racking up 77 assists last year to break the single-season record. She also tied BC’s single-game assist record with nine dimes in BC’s win over Virginia.

Even without those pieces, Walker-Weinstein is confident that this season’s team will be able to fill the sizable shoes they left behind.

“It’s so exciting for them,” Walker-Weinstein said. “There’s a bunch of new faces out there. And now it’s their turn, and they’re doing great.”

Returners and Additions

North Carolina transfer Marissa White will likely find herself as one of the featured players in BC’s attack. 

White will bring additional championship experience to the Heights, having lifted the national title last May with the Tar Heels. The junior tallied 105 points through her first two seasons and will look to make a jump similar to the ones Clark and LoPinto made while at BC.

The only other incoming transfer on BC’s offense is grad student Casey Colbert, who will be joining her sister Kylee after four seasons at Stony Brook. After tallying four NCAA tournament wins with the Seawolves, Colbert adds yet another layer of postseason expertise to a squad that is already overflowing with it. Colbert could find herself filling the role Davis filled. 

Molly Driscoll, Hanna Davis, Avery Hudson, and Brooke McLoy will lead the group of returners vying for expanded roles on the offensive side. 

Driscoll’s 54 points last year are the most of any returner. She will likely be one of BC’s leading attackers. 

“It’s definitely such an adjustment, like, all these big players leaving, but it’s so awesome,” Driscoll said. “So many new people are coming in to play, like there’s so many. The scoring is so widened out, where every single person on the offense is a threat.”

While the offense might take some time to gel, Walker-Weinstein is starting this season with complete comfort about the state of her defense, which is returning three All-Americans.

“When your returning defenders are back, you just have a different type of confidence,” Walker-Weinstein said. “I’m excited to see what they can do.”

BC’s continuity starts with Shea Dolce. And really, any conversation about the 2026 Eagles should start with Dolce. The senior goaltender took over the starting spot between the pipes six games into her freshman year and has held the position ever since. 

Dolce has won about every award or honor possible for a goalie—she’s a consensus All-American, was named ACC Goalkeeper of the Year (twice) and IWLCA Goalkeeper of the Year, was a 2025 Tewaaraton Finalist, and was a Team USA and All-World team member. 

And, of course, her legendary kick-save to seal the 2024 National Title game for the Eagles will go down in BC history. She will be looking to add to that extensive list of accolades, this time as one of the Eagles’ senior leaders. 

Dolce isn’t the only returner on the back third of the field, as Shea Baker and Lydia Colasante are back as well. Baker, a senior who dominated the 2025 postseason, will be looking to repeat her First-Team All-American season from a year ago. Colasante started in all 15 games she played in last year and will look for a breakout junior year.

“They’re just so steady and so strong and so connected,” Walker-Weinstein said of BC’s defense.

The Freshmen 

The final group of reinforcements consists of a stacked class of seven freshmen, including three five-stars and one four-star.

That group is highlighted by Caroline Chisholm, who was the No. 4-ranked recruit in the Class of 2025 and is a two-sport athlete also playing for BC’s field hockey team. A midfielder from Villanova, Pa., Chisholm, will likely be called upon early and often for BC.

Lily Kondas and Jordyn Krafchick are the other two freshmen who could see the field within the first few games of their collegiate careers. Both top-40 recruits, they will bring even more depth to each side of the field, with Kondas on the attack and Krafchick on defense.

“Caroline’s been awesome with just a couple weeks out here with us,” Walker-Weinstein said. “She’s been amazing. Kondas has been, you know, incredible. It’s an amazing class, and I think some of them are going to have a really good year.”

The Schedule

The Eagles will get the chance to prove themselves right away, as they host No. 2 Northwestern on Friday afternoon to start the year. And while the Eagles certainly remember what happened last May, they aren’t staring in the rearview mirror.

“It’s a whole new team, a whole new opponent,” Walker-Weinstein said. “There’s such a deep rivalry, but I’m just excited to see what our girls can do, and let them have an opportunity to beat up on somebody else instead of each other.”

Driscoll agrees.

“We have absolutely nothing to lose,” Driscoll said. “We have such a new team, so many new people on the field, I think it’s gonna be such a great test. And I really want to win. I want to beat them.”

BC’s road does not get any easier after Northwestern. 

The Eagles will play a total of nine preseason top-20 teams, including a home matchup against No. 9 Clemson on Feb. 28.

The toughest stretch of BC’s season will come in late March. After a trip to Chapel Hill to take on the reigning national champion, No. 1 North Carolina, the Eagles come home to host No. 6 Stanford.

Walker-Weinstein, for one, is not ready to think that far ahead, though.

“One game at a time,” she said. “We start with Friday. First game of the year, we have to give it everything we have.”