NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The Yale women's lacrosse team enters the 2026 season ranked No. 15 in the nation in USA Lacrosse's preseason poll. The poll, which was announced Monday, is compiled by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors with input from coaches around the country. Defending national champion North Carolina is No. 1.
 
The Bulldogs aim to build on their recent accomplishments, which include advancing to the NCAA Quarterfinals in each of the last two seasons. They won the Ivy League Tournament each of the past two years as well. In 2024 they secured the first outright regular season Ivy League Championship in program history (Yale shared the Ivy title in 1980 and 2003). The Bulldogs' 17 overall wins in 2024 were a school record, and last year's 16 wins rank second. Yale was ranked No. 5 in the final 2025 USA Lacrosse national poll.
 
Yale returns 22 players from the 2025 season for 2026, including five who started nine or more games. The Bulldogs' captain is senior defender Emmy Pascal (Lorton, Va.). The Bulldogs have added eight first-years, two of whom were named to ILWomen's Power 100 national rankings of first-year players.
 
Yale was one of three Ivy League schools ranked in the top 15, joining No. 5 Princeton and No. 12 Penn.