NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 18 Yale women's lacrosse team had four players honored by the IWLCA as the organization announced its all-region selections Thursday afternoon.
Two Bulldogs earned first team All-Northeast Region recognition:
Two Bulldogs earned second team All-Northeast Region recognition:
Yale's honorees led the Bulldogs to a memorable season. Yale was ranked as high as No. 5 in the ILWomen national poll, and earned an at-large berth in the NCAA Tournament. This was the Bulldogs' third straight NCAA Tournament appearance – the first time in school history that has happened.
This year also saw the Bulldogs win the fourth overall and second outright Ivy League Championship in program history (the Bulldogs shared the Ivy title in 1980 and 2003, then won it outright in 2024 and this season). The team went 6-1 in Ivy League play and earned the No. 1 seed in the Ivy League Tournament. The Bulldogs' 13 overall wins tied for the eighth-most in school history.
The All-Region team is determined by a committee. There are four regions throughout the country, and in each region there are 16 first-team selections and 16 second-team selections.
Here is a look at Yale's honorees:
Katie Clare
This is the first All-Region honor of Clare's career. It comes on the heels of her earning second team All-Ivy League recognition at the end of last month.
A starter for all 58 games of her career, Clare established a career high with 26 caused turnovers this season. She finished fifth in the Ivy League in that category. Her 31 ground balls were also a career high and ranked third on the team. Clare also had a goal and an assist.
Clare is a graduate of Bayport-Blue Point High School. She played for the Long Island Yellow Jackets.
Kate Gould
Gould was one of only five first-years in the nation to earn first team All-Region recognition. It is the latest honor in a season that saw her earn honorable mention All-America from USA Lacrosse earlier this month.
Gould's other honors include becoming the first Yale women's lacrosse player to earn the Ivy League Rookie of the Year award since
Katie Sargent '05 in 2002. She also was selected to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and was named third team ILWomen Midseason All-America. She was named Ivy League Offensive Player of the Week Feb. 23 and Mar. 16.
Gould was fourth in the Ivy League in draw controls (77), tied for third in the Ivy League in points (64), tied for sixth in the Ivy League in assists (28) and eighth in the Ivy League in goals (36). She was second on the team in shooting percentage (.444) and had at least one point in every game this season.
Gould is a graduate of Nyack High School. She played for Prime Time.
Emmy Pascal
This is Pascal's third straight first team All-Northeast Region selection. She has a long list of honors already this season, including a first team All-America honor from USA Lacrosse. She became the first Bulldog to earn Ivy League Defender of the Year (the award debuted in 2013). She has earned All-Ivy League honors for three straight seasons (first team this year and in 2024; second team in 2025).
Yale's captain, Pascal was a Tewaaraton Award nominee (best college women's lacrosse player; one of 25 nominees). She has been on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List for two seasons. This season she has also been named second team ILWomen Midseason All-America, third team ILWomen Preseason All-America and third team USA Lacrosse Preseason All-America. She was named Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week Mar. 23.
Pascal started all 18 games for a Yale defense that currently ranks No. 6 nationally in scoring defense (7.61 goals allowed per game). She was second in the Ivy League in caused turnovers (35) and ground balls (40). Pascal was also a critical part of Yale's clears; the Bulldogs currently rank fifth nationally and first in the Ivy League in clears (.931).
Last season Pascal was an honorable mention USA Lacrosse All-America selection. She was first team IWLCA All-Northeast Region and second team All-Ivy League. An economics major, she earned IWLCA Academic Honor Roll selection.
In 2024 Pascal was third team IWLCA All-America and first team IWLCA All-Northeast Region.
Pascal appeared in 74 games, all starts, in her career.
Pascal is a graduate of St Stephen's & St. Agnes School. She played for 22 Blue, Sky Walkers.
Niamh Pfaff
Pfaff adds this All-Region recognition to the All-America honor she received from USA Lacrosse (honorable mention) earlier this month.
Pfaff was named second team All-Ivy League last month. She started all 18 games this season, achieving significant improvements from year-to-year in both her goals-against average (from 8.73 last year to 8.17 this year) and her save percentage (from .419 last year to .472 this year).
Pfaff's honors this season also include earning a spot on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List. She was named second team ILWomen Midseason All-America. Her weekly honors include IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week (Mar. 3) and Ivy League Defensive Player of the Week (twice – Mar. 2 and Apr. 13).
Pfaff led the Ivy League and is ninth nationally in goals-against average. She is 20th nationally in save percentage.
Pfaff is a graduate of Garden City High School. She played for Long Island Liberty Lacrosse.
