BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - Remaining at home to open the 2026 season, the Illinois Wesleyan University men's lacrosse team hosts Aurora University Saturday, Feb. 21. Action is set to begin at 2 p.m. and will serve as the backend of a doubleheader with the women's lacrosse team, which opens its season against Illinois Institute of Technology at 11 a.m.

The Titans (1-1) look to get back in the win column after dropping a 13-12 heartbreaker to Southwestern University Sunday, Feb. 15. The game saw the Green and White tally a program-best 32 caused turnovers, led by six by sophomore Jaymeson Zackery (Saint Paul, Minn.-Eastview), a mark that ties the program's single-game record, while also finishing with a team-best six ground balls. Seniors Kaden Gammelgaard (Lake Zurich, Ill.-Lake Zurich) and Billy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) each added five caused turnovers apiece. Sophomore Owen Miller (Brookfield, Wis.-Brookfield Central) led the offense with a career-high three points composed of two goals and an assist. 

Early into the season, junior Jake Kahoun (Worthington, Ohio-Thomas Worthington) and senior Noah Dretzka (Delafield, Wis.-Kettle Moraine) lead the Green and White with five points. Kahoun's have all come by way of goals, while Dretzka sits second on the team with four goals and has added one assist. Sophomore Jake Sline (Homewood, Ill.-Homewood Flossmoor) has notched a team-leading two assists. 

McHugh, who earned the College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Defensive Player of the Week honor for the first time in his career earlier this week, and Gammelgaard hold a team-high seven caused turnovers. Zackery sits third with six, and leads the team in ground balls, having scooped up 15. Senior Michael Rocco (Libertyville, Ill.-Libertyville) ranks second on the squad with nine ground balls. The Libertyville, Ill. native has gone 19-of-34 at the X, leading the Titans in faceoff wins. 

Zackery has logged all 120 minutes in goal for the Green and White, making 26 saves in the process. He enters the weekend with a 1-1 record behind a .531 save percentage, and brings in a goals allowed average of 11.50. 

A lengthy history that includes both regular season and NCAA Tournament meetings, the Titans will battle the Spartans (0-1) for the 15th time, with IWU holding a 10-4 advantage behind nine straight wins. Most recently, Illinois Wesleyan downed Aurora, 13-7, Feb. 22, 2025. Then-sophomore Timothy McHugh (Orland Park, Ill.-Mount Carmel) tallied a team-high four goals, as he orchestrated the offense with three assists. Dretzka, John Kittoe, and now-assistant coach Ike Eastburn all added three points apiece, as Dretzka and Kittoe finished with two goals and an assist. Eastburn notched a team-high three goals. Nick Schroeder finished with the team-lead in ground balls, having scooped up five behind an 8-of-15 showing at the X. Nick Horrocks notched a team-best four caused turnovers to power the Green and White defense. Colin Tervo got the win in goal after making 19 saves in 58:55 minutes between the pipes. AU enters the weekend off a 17-11 loss to Colorado College in its season opener Sunday, Feb. 15. 

A live stream of the game can be found by clicking here, while live stats can be accessed here.