Maddie Gibson and Anelise DiGiovanni against Carthage April 19, 2025

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Women’s Lacrosse Opens Season with Two Home Contests

Titans host Illinois Tech Saturday, Feb. 21, take on Augsburg Sunday, Feb. 22

2/19/2026 2:00:00 PM

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - The Illinois Wesleyan University women's lacrosse team will open the 2026 season on home turf, as the Titans host Illinois Institute of Technology and Augsburg University for two games in as many days Saturday-Sunday, Feb. 21-22. The Titans will open their season against IIT Saturday, Feb. 21, at 11 a.m., and will follow with an 11 a.m. bout with Augsburg Sunday, Feb. 22.

The Titans begin their second season under head coach Abby Kushina, who helped guide the Green and White to an 8-9 overall record, and 3-2 College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin mark in her first season at the helm. Kushina bolstered her staff in the off-season, as she announced the addition of Monica Jarrett as assistant coach prior to the start of the school year. A standout student-athlete at Division I University of Cincinnati, Jarrett holds the program records in career goals (197), assists (145), points (342), points per game (4.49), and also holds single-season records for goals (61), assists (47), and points (108), and was named to numerous all-conference teams over her decorated career.

Losing key figures in the 2025 senior class, IWU returns three All-CCIW honorees in seniors Sarah Riepe (Aurora, Ill.-St. Francis) and Sadie Newton (Bloomington, Ill.-Normal Community), and sophomore Maddie Gibson (Fenton, Mo.-Rockwood Summit). Riepe has earned first team all-conference honors the last two seasons, while Newton and Gibson each earned second team all-conference status for the first time in their careers. Illinois Wesleyan's roster will feature four student-athletes donning the Green and White for the first time Saturday.

Newton returns as the top offensive threat for the Titans from last season, as she ranked tied for second on the squad in points with 36. Her 26 goals were the second-most, while her 10 assists ranked fifth. Gibson also netted 36 points, as hers came by way of 13 assists, the second-most on the team, and 23 goals, which tied for third. Senior Anelise DiGiovanni (Lockport, Ill.-Lockport Township) recorded a team-leading 15 assists a season ago.

At the draw, Newton registered a team-best 61 draw controls and scooped up 43 ground balls, the most by a returning Titan. Riepe added 38 ground balls, while sophomore Sophie Shore (St. Peters, Mo.-Francis Howell Central) finished with 22 in her freshman season. The duo of Newton and Riepe helped lead the defense, as they ranked second and third on the squad in caused turnovers, respectively. Newton notched 31 forced miscues, while Riepe recorded 22.

In goal, sophomore Marli Brown (Kansas City, Mo.-Notre Dame de Sion) logged 107:45 minutes in between the pipes over the span of six games last season. Brown recorded nine saves on a 6.68 goals allowed average, as she finished her first collegiate season with a .429 save percentage.

Illinois Wesleyan will face Illinois Tech for the fourth time, with the Titans having won all three previous meetings. IWU blanked the Scarlet Hawks a season ago, taking a 23-0 victory Feb. 26, 2025 to open the season, giving Kushina her first win as the head coach of her alma mater. Newton led the offense with seven points composed of three goals and four assists. Avery Setzler net a team-high five goals, while Mia Fiandaca finished with the team-lead in ground balls and draw controls, totaling 10 and 12, respectively. Lizzie Rymarcsuk and Brown split time in goal en route to IWU's first shutout win since 2019. Illinois Tech will open its season against the Titans.

The Green and White will meet the Auggies on the field for the fourth time, with Titan victories having occurred in all previous battles. IWU downed Augsburg 23-5 in the last matchup March 22, 2025, powered by six goals and two assists for a total of eight points from Newton. Setzler tallied a team-leading nine draw controls, while Rymarcsuk logged two saves in 30 minutes between the iron en route to the win. Augsburg will also make its season debut against Illinois Wesleyan.

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