No. 4 Gators Open Season at Home Against No. 19 Wolverines
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The No. 4 Florida lacrosse team kicks off their 2026 season with a match-up against the No. 19 Wolverines.
The Gators are coming off a 2025 season which saw them go 20-3, 5-0 in Big 12 play and capture the Big 12 regular season and tournament championship while making their third NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance in program history.
UF is 4-0 all-time against Michigan, with all four meetings taking place in Gainesville and an average margin of victory 11.75 goals. The last meeting took place on Feb. 12, 2023 and resulted in a 17-8 win for the Gators.
Returning Firepower
On offense, the Gator’s return three of their top-five-point scorers from a season ago. Frannie Hahn (92 points, 33 G/59 A), Clark Hamilton (70 points, 55 G/15 A), and Kaitlyn Davies (59 points, 51 G/8 A) all return for Florida.
Overall, Florida returns 110 assist (61.11%), 215 goals (58.42%), and 325 points (59.31%) from their 2025 NCAA Final Four roster.
Defense Holding Strong
Florida returns three of their four starters on defense, senior Theresa Bragg (29 CTs/23 GBs), and juniors Ashley Dyer (23 CTs/41 GBs) and Sam Hughes (12 CTs/14 GBs). The Gators defense finished 2025 ranked 12th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 9.43 goals a game and they held opponents to 10 goals or under 14 times last year.
Preseason Accolades
During the preseason, seven Gators notched 16 preseason honors. Theresa Bragg (ILWomen and USA Lacrosse Second Team), Kaitlyn Davies (ILWomen and USA Lacrosse First Team), Frannie Hahn (ILWomen First Team and USA Lacrosse Second Team), and Ashley Dyer (USA Lacrosse Honorable Mention) all earned preseason All-American Honors.
Bragg, Davies, Dyer, Gabby Greene, Hahn, Hamilton, and Gabbi Koury all garnered Preseason All-Big 12 honors as Bragg earned Big 12 Preseason Co-Defender of the Year and Davies earned Big 12 Preseason Midfielder of the Year
New Kids On The Block
UF brought in 14 newcomers during the offseason (11 freshman and three transfers). Of the 11 freshman that were brought in by Florida, five were named to the ILWomen Power 100 Rankings: goalkeeper Maya Soskin (No. 8), midfielder Caroline Hoskin (No. 24), attacker Autumn Blair (No. 41), midfielder Kennedy Richardson (No. 43), and defender Emma Sweeney (watch list)
Goalkeeper Paige Crowther (Oregon), midfielder Boo DeWiit (Dartmouth), and midfielder Ava Kristynik (Notre Dame) highlight the Gators 2026 transfers.
The Michigan File
The Wolverines come to the Diz after dropping their season opener at No. 25 Notre Dame, 12-10. In 2025, Michigan went 13-7 and fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Northwestern.
Michigan returned their third and fourth high point scorers from 2025, Calli Norris and Ava Class. Norris notched 37 goals and 6 assists and Class tallied 25 goals.
Michigan is coached by Hannah Nielsen, who is in her ninth season with the Wolverines. During Nielsen’s tenure, the Wolverines have had four consecutive seasons with 11 or more and five in total and have made four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, having reached at least the second round in all of them.
Active Streaks (Five or More)
Paige Crowther: Ground Balls (9), Saves (9)
Kaitlyn Davies: Draw Controls (7)
Ashley Dyer: Ground Balls (6)
Frannie Hahn: Points (23)
Clark Hamilton: Points (9), Goals (9)
Gabbi Koury: Draw Controls (9)
Ava Kristynik: Draw Controls (9)
Key Notes
The Gators are coming off a 2025 season which saw them go 20-3, 5-0 in Big 12 play and capture the Big 12 regular season and tournament championship while making their third NCAA Tournament Final Four appearance in program history.
UF is 4-0 all-time against Michigan, with all four meetings taking place in Gainesville and an average margin of victory 11.75 goals. The last meeting took place on Feb. 12, 2023 and resulted in a 17-8 win for the Gators.
Returning Firepower
On offense, the Gator’s return three of their top-five-point scorers from a season ago. Frannie Hahn (92 points, 33 G/59 A), Clark Hamilton (70 points, 55 G/15 A), and Kaitlyn Davies (59 points, 51 G/8 A) all return for Florida.
Overall, Florida returns 110 assist (61.11%), 215 goals (58.42%), and 325 points (59.31%) from their 2025 NCAA Final Four roster.
Defense Holding Strong
Florida returns three of their four starters on defense, senior Theresa Bragg (29 CTs/23 GBs), and juniors Ashley Dyer (23 CTs/41 GBs) and Sam Hughes (12 CTs/14 GBs). The Gators defense finished 2025 ranked 12th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 9.43 goals a game and they held opponents to 10 goals or under 14 times last year.
Preseason Accolades
During the preseason, seven Gators notched 16 preseason honors. Theresa Bragg (ILWomen and USA Lacrosse Second Team), Kaitlyn Davies (ILWomen and USA Lacrosse First Team), Frannie Hahn (ILWomen First Team and USA Lacrosse Second Team), and Ashley Dyer (USA Lacrosse Honorable Mention) all earned preseason All-American Honors.
Bragg, Davies, Dyer, Gabby Greene, Hahn, Hamilton, and Gabbi Koury all garnered Preseason All-Big 12 honors as Bragg earned Big 12 Preseason Co-Defender of the Year and Davies earned Big 12 Preseason Midfielder of the Year
New Kids On The Block
UF brought in 14 newcomers during the offseason (11 freshman and three transfers). Of the 11 freshman that were brought in by Florida, five were named to the ILWomen Power 100 Rankings: goalkeeper Maya Soskin (No. 8), midfielder Caroline Hoskin (No. 24), attacker Autumn Blair (No. 41), midfielder Kennedy Richardson (No. 43), and defender Emma Sweeney (watch list)
Goalkeeper Paige Crowther (Oregon), midfielder Boo DeWiit (Dartmouth), and midfielder Ava Kristynik (Notre Dame) highlight the Gators 2026 transfers.
The Michigan File
The Wolverines come to the Diz after dropping their season opener at No. 25 Notre Dame, 12-10. In 2025, Michigan went 13-7 and fell in the second round of the NCAA Tournament to Northwestern.
Michigan returned their third and fourth high point scorers from 2025, Calli Norris and Ava Class. Norris notched 37 goals and 6 assists and Class tallied 25 goals.
Michigan is coached by Hannah Nielsen, who is in her ninth season with the Wolverines. During Nielsen’s tenure, the Wolverines have had four consecutive seasons with 11 or more and five in total and have made four consecutive NCAA Tournaments, having reached at least the second round in all of them.
Active Streaks (Five or More)
Paige Crowther: Ground Balls (9), Saves (9)
Kaitlyn Davies: Draw Controls (7)
Ashley Dyer: Ground Balls (6)
Frannie Hahn: Points (23)
Clark Hamilton: Points (9), Goals (9)
Gabbi Koury: Draw Controls (9)
Ava Kristynik: Draw Controls (9)
Key Notes
- Florida holds a 10-6 all-time record in season openers, including winning eight of the their last ten.
- UF is also 12-4 all-time in home openers, having won six straight home openers.
- The Gators own an all-record of 26-18 against teams currently in the Big 12. In the 2025 season they went 1-0 aginast the Big 10 with a win over Johns Hopkins.
- UF Head Coach Amanda O’Leary ranks third among active Division I coaches with 422 wins.
Follow along for live stats
Game notes for the Gators matchup against the Wolverines can be find here.
The 2026 Florida Lacrosse media supplement can be found here.
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