NORTHAMPTON - The Smith College lacrosse team has been selected to finish fifth when the NEWMAC released its Coaches' Poll on Friday. With eight first-place votes, defending NEWMAC champions MIT take the top spot followed by No. 2 Babson, No. 3 Springfield and No. 4 Coast Guard. 

Under the direction of head coach Katie Moore, the Bears bring back four of their top-five goal scorers from a season ago, including All-Conference honorees Kyra Hawk (San Jose, CA/The Harker School) (61 goals/25 assists) and Caroline Sanders (Orange County, CA/Santa Margarita Catholic) (41 goals/25 assists. The defense will be led by returning starters Darci DeAngelis (Boise, ID/Boise), Ellie Dye (Cedar Grove, NJ/Cedar Grove), Lea Glass (Brooklyn, NY/Poly Prep Country Day School), and Leigh Hillmanno (Yardville, NJ/Princeton Day School). Goalkeeper Brooke Testa (Pittstown, NJ/Delaware Valley), who made 17 starts a season ago, returns between the pipes. 

The NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse Champion will be crowned on May 2. Smith beings the season on Saturday, February 21 at 1:00pm at Skidmore. 
 
2026 NEWMAC Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches Poll
 
1. MIT (8)
2. Babson (3)
3. Springfield
4. Coast Guard
5. Smith
6. Wheaton
7. Salve Regina
8. Clark
9. Mount Holyoke
10. Emerson
11. Wellesley