The college lacrosse season has gotten off to a hot start here in 2026, and the excitement doesn’t stop there. With the first-ever full WLL season to look forward to this summer, now is the time to spotlight some names we will be hearing often as their potential professional debuts grow nearer.
The rankings have been all over the place, with upset after upset happening week after week to start this college season off with a bang. This makes for a fun, but difficult, deep dive into which seniors could be strong candidates for the WLL 2026 College Draft.
Unlike in years past, many of the top college teams this season don’t have those one or two star players who put the team on their backs. The theme of 2026 is most teams having a solid roster from top to bottom, relying on multiple players to do their jobs, do them well and scrap together gutsy wins. That applies to this year’s graduating senior class, too.
Though there are household names in Madison Taylor and Kori Edmondson who can rack up goals, this senior class is filled with defensive star power. Players like Brooklyn Walker-Welch, Sam Forrest and Shea Baker have been redefining the defensive position. They have coaches and players looking to imitate their games and build defensive strategies around their styles of play. And don’t forget about the game-changing talents of goalie Shea Dolce.
The defensive end is stacked in this 2026 class, and I believe that could bode well for every WLL team as rosters expand this summer. Since WLL rosters have been geared toward Sixes, in which every player essentially plays every position on the field, coaches have stacked teams with offensive talent – and rightly so. These seniors could be the perfect class to help fill those holes on each team’s defensive unit. As the WLL expands to add a 10-v-10 full-field format this summer, lockdown defenders are in high demand.
With all that said, will the NCAA record-holder in single-season goals, Taylor, still go first overall? I don’t see how she couldn’t. But then again, each team might need a new star to fill a different position on the field. That means the order of draftees could get interesting. I am excited to see how the coaches handle those decisions, and I think the draft order will all come down to how this 2026 college season plays out.
Below is an early look at 23 of the top prospects for the 2026 WLL College Draft. This board will be updated throughout the spring.
1. Madison Taylor
A, Northwestern
Taylor is one of the most well-known players in lacrosse at the moment. If you’re a fan of lacrosse, you know Madison Taylor. Her pure athleticism and shifty nature are her main attributes for putting the ball in the back of the net. A strong-handed lefty, Taylor has been a prime goal-scorer for Northwestern’s offense — her 109 goals in 2025 were the most ever in a single season — and she would provide any WLL offense with dodging and finishing firepower.
2. Shea Dolce
GK, Boston College
Dolce is the name you think of when you think of the best goalie in women’s college lacrosse right now. She was a Tewaaraton Award finalist in 2025, a feat so uncommon it had only been done once before (Maryland’s Megan Taylor in 2019). Dolce has shone bright at the world stage, too, winning gold and making the All-World Team at the Pan-American World Championships this past summer. She’ll join Team USA in search of another gold this summer at the 2026 Field World Championship. She is sturdy in her cage, makes jaw-dropping stops and has led Boston College to championship weekend in all of her collegiate seasons to date. Dolce is an all-world goalie who’s proven she can thrive in net on both a Sixes and full-field stage, making her a perfect match for the WLL.
3. Sam Forrest
D, North Carolina
Forrest was tabbed the IWLCA Defender of the Year in 2025 for good reason. She has the most sound defensive technique, is patient with her checks and timely with her slides, and has incredibly fast footwork. Forrest can lock down any opponent’s top offensive player and has dominated those matchups for years. Playing against some of the game’s top players is nothing new for Forrest, so she would fit right in on a WLL defensive unit.
4. Brigid Duffy
M, Army
Duffy is one of the best midfielders to play this game. Watching her move around the lacrosse field is like witnessing art. She is a two-sport athlete at Army, playing soccer in the fall. Duffy brings intense athleticism, speed and will to win every time she steps on the field. She has played with Team USA in Sixes training camps and was named to the upcoming 2026 Field World Championship roster. With her style of play, Duffy would seamlessly assimilate into both the Sixes and field game at the next level.
5. Shea Baker
D, Boston College
The star defender for BC, Baker is sturdy in her technique, difficult to shake and solid no matter what her matchup looks like. Communication is key on defense, and Baker makes that a hallmark of her game, constantly stepping up as the leader of a lethal Boston College defense. Baker has led her team to the championship stage multiple times in her collegiate career and can bring that lockdown 1-on-1 energy to a settled defensive set.
6. Emma Muchnick
M, Syracuse
Muchnick is another current college player on the 2026 Team USA World Championship roster, proving her ability to stand out among the best of the best. Muchnick is a spark in the Syracuse midfield, causing chaos in between the 30s, taking hard dodges to the cage and scrapping for every possession all over the field. She is a gritty, do-it-all type of midfielder who can put the ball in the back of the net. Any midfield line in the WLL would be elevated by adding Emma Muchnick.
7. Kori Edmondson
M, Maryland
Edmondson is a special player for the Maryland Terrapins. There isn’t a game that goes by that the midfielder doesn’t stand out on the stat sheet – at the draw circle, causing turnovers on defense or scoring with power. Edmondson is another collegiate athlete who made the 2026 Team USA World Championship final roster. She is the type of player who leaves everything on the field every time she plays, and she would easily level up any WLL team with her firepower, speed and constant playmaking in the midfield.
8. Brooklyn Walker-Welch
D, North Carolina
An All-World defender, Walker-Welch earns a spot on this list with confidence. She has not only shone in her position as a top defender with multi-time national champion Tar Heels, but she also has led Team Canada in all three versions of the sport — playing for her country’s Sixes, field and box national teams. Walker-Welch anticipates plays happening in record time, is a strong presence in a 1-v-1 and can push transition through the midfield anytime she gets the ball. With experience on every stage, Walker-Welch would be a natural fit under the bright lights of the WLL.
9. Ava Angello
A, Johns Hopkins
Angello is a walking SportsCenter Top 10 highlight, making the most intricate of plays look simple. She provides a strong target by constantly getting open on the inside, with a knack for finding holes in a defense with her cutting. No amount of defensive pressure seems to bother her; she finished with flair and confidence during her team-best 90-point season in 2025. Angello would provide WLL fans with her signature highlight-reel plays every time she steps on the field. Who doesn’t love that?
10. Jenika Cuocco
GK, Northwestern
Cuocco won CAA Goalie of the Year in three consecutive seasons during her time at Drexel, then transferred to Northwestern for the 2026 campaign. An immediate starter for the Wildcats, she is one of those goalies who can change the course of a game with incredible patience, the quickest of hands and highlight-reel athleticism on sprawling saves and interceptions beyond the crease. She is the type of goalie that other teams truly have to game-plan for, and those are the goalies who shine at the professional level.
11. Olivia Adamson
A, Northwestern
Transferring from Syracuse to Northwestern this year, Adamson has been an important staple of every offensive unit she’s played with. She uses deception in her stick work, her body language and quick reads of a defense to be two steps ahead and make show-stopping plays. She would fit well within a WLL offense that runs a two-player game often and might need outside shooters to add a two-point threat. Adamson brings a fun, win-first energy to her team’s atmosphere and knows how to get the ball in the back of the net when it’s needed most.
12. Reagan O’Brien
D, Johns Hopkins
O’Brien is a force to be reckoned with for the Johns Hopkins defense. She anticipates plays like no other — knocking passes down, causing turnovers with expert checks and beating anyone to a ground ball. O’Brien wreaks havoc on any opposing offense; it feels like she’s everywhere all at once. After setting the NCAA single-season caused turnovers record in 2025, O’Brien would elevate the WLL’s already talented defensive competition simply with her presence.
13. Maddie Epke
A, Northwestern
Coming to Northwestern this season after a sensational run with James Madison, Epke brings a load of talent both at the draw and on the offensive end. As a First-Team All-American in 2025, she has a natural knack for winning draws and providing a scoring spark. So far in her debut season with the Wildcats, she has showcased her versatility by creating possessions and scoring with flair. Epke has a strong shot, nifty dodges and seems to dissever a defense with ease. Her ability to fit seamlessly into the powerhouse Northwestern offense and make an immediate impact bodes well for her to land with a WLL team that needs a versatile player with draw-taking talent.
14. Kaitlyn Davies
M, Florida
Davies was tabbed the Preseason Midfielder of the Year in the Big 12 Conference for good reason. She’s the type of midfielder who does everything for Florida, stuffing the stat sheet with goals, assists, ground balls and caused turnovers. She has top-notch speed and stick-handling skills that would translate well to the professional game in both Sixes and full-field.
15. Haven Dora
A, Princeton
Dora has a slick and unique style to her game, and that’s what makes her so difficult for defenses to stop. She has next-level vision from the X position behind the cage, quarterbacking the Princeton offense and dishing out assists left and right. She has a lacrosse IQ that is aspirational for young players. Her innate feeding ability, paired with a natural sense for scoring, would be the perfect combination for a WLL team that’s looking for a chemistry-builder on its offense.
16. Theresa Bragg
D, Florida
Bragg is the defender the Gators look to line up against their opponent’s strongest dodgers. She brings an unmatched energy to her defensive style, disrupting an offense’s ability to facilitate through the dodge. She is sound in her footwork and makes solid contact in her approach. Bragg could add another formidable defensive matchup to any WLL roster.
Honorable Mention
Kiley Mottice, M, North Carolina
Jordyn Case, M, Stanford
Grace Callahan, D, Michigan
Allie Masera, D, Stony Brook
Jess Peluso, D, Colorado
Allison Reilly, A, Army
Maddie Shoup, A, Colorado
