QUINCY, Ill. – The Quincy women's lacrosse team opens the 2026 season on Sunday as the Hawks look to build on last year's progress with a veteran core and a deep group of returners. Quincy brings back 13 of the 16 players who saw action during the 2025 season, giving the program experience at every position as it enters its seventh year.

The 2026 campaign also marks the beginning of a new era for the Hawks under first-year head coach Abbie Belknap. Belknap steps into the role after spending the past two seasons as an assistant coach at Quincy, providing continuity and familiarity with both the roster and the culture of the program. Quincy finished the 2025 season with an 8–8 overall record and a 2–5 mark in GLVC play and will look to take another step forward this spring.

Key Returners

Quincy's senior class provides leadership and stability across the field, led by attackers Amelia Ham and Emily Leal, midfielders Mikenna Ham, Elise Bruggeman, Jaynie Chatman, and Rebecca Ritter, defender Piper Douglas, and goalkeeper Madison Whiting Wagner. This group brings extensive starting experience and has played a key role in the program's growth over the past several seasons.

Amelia Ham is coming off one of the most prolific offensive seasons in program history. The senior appeared and started in all 16 games in 2025, leading the team in assists (33), free position goals (13), and points (89), while finishing second with 56 goals. Her 89 points set a new single-season program record, while she also broke records for points per game (5.56) and assists per game (2.06). Ham's 5.56 points per game led the GLVC and ranked 12th nationally in Division II, and she enters the season holding the program's career assists record with 95. She earned GLVC Second Team All-Conference honors.

Mikenna Ham earned GLVC Second Team All-Conference recognition after starting all 13 games as a junior, posting two goals, 26 ground balls, 17 caused turnovers, and 45 draw controls. Emily Leal also delivered a standout junior campaign, breaking multiple single-season program records, including draw controls (78), draw controls per game (5.57), and caused turnovers per game (1.57). Leal totaled 27 goals and seven assists for 34 points and recorded seven multi-goal games, highlighted by a five-goal performance in an overtime victory over Concordia-St. Paul on March 16.

In goal, Whiting Wagner returns after an eight-win season in her first full year as Quincy's starting goalkeeper. She made 175 saves while allowing 246 goals for a .416 save percentage and led the team with 54 ground balls. Her 3.38 ground balls per game set a new single-season program record. Defensively, Douglas, Bruggeman, Chatman, and Ritter provide experience and versatility, combining for over 25 starts a season ago.

The junior class features several impact players who emerged during the 2025 season. Anni Moran developed into one of the most dangerous scorers in the conference, netting 59 goals across 16 games while also winning 55 draw controls. She set a program single-season record with 13 woman-up goals and scored two game-winning goals, including an overtime winner against Northern Michigan on March 5. Moran earned GLVC All-Conference Honorable Mention honors. Alaina Wilkinson added 29 goals and 13 assists for 42 points, while MaryGrace Cummings appeared in all 16 games and contributed two goals, 11 assists, and 17 ground balls. Jenna Lime and Chloe Drago also provided consistency on both sides of the field, with Drago ranking third on the team with 14 caused turnovers.

Transfer Class

Quincy also adds experience through graduate transfer Chloe Kerwin, who joins the Hawks after spending three seasons at Maryville University. Kerwin brings familiarity with a winning culture and adds depth and leadership to the defensive unit.

Incoming Freshman

The Hawks welcome a talented group of incoming freshmen who add depth at every position. The class includes midfielders Raena Crews and Katie Lato, defenders Eileen Hosty, attackers Teigan Neukom, Samantha Cox, and Emily Stahulak, and goalkeeper Ava Condos. Lato earned First Team All-Conference honors in both lacrosse and field hockey and was named Defensive Player of the Year in field hockey, while Neukom was a four-year varsity letterwinner and Second Team All-Conference selection. Condos arrives after breaking Naperville North's all-time saves record, as her Stahulak helped lead her high school program to a DVC Conference Championship.

Opening Day

Quincy faces an early-season test in its opener on Sunday at noon, hosting Rockhurst University at QU Stadium. Rockhurst finished the 2025 season with a 13–5 overall record and a 5–2 mark in GLVC play and received votes in the IWLCA preseason poll, sitting just outside the top 25. Despite both teams competing in the GLVC, Sunday's matchup will not count toward the conference standings.