The University of South Florida women’s lacrosse team (12-4) has concluded their inaugural regular season, finishing second in the American Athletic Conference standings (4-2).
They now travel to Old Dominion University’s campus in Norfolk, Virginia, with eyes set on becoming the second team in NCAA history to win a conference championship in their first year of competition.
The Bulls (no. 2 seed) will play ECU (no. 3 seed) at 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 1st, in the Semifinal of the AAC Championship Tournament.
Series History:
This is the second meeting between USF and ECU (7-9) in women’s lacrosse history. The first came earlier this season on March 22nd at ECU. The Bulls scored a program record 23 goals, taking down the Pirates 23-9.
Setting The Stage:
Following the Bulls and Pirates’ last game, ECU won five of their next nine games, with their four losses coming to top-15 teams in the NCAA RPI. They finished 4-2 in conference play, also losing to No. 11 JMU (14-13 in OT) in conference play. Their only other losses were to No. 15 Clemson, No. 12 Duke, and No. 1 UNC.
The Bulls have won four of their last six games since March 22nd, only falling to Charlotte (17-16) and No. 11 JMU (20-6).
The game will be played on Old Dominion University’s campus at L.R. Hill Sports Complex. This will be the first time the Bulls have ever played on astroturf.
If the Bulls win, they will advance to the championship against the winner of James Madison University (no. 1 seed) and Vanderbilt (no. 4 seed). The two play on Thursday, May 1st at 4:30 p.m.
The winner of the AAC Championship tournament earns an automatic bid to the 2025 Women’s Lacrosse NCAA Tournament.
High Point University (2011) is the only program to ever win a conference championship in their first year of competition. Their conference (NLL) did not have an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament at that time. No first-year program has ever advanced to the NCAA tournament.
Note-A-Bull:
South Florida ranks first in the NCAA in shots per game (37.07). They also rank third in the NCAA in shots on goal per game (26.79).
All those shots have led the Bulls to be sixth in the nation in goals per game (16.36). South Florida ranks fourth in the nation in scoring margin, winning by an average of 6.86 goals per game.
This has led the Bulls to the ninth-best win percentage in the NCAA (0.786 percent).
They’re led by attacker Sofia Chepenik, with 57 points. Her 46 goals rank first in the AAC and 39th in the NCAA.
Ava Uphues ranks 26th in the NCAA in shot percentage, scoring her 30 goals at a 56.6 shooting percentage clip.
Additional Notes:
- The Bulls have scored at least 11 goals in all but one game this season, having tied their program record (23 goals) vs. Stetson last week.
- South Florida as a team ranks:
- 2nd in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Shots (36.63 shots per game).
- 5th in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Shots on Goal (26.50 shots on goal per game).
- 7th in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Scoring Offense (16.13 points per game).
- 8th in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Scoring Margin (6.19 goals per game).
- 8th in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Points (23.50 points per game).
- 12th in NCAA and 1st in AAC in Win Percentage (0.750 percent).
- 15th in NCAA and 2nd in AAC in Assists (7.38 per game).
- 23rd in the NCAA and 1st in the AAC in Ground balls (18.13 per game).
- 24th in the NCAA and 1st in the AAC in Scoring Defense (9.94 points per game).
- The Bulls have seven players with 20 or more points this season (Sofia Chepenik – 63; Juliana George – 54; Maggie Newton – 46; Ava Uphues – 36; Kaitlyn Tartaglione – 33; Alison Harbaugh – 29; and Kali Cleary – 24).
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About USF Women’s Lacrosse
The University of South Florida announced the addition of women’s lacrosse to its now 21-sport varsity athletics department in November of 2021. Fast forward to Feb. 7, 2025, the program embarked on its inaugural season in a 19-6 win over KSU, setting the State of Florida’s regular season attendance record (2,386 fans). The Bulls named eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program in May of 2022. McCord, who came to USF with 240 career wins, earned 21 regular season and conference tournament titles at Jacksonville University. She led the program to eight NCAA appearances after launching and leading the Dolphins’ program over its first 13 years. She developed 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees during that span, departing JU following to back Sweet Sixteen berths. USF runs a fast-paced, high-scoring offense influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men’s basketball record-setting fast break, which ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin numerous seasons during McCord’s tenure at JU.
