Gwynedd Valley, Pa. – (1/21/2026) – Exactly one month from today, on Wednesday, February 18, the Gwynedd Mercy University women's lacrosse team will open their 2026 season with a 4:00 p.m. home game versus Delaware Valley University. "Our schedule is very similar to last year's. So, throughout the season, I will be looking to see how we are measure up," said Head Coach Meghan Sacks. "We have quite a few away games in the middle of March followed by some difficult MAC teams at the end of the month. I am hoping those contests will prepare us well for conference play."
 
In 2025, early league road wins over Centenary University (N.J.) (W, 15-4 on Apr. 5) and Immaculata University (W, 17-8 on Apr. 9) were enough to earn Gwynedd Mercy University the #4 seed for the 2025 Atlantic East Conference (AEC) Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament. Unfortunately, the Griffins season came to a close in the AEC Semifinals with a 25-7 loss to top-seeded – and eventual league champion – Marymount University. The Red and Gold finished the campaign – their second under Head Coach Meghan Sacks - with a 4-14 overall record and a 2-3 league standing. Four Griffins were recognized on the 2025 All-AEC Women's Lacrosse release as an AEC Rookie of the Year title for freshman midfielder Elena Colliluori (Gilbertsville, Pa.) was complemented by All-AEC Second Team honors for senior midfielder Cheyenne Avellino (Egg Harbor Township, N.J.), sophomore midfielder Rebecca Gordon (Sicklerville, N.J.), and sophomore defender Teagan O'Neill (Pennsauken, N.J.). With the Red and Gold's 2026 schedule featuring all 18 of their 2025 opponents, Coach Sacks will look to Gordon, O'Neill, and Collilulori to lead Gwynedd Mercy University to success this season.
 
Gwynedd Mercy University and Delaware Valley University traded goals through the first half of their 2025 meeting (L, 9-19 on Feb. 21), but a 7-0 Aggie run gave the home team the advantage they needed in an eventual 19-9 conclusion. Gordon led the Griffins with five points (2 goals, 3 assists), while Collilulori scored a season-high four goals. She also helped earn the Red and Gold valuable possessions with four draw controls, a caused turnover, and a ground ball. The Aggies finished a 6-11 overall record and a 0-7 standing as a member of the Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Freedom. Currently, the Griffin and Aggie rivalry is knotted at 5-5 all-time.

Following their season - and home – opener, Gwynedd Mercy University travels to DeSales University for a 12:00 p.m. contest on Saturday, February 21. In 2025, a 12-0 first quarter gave the Griffins quite the hole to dig out of against the Bulldogs. Gwynedd Mercy University attempted to turn the tide by holding DeSales University to four second-quarter shots. But in the end, that was only a minor accomplishment in a 24-1 end. The Bulldogs went onto a 15-3 overall record and a 5-2 standing in the MAC Freedom. They own a 4-0 all-time record against the Red and Gold.
 
Wilkes University serves as Gwynedd Mercy University's second home date of 2026 as the Griffins welcome the Colonels to campus on Wednesday, February 25 (4:00 p.m.). In 2025, seven different Griffins contributed to a 17-6 victory (Feb. 26), including four-point performances from Colliluori (3 goals, 1 assist) and Gordon (1 goal, 4 assists). The duo also combined for seven of the Griffins' 12 draw controls. The Red and Gold victory evened the all-time head-to-head at 3-3, while the Colonels went on to finish the season without a win; 0-15 overall and 0-9 in the Landmark Conference.
 
February 2026 ends on the 25^th with a noon (12:00P.M.) draw at Arcadia University. After nine changes in possession, the Knights scored the first goal (1-0, 8:26) of the 2025 meeting (Feb. 19). Unfortunately, Arcadia University scored twice more (7:29, 6:43), before the first Gwynedd Mercy University goal to take a 3-1 (0:27, 1^st) lead to the second quarter. There, a 2-1 Knight spread provided the advantage needed, 5-2 (0:04, 2^nd), to outlast the Griffins in a narrow 9-6 finish. Gordon was one of four Griffins to record multiple points with a goal (6-3, 13:14) and an assist (6-4, 11:59) in the third quarter; she and Colliluori also recorded two draw controls apiece. Arcadia University finished 2025 with a 9-8 overall record and a 3-4 standing in the MAC Freedom. They are 8-9 all-time against the Red and Gold.
 
March's scheduled dates begin on the 4^th with a 6:00 p.m. draw versus Elizabethtown College. The Griffin opened 2025 with a 20-4 loss (Feb. 13) to the Blue Jays; a 7-0 first-quarter deficit and a 10-of-23 (.435) success rate on clears put Gwynedd Mercy University behind for the duration of the affair. Gordon totaled three points (1 goal, 2 assists), while Colliluori recorded her first collegiate goal (19-4, 2:14, 4^th), a pair of ground balls, and seven draw controls. Elizabethtown College finished 2025 with a 9-8 overall record and a 4-5 standing in the Landmark Conference. All-time, the Red and Gold is 0-5 versus the Blue Jays.
 
After hosting Elizabethtown College, the Griffins hit the road for Spring Break games at Eastern University (Mar. 6, 3:30 p.m.), Albright College (Mar. 11, 4:00 p.m.), and King's College (Pa.) (Mar. 18, 4:00 p.m.). Only the Eagles served as a win (W, 15-12 on Mar. 19) in 2025 as a first-quarter rally gave the Griffins a 5-3 (0:08) advantage and the momentum needed to topple Eastern University by a 15-12 (Mar. 19) final. Colliluori (4 goals, 1 assist) was one of four Griffins to record at least five points in the win, while Gordon scored three goals; the duo also combined for seven ground balls, three caused turnovers, and 11 draw controls. Eastern University was 2-12 overall and 0-7 in the MAC Commonwealth last season, just a game behind Albright College (5-12, 1-6). Meanwhile, the Monarch's finished 2025 at 5-10 overall and 1-6 in the MAC Freedom. All-time, the Griffins are 2-15 against the Eagles, 0-2 against the Lions (L, 12-18 on Mar. 11), and 5-11 against King's College (L, 10-22 on Mar. 18).

Gwynedd Mercy University's 2026 non-conference schedule concludes with a March-21 (1:00 p.m.) game versus Lebanon Valley College and a March-25 (4:00) date at Alvernia University. Both were tough opponnents for the Griffins in 2025 as the Dutchmen defeated the Red and Gold by a 25-3 (Mar. 15) margin and the Golden Wolves by a 18-2 (Mar. 22) measure. Lebanon Valley College were 13-6 overall and 6-1 in the MAC Freedom, while Alvernia University was 4-13 overall and 2-5 in the MAC Commonwealth; all-time the Griffins are 0-1 against the Dutchmen and 10-8 against the Golden Wolves.
 
AEC competition begins on Saturday, March 28, with a 12:00 p.m. draw versus Centenary University; the contest will also serve as Senior Day for attacks Kira Bradley (Langhorne, Pa.), Brianna Godwin (Telford, Pa.), midfielder/defender Ayana Lyons (Norristown, Pa.), and junior goalkeeper Victoria Sloan (Philadelphia, Pa.). The Griffins controlled their 2025 meeting with the Cyclones, using a 9-3 first-half lead to impose their will in a 15-4 (Apr. 5) conclusion. Gwynedd Mercy University received a seven-goal performance from now assistant coach Cheyenne Avellino '25 and the 100^th career goal for Alysia Collins '25 among many others in the victory. Centenary University was 4-8 overall and 0-5 in the AEC last season; all-time, the Griffins are 11-4 against the Cyclones.
 
April's AEC docket includes dates at Marywood University (Apr. 8, 4:00 p.m.) and Neumann University (Apr. 18, 1:00 p.m.) in between home games opposite Immaculata University (Apr. 11, 12:00 p.m.) and Marymount University (Apr. 22, 4:00 p.m.). In 2025, Gwynedd Mercy University was 1-3 against the group with losses to the Pacers (L, 9-20 on Apr. 16), Knights (L, 8-19 on Apr. 12), and Saints (L, 2-23 on Apr. 23), and a victory over the Mighty Macs (W, 17-8 on Apr. 9). Gordon had a career day in the win over Immaculata University, netting a career-high seven goals, three ground balls, three draws, and a caused turnover. Colliluori was a major contributor as well with two goals, three ground balls, three caused turnovers, and 10 draw controls.
 
The 2026 AEC Women's Lacrosse Championship is scheduled for Friday, May 1, with the semifinals scheduled for the home of the higher seeds on Saturday, April 25.