Michigan
Mercer
Michigan to Host Mercer in NCAA First Round
5/6/2026 11:56:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 7-ranked University of Michigan women's lacrosse team (12-6) will host the NCAA First and Second Rounds for the second time in program history, beginning with a matchup against Mercer (13-6) on Friday (May 8) at 3 p.m. at U-M Lacrosse Stadium. The game will be streamed live on ESPN+.
Following Michigan's contest with Mercer, No. 19 Penn State and No. 6 Stanford will meet at 6 p.m. at U-M Lacrosse Stadium. The winners of Friday's first-round games will face off Sunday (May 10) at 1 p.m., with the contest also airing live on ESPN+.
Notes
• Michigan is making its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance and will host NCAA Tournament games for the second time in program history after hosting the first and second rounds in 2019. The Wolverines have earned first-round victories in each of the last four NCAA Tournaments from 2022-25. U-M advanced to its first NCAA Quarterfinal in 2024 when it defeated then-No. 4 Notre Dame in the second round on a last-second goal from Jill Smith.
• Michigan will face Mercer for the second time in program history after recording a 17-6 victory over the Bears in the NCAA First Round in 2024.
• The Wolverines are No. 7 in the latest IWLCA Coaches Poll entering the NCAA Tournament. Michigan has beaten six ranked opponents this season, including No. 3 Maryland for the first win over the Terrapins in program history, along with victories over then-No. 5 Florida and then-No. 6 Boston College. U-M also started Big Ten play 4-0 for the first time in program history.
• Michigan's backline ranks No. 20 nationally in scoring defense, allowing just 8.61 goals per game after holding Maryland's high-powered offense to four goals. Most recently, the Wolverines forced Maryland into 14 turnovers as Taylor Cullen recorded three caused turnovers and Grace Callahan added two. The defense also forced No. 2 Northwestern into seven turnovers.
• Two Wolverines eclipsed the 100-point mark this season as Ava Class and Calli Norris became the 10th and 11th players in program history, respectively, to reach the milestone. Class currently has 107 career points on 72 goals and 35 assists, while Norris has totaled 108 career points with 92 goals and 16 assists.
• Callahan tied the Michigan all-time ground-ball record of 111 set by Maddie Burns in 2024. Callahan has 25 ground balls this season after recording 30 over the previous two years. The defender also has 79 caused turnovers and needs just one more to tie the program record of 80 set by Madeline Dion in 2017. Callahan also tied the Michigan single-game record with six caused turnovers against Oregon and ranks 11th in the conference in caused turnovers this season.
• Sophomore Emma Burke now holds the program draw-control record with 295 career wins. Burke broke Anna Schueler's previous record of 239 from 2014-17 after totaling 135 as a freshman and 160 thus far as a sophomore. Burke ranks 13th nationally with 8.89 draws per game and leads the Big Ten with 160 draw controls this season.
• The Wolverines tied a program-best with eight All-Big Ten honorees, including three first-team selections. Callahan, Jordyn Harrison and Burke earned First Team All-Big Ten honors, while Class, Emma Bradbury, Taylor Cullen and Calli Norris garnered second-team recognition. Elizabeth Johnson was named to the All-Freshman Team, while Claire Nelson earned Michigan's Sportsmanship Award after appearing in three games with one caused turnover and one shot.
• If Michigan defeats Mercer, it will face the winner of Penn State and Stanford on Sunday (May 10) at 1 p.m. at U-M Lacrosse Stadium. The Wolverines are 9-6 all-time against the Nittany Lions and 0-1 against the Cardinal.
