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The USF Bulls enter the 2026 lacrosse season following what many have called a “dream” inaugural campaign. In their first year of program history, under the leadership of head coach Mindy McCord, the Bulls embraced the theme “One Team, One Dream.” The players took every challenge to heart, finishing 2025 with an impressive 13–5 record.
The program’s first-ever game on February 7, 2025, drew 2,386 fans to Corbett Stadium. That night ended in a 19–6 victory over Kennesaw State, celebrated with the Marching Thundering Herd, USF cheerleaders, Sun Dolls, and a post-match firework show. The “dream” continued all the way to the American Athletic Conference (AAC) Championship game on May 3, where the Bulls eventually fell to 9th-ranked James Madison, 18–9, after securing two postseason wins.
The 2026 Campaign: A Gauntlet of Challenges
The 2026 season officially begins on February 7 against Niagara, following a home exhibition against the University of Tampa on January 30. This year’s schedule is designed to test the program’s mettle, featuring eight teams that reached the 2025 NCAA Tournament and five programs that finished the year ranked.
The Bulls will navigate a rigorous slate of non-conference and AAC matchups leading to the Conference Championship, held in Nashville, Tennessee, from April 30 through May 2.
Key Matchups to Watch:
- February 15 vs. Michigan: The Bulls welcome the 14th-ranked Wolverines to Corbett Stadium for an early-season powerhouse clash.
- The March Grind: USF faces its toughest stretch in program history, hosting Brown (March 1), Navy (March 7), and a championship rematch against James Madison (March 21).
- April Road Tests: The team travels to face the Florida Gators (April 8) in Gainesville and closes the regular season on the road against Vanderbilt (April 25).
The Home Turf: Corbett Stadium
All Bulls home games return to Corbett Stadium, the shared home of USF’s soccer programs. The venue also hosts the football team’s spring game as they prepare for the opening of their own on-campus stadium in 2027.
Key Returners
USF returns a strong core for their sophomore season, led by junior attacker Sofia Chepenik, who paced the team last year with 52 goals and 14 assists. Other vital contributors back in the lineup include:
- Maggie Newton: 52 points in 2025.
- Kaitlyn Tartaglione: 36 points in 2025.
- Ava Uphues: 36 points in 2025.
The Bulls will have big shoes to fill following the graduation of second-leading scorer Juliana George and goalkeeper Paige Pagano, but expectations remain high. Many believe the team is capable of matching last year’s win total and making another deep run in the AAC tournament. Coach McCord has her squad ready to prove that the “Dream Season” was just the beginning.
Can the USF Bulls Lacrosse team continue their first-season success in year two? Leave a comment below.
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Author Profile
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Director of Operations for NGSC Sports
Covers USF Athletics in Football, Baseball, Lacrosse, and Softball.
Also covered both major and minor league baseball in the Tampa Bay Rays and Clearwater Threshers.
He also covers college football bowl and conference championship games.
It might seem like just covers team sports he also covers both the PGA & LIV Tour and the LPGA Tour. He also announces for the Pinellas Park High School Patriots football.
He also has two sports podcasts in the P&W Sports Report and The Walker Report.
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