Quinnipiac University
Gardner-Webb
Quinnipiac Heads South for Battles with Gardner-Webb, Furman
3/12/2026 10:21:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
HAMDEN, Conn. — The Quinnipiac women's lacrosse team heads south to round out the 2026 non-conference slate, taking on Southern Conference foes Gardner-Webb and Furman over the weekend.
FRIDAY'S MATCHUP
Teams: Quinnipiac (3-3) at Gardner-Webb (0-6)
Live Stats: SidearmStats
SUNDAY'S MATCHUP
Teams: Quinnipiac (3-3) at Furman (3-4)
Live Stats: SidearmStats
WEEKLY HONORS
Both Emma Miller-Ayala and Brie Provenzano were garnered with MAAC Weekly Award honors on Monday afternoon, as the Bobcats finished off a 1-1 week that featured a close loss to Bryant and dominant win over New Haven. Miller-Ayala earned Defensive Player of the Week honors, after a six-CT, four-GB week along with six goals. Brie Provenzano finished with nine points on the week, recording a pair of hat tricks along with three assists.
BALANCED ATTACK
The Bobcats used 11 different goalscorers in its win over CCSU. A tight game to start, the Bobcats rattled off a 12-0 run to make a 4-3 close contest into a controlled 16-3 scoreline late in the game. Cate Bendowski led the way for all Quinnipiac players, scoring four goals.
ON THE BOARD
The Bobcats earned their first win of the 2026 campaign on Sunday afternoon, knocking off New Hampshire by a 12-7 final in Durham, N.H.
Emma Miller-Ayala was all over the stat sheet, finishing with four points, four ground balls and five draw controls to aid the Bobcat cause. Giordan Peck and Mia Delmond each had a pair of goals, while Cate Bendowski had a three-point day.
GIVEN TAKE
Sophomore Anna Givens got off to a strong start in her second season in Hamden, posting a career-best four points in the matchup against Hofstra. She tossed in a goal and three assists, including a helper to her older sister Julia Givens in the first half.
RETURNING PROWESS
The 2026 roster is highlighted by the return of the 2025 MAAC Goalie and Rookie of the Year in Shannon Alden, along with All-Rookie selections Emma Miller-Ayala and Anna Givens returning to the roster.
The Bobcats also bring back an experienced offensive core, returning six of their top eight scorers from a season ago led by seniors Mia Delmond (59 points), who was a preseason All-MAAC selection, and Cate Bendowski (49 points) and the aforementioned Givens (28 points) and Miller-Ayala (15 points).
THE ROAD AHEAD
The 2026 slate includes a some perennial NCAA Tournament contenders, including Hofstra and Yale to open up the season. They will be two of the eight non-conference games the Bobcats have on their slate before league play begins on March 22. They welcome Niagara and Fairfield to Hamden for the first time since the 2022 and 2023 campaigns, respectively, as well has close out the league slate with Sacred Heart on April 18.
ALL-AMERICAN STATUS
A pair of incoming Bobcats earned All-American titles next to their name after their senior campaigns, with Charlotte DeMaio and Charley Lagor earning the honors at the conclusion of the 2025 campaign. Lagor hails from Providence, R.I., while DeMaio played her high school time in Westwood, Mass.
DRAW QUEEN
Junior Sophia Coan became the program's new single-season draw control record holder, finishing with 81 on the season passing Sophia Iaccino's mark from 2021 for the top spot on the season leaderboard. Her 4.50 draw controls per contest put her fifth in the MAAC at the end of the 2025 campaign.
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For an inside look at the Quinnipiac women's lacrosse program, be sure to follow it on social media @QU_WLAX or go to gobobcats.com/wlax.
