HAVERFORD, Pa. — The Haverford College women's lacrosse team has been picked third in the annual preseason Centennial Conference poll, the league office announced Wednesday afternoon. Haverford received 50 total points in the overall balloting.
The Fords enter the 2026 season with momentum following a historic 2025 campaign. Haverford reached the Centennial Conference Tournament for the fourth consecutive season and advanced to the NCAA Tournament for the seventh time in program history — and the third time in the past four seasons. In the 2025 NCAA Tournament, the Scarlet and Black secured the program's first-ever NCAA Tournament victory with a first-round win over St. Mary's (Md.).
Now entering her ninth season at the helm, Head Coach Katie Wertman looks to guide the Fords back to both the Centennial Conference and NCAA Tournaments.
Gettysburg was tabbed first with 62 points and six first-place votes. Defending champion Franklin & Marshall followed closely in second with 59 points and three first-place votes, while Haverford came in third with 50 points. Muhlenberg was selected fourth with 43 points. Washington College was picked fifth with 27 points, just ahead of Dickinson in sixth with 26 points. Ursinus claimed seventh with 25 points, Swarthmore slotted eighth with 24 points, and McDaniel rounded out the poll with 8 points.
A two-time USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention, Brooke Epstein will be one to watch in her senior season. A two-time First-Team IWLCA All-Metro Region and First-Team All-Centennial Conference selection, Epstein delivered a standout junior campaign, leading both the team and the conference in goals (66) while pacing the Fords in points (89), draw controls (88), and free-position goals (14). She set a new single-season program record with 98 draw controls (third in the Centennial) and broke the single-game record with 13 against Bates.
Epstein surpassed 200 career points, 100 career goals, and 100 career draw controls during the season. She recorded 16 games with three or more goals, including a season-high six against Muhlenberg. She also tallied eight-point performances in two contests — four goals and four assists against Bates, and six goals with two assists versus Muhlenberg. Her dynamic scoring ability ranked her among Division III's top offensive threats, finishing in the top 100 nationally in both goals and points.
On the defensive end, USA Lacrosse Preseason All-American Honorable Mention Finley Jordan is poised for a strong 2026 campaign. The junior defender emerged as a key presence during her sophomore season, earning IWLCA All-Region and All-Centennial Conference Second-Team honors. Jordan led the Fords with 47 ground balls and 32 caused turnovers, ranking fifth in the Centennial in both ground balls per game (2.19) and caused turnovers per game (1.43).
She matched a program record with six caused turnovers in the NCAA Tournament victory over Saint Mary's on May 10. Jordan recorded nine games with three or more ground balls, including a season-high five against No. 7 Salisbury in the NCAA Tournament, and posted nine games with two or more caused turnovers. She also added her first career goal in a win over McDaniel, showcasing her all-around impact.
Women's lacrosse opens the 2026 season on Wednesday, February 25, at 4 p.m. on Swan Field against Widener.
