The Colorado Buffaloes women’s lacrosse team is preparing for its home opener against Cornell on Sunday, February 15, 2026. The game will take place at Kittredge Field in Boulder and is scheduled to start at noon Mountain Time, a change from the previously announced 1 p.m. start.
Colorado enters the matchup after a significant victory over No. 2 Northwestern, marking the highest-ranked opponent the Buffs have defeated in program history. Head coach Ann Elliott Whidden commented on her team’s mindset following the win: “I think we’ve always believed in ourselves,” she said. “But it’s hard when for five weeks the only people you play are yourself to know where you’re really at. We knew coming in here was going to be a huge test… but when this team can focus on themselves, a lot of great things can happen.”
Whidden also noted her pride in how the team handled pressure during their last game: “Any time you can gain a little momentum early is huge,” she stated. “What I’m most proud of is that we were able to sustain that. We had a couple of tough moments there in the third quarter, but we held it together.” She added about goalkeeper Elena Oh’s performance: “Just solid in the net,” Whidden expressed. “Making saves that we definitely needed her to make so that we could stay in this game and remain confident.” Reflecting on closing out tight games, Whidden emphasized, “At the end of the day, there are so many excuses,” Whidden emphasized. “We just have to find a way. And I think in that last minute, they found a way to get it done together.”
Senior players Maddie Shoup and Jess Peluso received recognition for their contributions against Northwestern. Shoup scored three of her five goals in the fourth quarter and has now scored in 12 consecutive games; she was named Big 12 Attacker of the Week. Peluso earned Big 12 Defender of the Week honors for helping limit Northwestern’s offense.
Goalkeeper Elena Oh was recognized as Big 12 Goalkeeper of the Week after making key saves late in the game.
Sunday’s contest marks both teams’ first-ever meeting and will be Cornell’s season opener. Last year, Cornell finished with an overall record of nine wins and six losses and went three-and-four within Ivy League play.
Tickets for both season and single games are available through CUBuffs.com/WlaxTix.
More information about Colorado Lacrosse can be found at cubuffs.com/wlax or by following @cubuffswlax on Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), TikTok, and Facebook.
