NCAA Women's Lacrosse Preview: No. 13 Notre Dame's New Identity

USA Lacrosse Magazine is beginning its countdown to the 2025 women's lacrosse season by releasing one team preview per day beginning on Monday, Jan. 13.

We continue the countdown with No. 13 Notre Dame, which was rocked by graduations but has a new superstar to build around in freshman Madison Rassas.

Taylor Swift’s one-of-a-kind “Eras Tour” ended in late 2024. A few months prior, another eras tour of sorts ended in South Bend.

The graduations of all-time greats Madison Ahern, Kasey Choma and Jackie Wolak leave significant holes on the offensive side of the field. That trio is at the top of the impact list of 17 seniors who’ve graduated, not dissimilar to many other teams in the fourth season removed from COVID-19, but inconvenient, nonetheless.

That leaves plenty of blank space on the lineup card for head coach Christine Halfpenny to tinker with.

“It’s super exciting,” Halfpenny said. “We know that we’ve worked really hard and done our job in recruiting to get the right people here that are ready to take on these awesome and cyclical challenges. The goal is to never have big drop-off, but the COVID cycle hit Notre Dame.”

All that said, Halfpenny isn’t shy on confidence.

“We’re built to last,” she said.

While a majority of the starting lineup needs replacing, Halfpenny cited “experiential knowledge” when asked how Notre Dame can — at the very least — maintain its standing as a national threat. After all, last year the Irish beat a No. 1-ranked team for the first time in program history and beat the trio of Boston College and North Carolina and Northwestern for the first time in a single season.

The goal is to peak at the right time while relying on relative newcomers to everyday roles. Grace Weigand, Meghan O’Hare, Kathryn Morrissey, Franny O’Brien and Abigail Lyons will be the stabilizers as returning starters.

Naturally, expect a new identity. Halfpenny’s proud to have already found it. It dawned on her in the last scrimmage of the fall against Northwestern. Notre Dame is fast — really fast. Halfpenny plans to use that to her team’s advantage.

That’ll be possible with continued draw prowess. Kelly Denes has been the team’s draw ace, but with her out the door, it’s Ava Kristynik’s turn in the circle. The senior from Southlake, Texas, is something of a secret weapon given limited film of her abilities. Her last draw win came in 2022.

It still might take the new starters some time to mesh. But that’s OK. Championships aren’t won in February and March. A hiccup along the way? They’ll shake it off.

“Our goal is to peak at the right time, at the end of April and the beginning of May,” Halfpenny said.

TOP RETURNERS

Grace Weigand, D, Sr. (24GB, 17CT)
Meghan O’Hare, M, So. (10G, 30DC)
Kathryn Morrissey, M, So. (23G, 3A)

Weigand will be the rock on defense. Halfpenny is excited to see Morrissey work more with Franny O’Brien, who focused much of her time defensively last year but is expected to take on more offensive responsibilities. Abigail Lyons rounds out the five returning starters from last season.

KEY ADDITIONS

Madison Rassas, M, Fr. (Georgetown Visitation, D.C.)
Shannon Earley, M, Fr. (Benet Academy, Ill.)
Wynter Jock, A, So. (redshirted in 2024)

Rassas, Halfpenny said, is going to be special. But more on her later. Instead, let’s shift focus to Jock, who was with the program last year but suffered a knee injury competing with the Haudenosaunee Nationals. After taking last year to focus on Jock’s strength and rehab, Halfpenny is excited for the spring. 

“She’s going to be a player who can give our opponents a problem,” she said.

NOTABLE DEPARTURES

Graduations: Madison Ahern, A; Kasey Choma, M; Jackie Wolak, A; MK Doherty, M; Olivia Dooley, D; Arden Tierney, A/DS, Abby Maichin, A; Lilly Callahan, G; Keelin Schlageter, M/D; Kelly Denes, M/DS

X-FACTOR

Madison Rassas, M, Fr. (Georgetown Visitation, D.C.)

Notre Dame might have its next superstar – and perfect timing, too, considering all that’s graduated. Halfpenny waxes poetic about Rassas and doesn’t hesitate to suggest that she could find herself in the rarified air of program legends like Cortney Fortunato, Jill Byers and Crysti Foote.

“She’s special,” Halfpenny said. “She had a wonderful fall for us. She’s a warrior on the field. She plays with intent. We had her in the midfield this fall, and she was dominant on the offensive end.”

THE NARRATIVE

It’s clear that 2025 is going to be a retooling year in South Bend. Halfpenny doesn’t want anybody to mistake her team for one that’s going to roll over, though.

That simply won’t be the case.

“I think that, at the end of the day, building takes time,” she said. “A lot of people that have opinions on us are the ones that are chasing us. People that are ahead of you don’t have anything to say about you. But the people you keep beating, it’s funny, they have a lot to say.”

Notre Dame showed last year it can beat the teams ahead of it, giving a taste of marquee victory to those remaining on the roster. That hunger for more, especially with new roles for many, should carry into 2025.