US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Dec. 17. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com through the end of the month and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition in February.

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No. 11 Notre Dame

2019 Record: 14-5 (5-2, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Coach: Christine Halfpenny (9th year)
Assistants: Katie Powell, Kerry Stoothoff

All-Time Record: 242-155
NCAA Appearances: 13
Final Fours: 1
Championships: 0

2020 Schedule

Save the Date
March 28

Notre Dame hosts Syracuse in a rematch of a one-goal game in which the Orange scored the final four goals to hand the Irish their first loss. Notre Dame is eying a top three finish in the ACC and a win over Syracuse should be necessary to accomplish that feat. Last season, if any of the losses to ACC foes Duke, Syracuse or Boston College are flipped to wins, the Irish would have hosted in the NCAA tournament and may have had an easier road to the quarterfinals.

‘Everyone Trusts Andie,’ as Aldave Leads Irish Return to Prominence

Call it a comeback.

“I hate to use the word rebound,” coach Christine Halfpenny said of her team’s 2019 campaign. “We got back to who we are.”

There is a sense of security in the Fighting Irish ranks that Halfpenny hopes translates to a historic year in South Bend.

“This team has just so much comfort to be themselves to support one another no matter what,” said the ninth-year leader. “It manifests in our play, creativity and risk taking. A risk may take a mistake by playing fast, but we’re not here to be perfect, we want to push the level and envelope and make high reward plays.”

Halfpenny may have her deepest and most talented team during her tenure. A stacked midfield includes IWLCA All-American Andie Aldave, who tallied 67 points and pulled down a school-record 152 draw controls. Beside Aldave is All-ACC stalwart senior Savannah Buchanan, whose two-way play steadies the Irish.

“Everyone trusts Andie,” Halfpenny said. “It’s exciting to see Andie really lead; she’s an extension of the coaching staff on the field. She has a winning personality. Couple that with Savannah, and that’s our 1-2 punch.”

The midfield is vital to Halfpenny’s approach because she anticipates running up to 18 players deep when possible. Her goal is to transition quickly out of defense and keep fresh legs on the field with an offense that has three returning scorers that bagged over 47 goals each last year.

“We need to keep working on playing fast and exploiting our speed in transition,” Halfpenny said. “We want to be comfortable in playing fast and the ball flying through the air and through people’s hands on every offensive set.”

And when that ball does get to offense the experience and trust among the players is evident. The attacking corps is an assortment of playmakers that is difficult to contain: junior Maddie Howe (59 goals), graduate student Samantha Lynch (53 goals) and senior Jessi Masinko (18 goals, 18 assists).

“This team plays with such passion [when Howe scores],” Halfpenny said. “She’s an intense player. She’s an incredible, unique skill set. The thing that’s she’s grown the most in is sharing her passion. Her body language can get people going. She celebrates with fire. She has really grown in that area to translate her message to her team.”

Halfpenny is expecting the maturity and positive culture to close out tight games that prevented the Fighting Irish from hosting NCAA games last season. Geography partially dictated that Notre Dame head to eventual semifinalist Northwestern, and Halfpenny knows winning leads to the Irish hosting.

“Falling in the second round to a final four opponent teaches us how important every game is in the regular season,” Halfpenny said. “If we win, the NCAA tourney runs through South Bend. A couple one-goal games prevented the committee from sending it to us. The Syracuse and Duke losses, a couple plays here or there, is incredibly motivating for us. If we do things the right way, we can make that argument for us.”

With a veteran squad and immense confidence, the Fighting Irish have the pieces in place to be one of the coveted eight teams hosting in the NCAA tournament.

Projected Starters

A – Maddie Howe – Jr. – 59 G, 19 A
A – Samantha Lynch – Gr. – 53 G, 22 GB
A – Jessi Masinko – Sr. – 18 A, 24 GB
M – Andie Aldave – Jr. – 47 G, 152 DC
M – Savannah Buchanan – Sr. – 71 DC, 38 GB
M – Hannah Dorney – So. – 16 G, 16 GB
M – Diana Kelly – Jr. – 34 GB, 20 CT
M – Kasey Choma – Fr. – 71 G (high school)
D – Makenna Pearsall – Gr. – 29 GB, 25 CT
D – Kathleen Roe – Sr. – 31 DC, 21 CT
D – Kelly Donnelly – Sr.  – 12 GB, 10 CT
GK – Bridget Deehan – Jr. – 5.60 GAA, 44.2 SV%

Tewaaraton Watch
Andie Aldave, M, Jr.

A true triple-threat, Aldave makes her presence known everywhere on the field. Aldave will be one of the top three draw-takers in the game this season while slotting home dozens of goals. The All-American has improved each of her first two seasons in South Bend, and if the trend continues, expect her to be one of the five finalists in Washington this May.

X Factor
Bridget Deehan, GK, Jr.

The junior goalkeeper is fronted by one of the nation’s best defenses. Nevertheless, if Deehan puts forth a season of performances similar to her reserve outing against Northwestern in the NCAA tournament (career-high 11 saves in 47 minutes), the Fighting Irish will not miss a step with the departure of All-American Samantha Giacolone.

National Rankings

11.25

Caused turnovers per game in 2019, which ranked 12th in the nation and was an improvement of three per game. After a disappointing 2018 season that saw injuries decimate parts of the defense, the Irish rebounded with its best showing in the category since 2016 (14.0 per game, 1st nationally). An experienced, hyper-aggressive unit will be relied upon for a high yield of turnovers in front of a relatively green goalie.

Enemy Lines

“Notre Dame is another one, very similar to Syracuse, they pretty much return their whole team. They have the No. 1 recruiting class. They have some really strong recruits. Madison Ahearn, Kasey Choma and a few others, and I think they’re going to be real strong. They’re going to be really strong. I think you’ll see them make waves in the ACC this year.”