LEBANON, Ill. – Head Coach Natalie Simpson has announced on Friday, December 5th, the women's lacrosse season schedule for the 2026 season.
This will be season number 14th for the program, and year number seven as a member of the Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC). The 2026 season will also mark Simpson's fourth year at the helm, accumulating 18 wins in the previous three.
McKendree will get a little tune-up going prior to beginning the regular season with a home exhibition against the University of Health Sciences & Pharmacy on Saturday, February 7th at 12:00 PM CT, where fans can see their Bearcats in action for the first time in the spring.
To begin the regular season, the team will head up north for a pair of Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (GLIAC) opponents, with Northern Michigan University being on tap first on Thursday, February 19th, and followed by a matchup with Concordia University, St. Paul on Sunday, February 22nd.
The Bearcats will make their official home opener against Thomas More University on Saturday, February 28th at 12:00 PM CT at Leemon Field, as it will be the first of a two-game home stand, with the second being versus the University of Findlay the following Wednesday, March 4th.
After McKendree makes their initial home-field showing, they will become road warriors for approximately a month, as they will have their eyes set on Colorado, with the first of three games in the Centennial State to be played at the University of Colorado Colorado Springs on Sunday, March 8th. Colorado State University Pueblo will host the Bearcats in their last two games in the state, as the team will face Fort Lewis College on March 10th and will take on the ThunderWolves on March 12th.
The team will put a wrap on their extensive road trip with their second journey to the state of Michigan and take on Northwood University out of the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) on March 26th, and later at Saginaw Valley State University on March 28th.
The Bearcats will put a bow on their non-conference slate at home, where they will face Dominican University of California on Tuesday, March 31st at an early 11:00 AM CT start. They will remain at Leemon Field for their GLVC opener with a few days to prepare ad will take place on Saturday, April 4th at 12:00 PM CT against the defending conference champions of Maryville University.
McKendree will get their first taste of road conference action with a two-game swing against Lewis University on April 10th, and then the University of Indianapolis, who made their way into the NCAA tournament semifinals last season, on April 12th.
Fans will tentatively get to see their team for one more weekend, as the Bearcats will host Missouri Western State University on Friday, April 17th at 1:00 PM CT, and will round out with the team's Senior Day against in-state foe Quincy University on Sunday, April 19th at 12:00 PM CT.
Should the Bearcats finish top-four in the conference standings at the end of the regular season, they will earn a spot in the GLVC Women's Lacrosse Championship Tournament. The tournament, which will be hosted by the top overall seed in the bracket, will have semifinal action on Friday, May 1st, as the championship game will be on Sunday, May 3rd.
If McKendree wins the automatic bid by winning the GLVC tournament, or does enough during the regular season, they will get the chance to play in the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse Championships, which will be from May 7th through 23rd with the national semifinals and championship game to be held at the Judson Stadium in Rochester, New York (hosted by Rochester Institute of Technology).
All live stream, live stats, tickets, and other relevant game information links can be found on the teams' schedule at mckbearcats.com.
Make sure to keep up with McKendree University Women's Lacrosse on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram. #GLVCwlax | #D2lax
For more updates and information on Bearcat Athletics, please continue to visit McKBearcats.com and follow us on Facebook, X (Twitter), and Instagram.
#BearcatsUnleashed
