CHESTER, Pa. – Widener women's lacrosse Interim Head Coach Sophie Bass has announced the schedule for the 2023 season which features six home games. The Pride are coming off a 10-8 (5-3 MAC Commonwealth) season. The 2023 team is returning 19 players for the new season which include seniors Katie Ward and Kaely Cristello and sophomores Clark Trowbridge and Chloe Mingioni.
 
"We are super excited about the upcoming season," Bass said. "After competing this fall, the coaching staff has been diligently strategizing the best plan of attack for our roster to be successful. We are returning 19 players from the 2022 season and are confident in our four first-year players who have joined us for this season. We believe our team will display a well-balances offense and a talented defense."
 
Widener plays 17 regular season games in 2023 which show off a full slate of MAC Commonwealth opponents. In conference play, the Blue and Gold face off against York and Messiah, two nationally ranked teams from last year's IWLCA Division III poll. The schedule also boasts Stevenson, another team receiving votes from the IWLCA.
 
The 2023 campaign begins on Wednesday, February 22 at Arcadia, followed by a match at Swarthmore three days later. The Pride's debut the 2023 team at home on March 1 against nationally ranked Haverford.
 
From March 7-29, the Pride embark on a six-game road trip. Their first stop is in Clearwater Beach, Fl. to take on Drew. After returning to Pa., Widener makes stops at Cabrini and Immaculata on March 11 and 15 respectively. The Pride then take on Shenandoah in Winchester, Va., on the March 18. Following Shenandoah, they earn a week to prepare for Misericordia on the March 25. The sixth and final stop is at Lebanon Valley. That game starts a string of eight consecutive MAC Commonwealth opponents.
 
Widener will host Eastern and Hood in early April and Alvernia a couple weeks later on April 19.
 
As far as conference play goes Bass analyzes "the MAC to be a tough conference to compete in with each season becoming more and more challenging."  As a coaching staff "we try to prepare our team as best as possible by playing competitive teams in and out of the conference. Our non-conference schedule is just as challenging with Cabrini on the road and the addition of Haverford who came out of 2022 ranked in the IWLCA poll."
 
Widener wraps up the regular season with a home game against 2022 IWLCA Division III ranked York on April 29.
 
The MAC Commonwealth tournament is set for a May 1 #4 vs. #5 play-in game with the championship game scheduled for May 6.
 
To view the entire 2023 schedule, click here.