April 24, 2001

NOTRE DAME, Ind. — The Notre Dame women’s lacrosse team, with an 8-4 record and wins over a pair of ranked opponents this season, has entered the national rankings for the first time in its five-year history as a varsity sport. The Irish stand 18th in the latest Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association poll and moved into the poll on the strength of their 9-6 win at seventh-ranked Yale last week. Notre Dame will take to the field as a ranked team for the first time when it plays host to Ohio State at 4:00 p.m. on Wed., April 25, at Moose Krause Stadium.

“We really are excited about the ranking and gratified at seeing our hard work paying off,” said fifth-year Irish head coach Tracy Coyne, also head coach of the Canadian national team for the 2001 World Cup. “Earning our first national ranking marks another step for the program in our goal of becoming one of the elite programs in the country.”

The women’s lacrosse team has become Notre Dame’s 16th sport (out of 22 possible) to be ranked in the national top 20 this year and the sixth of the six Irish spring team sports to be ranked, joining baseball (currently ranked first), men’s lacrosse (second), women’s tennis (seventh), softball (11th) and men’s tennis (12th). The varsity eight boat of the Irish rowing team also is ranked 16th.