ELON, N.C – After beginning last season with three straight home contests, the Elon lacrosse team will open their 2024 campaign with three straight games on the road. For the second straight year, the Phoenix will take on the Old Dominion Monarchs in the first game of the season. This time, Elon will travel to Norfolk, Va. to take on the Monarchs at 1:00 p.m.
 
HOW TO FOLLOW

• Live stats are available by CLICKING HERE
• The game will be broadcasted via Monarchs All-Access by CLICKING HERE
• Follow the official social media accounts of Elon Lacrosse:
  • Twitter - @ElonWLax
  • Instagram - @ElonWLax

ABOUT OLD DOMINION

• Old Dominion went 4-13 in 2023, including an 0-6 record in American Athletic Conference action.
• Theresa Walton enters her second season as lacrosse head coach at Old Dominion. Walton was the head coach at Youngstown State for the first two seasons of that program's history and was named Mid-American Conference Coach of the Year in 2022 after leading YSU to a share of the league title.
• Walton had one member named to the AAC second-team all-conference team, which was defender Katie McGrain.
• Old Dominion was picked to finish seventh out of seven teams in the 2024 American Athletic Conference Women's Lacrosse Preseason Coaches' Poll.
• McGrain was selected as a preseason all-conference selection after recording 23 caused turnovers, 43 groundballs and two draw controls. The defender has started in 59-of-60 career games with the Monarchs, and has recorded 45 caused turnovers, 83 groundballs, and 15 draw controls in four seasons with the team.

SERIES HISTORY

• This will be the second ever meeting between Elon and Old Dominion. The first came last year, when the Phoenix fell in a tightly contested battle 12-11.

SEASON OPENERS

• Elon is 6-4 all-time in season openers with the program's last win coming in a 13-9 victory over new conference foe Campbell to begin the 2021 season.
• Elon is also 8-2 all-time in the first road game of the season, with a 14-13 win over George Mason last season serving as the team's last victory in a road opener.
• The Phoenix set a program record with 24 goals in a 24-8 home victory over Kennesaw State to open the 2015 season. Elon has scored at least 20 goals in a game just two other times in program history, including last year's 22-20 win over Campbell.
• Elon has allowed just five goals in a season-opener three times, doing so in a 15-5 victory over Campbell in 2017, an identical 15-5 win over Campbell in 2019, and a 12-5 win over, you guessed it, Campbell in 2020.

HACKETT EARNS CAA PRESEASON RECOGNITION

• Sophomore midfielder Anna Hackett was named to the 2024 CAA Women's Lacrosse Preseason All-Conference honorable mention team.
• Hackett played in all 16 games a year ago, starting each game. She finished second on the team with 32 goals and 34 points.
• She also set a program record by scoring hat tricks in five straight games during one stretch, ending the year with seven total games of three goals or more.
• Hackett ranked 15^th nationally with a .625 free-position conversion rate (10-of-16) and was No. 67 in the country with a shot percentage of .508
• Hackett's 10 free-position goals were tied for second most in program history by a freshman and her 32 goals were fifth-most by a rookie.

TEAM CAPTAINS NAMED

• Head Coach Josh Hexter has named seniors Mikaela Buoscio, Kailee Follette, and Alex Belveal, along with junior Cierra Hopson as captains for the 2024 season.
• Buoscio is going into her third straight season as a captain. In 2023, Buoscio led the team with 15 caused turnovers and was fifth with 17 ground balls, and also had seven draw controls. She also tied the program record with seven caused turnovers in last year's season opener against Old Dominion. On the offensive side, she finished the year with four goals with nine shots on goal.
• Follette will be a team captain for the second consecutive season. She was tied for the team lead with 27 ground balls, adding 17 draw controls and seven caused turnovers in 2023.
• Belveal will be a first time captain after stepping into a bigger role in the 2023 season, playing and starting in all 16 games. She had 10 ground balls and six caused turnovers, committing just three turnovers on the season.
• Hopson played and started in all 16 games in 2023. She led the team with 34 goals, 11 assists and 45 points. She also had a team-high 74 shots and 56 shots on goal.

 
NEWCOMERS

• Elon welcomes 13 freshmen to the 2024 team, including four attackers, five midfielders, three defenders, and one goalie.