| Stony Brook Seawolves women's lacrosse | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founded | 2003; 22 years ago (2003) |
| University | Stony Brook University |
| Head coach | Joe Spallina (13th season) |
| Stadium | Kenneth P. LaValle Stadium (capacity: 12,300) |
| Location | Stony Brook, New York |
| Conference | Colonial Athletic Association |
| Nickname | Seawolves |
| Colors | Red, blue, and gray[1] |
| NCAA Tournament appearances | |
| 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |
| Conference Tournament championships | |
| 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |
| Conference regular season championships | |
| 2007, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 | |
TheStony Brook Seawolves women's lacrosse team is acollegewomen's lacrosse program representingStony Brook University. The school competes in theCoastal Athletic Association (CAA) inDivision I of theNational Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The team plays its home games atKenneth P. LaValle Stadium, located on the university's campus inStony Brook, New York.
Stony Brook has appeared in 12 consecutiveNCAA Tournaments since 2013, advancing to the quarterfinals four times. Stony Brook completed an undefeated regular season in 2018, in which the Seawolves were ranked at No. 1 in all major polls for nearly the entire year. From 2017 to 2019, Stony Brook won 29 straight regular season games. The Seawolves currently own a 69-game winning streak in conference play, the longest active streak in any Division I sport,[2] and a 38-game home win streak, the longest active in Division I women's lacrosse.[3]
Under head coach Joe Spallina, Stony Brook has built an identity of a national powerhouse constructed out of overlooked Long Island recruits.[4][5]Kylie Ohlmiller, who played for Stony Brook from 2015 to 2018, holds both the NCAA career and single season records for points and assists.[6] Courtney Murphy, who played for Stony Brook from 2014 to 2018, broke the NCAA career and single season records for goals.[7]
Stony Brook University formed their women's lacrosse team in 2001 with Danie Caro as their first head coach, with the announcement that the program would begin play during the 2003 season.[8] In the team's first season, the Seawolves finished in third place in the conference but advanced to the semifinals in the America East playoffs, losing 15–4 toBoston University.[9]
Caro left the program in 2005 and was replaced by formerMaryland player and four-time national champion Allison Comito.[9] Under Comito, the Seawolves returned to the semifinal round of the America East playoffs in both 2006 and 2007.[10] The 2007 team went 13–4, the first time Stony Brook had won double-digit games, and the team tied for first place in the America East.[10] Comito resigned following the 2011 season, amassing a 42–54 record in her six-year tenure as head coach.[11]
Joe Spallina, who had won three straight Division II titles as the coach atAdelphi University, succeeded Comito.[12] In Spallina's first season, the Seawolves improved their win total by ten, from 4 to 14, as the Seawolves finished second in the America East. Stony Brook defeatedUMBC 9–7 in the America East semifinals before losing toAlbany in the conference finals, falling one game short of their first NCAA Tournament.[13] Stony Brook finished with a 14–5 record in Spallina's first season as head coach.
Stony Brook had their most successful season yet in 2013, going undefeated in conference play for the first time, winning their second regular season conference championship and beatingVermont 18–4 and Albany 14–3 in the America East playoffs to win their first America East Tournament and advance to their first NCAA Tournament.[14] There, they defeatedTowson 8–6 in the first round for their first NCAA Tournament victory but lost in the second round to No. 1Maryland.[15][16] Still, the team's final 17–3 record bore the program the most single-season wins to date, beginning the first of six consecutive conference championships. For the first time in team history, Stony Brook was ranked Top 10 in a major national poll.[17] Also on March 9, 2013 againstLongwood, Claire Petersen set the NCAA single-game assist record with 11.[18]
Stony Brook returned to the NCAA Tournament in 2014 after a 17–4 season where they tied for first place in the America East regular season, including victories overNew Hampshire and Albany in the America East playoffs.[19] In the first round, the Seawolves faced Towson again and won 10–8, advancing to the second round where they lost toSyracuse. Spallina became Stony Brook's all-time winningest coach after the season.[20]
In 2015, the first season whichKylie Ohlmiller and Courtney Murphy played together, Stony Brook finished with an 18–2 record.[21] On March 17, the Seawolves beat No. 6/7Florida on the road inGainesville, the team's first victory over a Top 10-ranked opponent in program history.[22] They started the season 11–0 before losing to No. 20Johns Hopkins.[23] After disposing ofUMBC andAlbany in the America East Tournament, Stony Brook earned the No. 6 seed in their third straight NCAA Tournament appearance. Coming out of a first round bye, the Seawolves lost 8–4 toPrinceton.[24]
Stony Brook entered the 2016 season ranked No. 11/8.[25] Although they lost to ranked opponents Florida,Northwestern, andUSC to start the season 2–3, the Seawolves would embark on a 15-game winning streak, including wins against No. 9/8Stanford and No. 20 Johns Hopkins. Stony Brook captured their fourth straight America East title after defeatingNew Hampshire and Albany in the America East Playoffs; the finals victory came on a last-second comeback.[26] Stony Brook beatBoston College 11–9 in the first round of the NCAA Tournament before losing 7–6 to No. 4–seededSyracuse in the second round.[27] Murphy broke the NCAA single-season record with 100 goals.[28]
Preseason polls ranked Stony Brook at No. 6/5 to begin the 2017 season.[29] Their lone regular season loss came on March 11, 2017 at No. 3 Florida.[30] Murphytore her ACL four games into her senior season, but earned an extra year of eligibility.[31] Sweeping the America East for the third consecutive year, Stony Brook beat ranked opponents such as No. 12 Northwestern, No. 9 USC, and No. 4Colorado before taking down New Hampshire and Albany in the America East playoffs to win their fifth straight conference title and NCAA Tournament appearance. Stony Brook was seeded eighth in a controversial move that was later attributed to New York governorAndrew Cuomo's state-sanctioned travel ban to the state ofNorth Carolina due to thePublic Facilities Privacy & Security Act.[32][33][34] The Seawolves defeatedBryant 21–6 in the first round and Northwestern 13–9 in the second round to advance to the first NCAA Quarterfinal in program history, where they lost to undefeated No. 1–seededMaryland 13–12. Stony Brook, despite leading 11–7, could not pull off the upset victory.[35] With 164 points and 86 assists, Kylie Ohlmiller broke the previous NCAA single-season records in both statistics.[36]
Stony Brook was ranked No. 2 to enter the 2018 season, which began with victories against No. 5 USC, No. 23Stanford, No. 20Denver, No. 8 Northwestern, and No. 13Towson. After starting the season 3–0, Stony Brook earned the No. 1 ranking in all three major polls because former No. 1 Maryland lost in overtime toNorth Carolina.[37] Stony Brook ended the regular season undefeated at 17–0 and beat New Hampshire and Albany in the America East Playoffs to win their sixth straight conference title.[38] Despite a 19–0 record, Stony Brook controversially earned the No. 5 seed in the NCAA Tournament.[39] They defeatedPenn 18–5 in the second round.[40] In the quarterfinals, Stony Brook battled fourth-seededBoston College to double overtime before losing 12–11 on a last-second goal.[41]
The 2019 season, the team's first since graduatingKylie Ohlmiller, began with a No. 4/6 ranking and a victory against No. 13Colorado.[42] However, the Seawolves lost at No. 16Denver on February 24, snapping their 29–game regular season winning streak.[43] On March 3, Stony Brook lost 15–12 at home toStanford, breaking the team's 33–game home winning streak.[44] Spallina earned his 200th victory on March 16, 2019 againstCornell.[45] After a 11–10 home loss to No. 20Florida, Stony Brook was unranked but re-entered the polls following defeats of No. 17Johns Hopkins and No. 14USC. The Seawolves swept America East play for the fifth consecutive season to win their seventh straight regular season title.[46] In the America East playoffs, Stony Brook took downUMBC andAlbany to win their seventh straight America East championship.[47] In the first round of the NCAA Tournament, Stony Brook upset defending championsJames Madison 10–9 in overtime.[48] In the second round, Stony Brook jumped out to a quick 4–0 lead against No. 1Maryland, but ultimately lost 17–8 to snap their 12-game winning streak and end their season.[49]
In 2020, Stony Brook began the season ranked No. 12, and upset No. 4Syracuse in theCarrier Dome 17–16 in the season opener.[50] They beatOhio State 20–7 to move up to No. 3 in the rankings before losing to No. 8 Florida on the road. Stony Brook rebounded with home victories overTowson and No. 11Princeton.[51] On March 12, the NCAA cancelled all spring sports due to theCOVID-19 pandemic. Stony Brook ended the season with a 4–1 record and ranked at No. 5 in all three national polls.[52]
In the 2021 season opener, Stony Brook lost 14–7 to No. 1North Carolina.[53] The Seawolves beat No. 15 USC 15–3, lost to No. 2 Syracuse 16–6 and rebounded by beating No. 16 Towson 10–8.[54][55] Stony Brook went undefeated in conference play again and easily won the conference tournament to enter the NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed on a 12-game win streak.[56] Stony Brook beat Towson 14–8 in the first round andRutgers 20–8 in the second round to set up a rematch with top-seeded North Carolina in the quarterfinals.[57][58] The Seawolves led 11–9 late and were eight minutes away from their first Final Four in program history, but the Tar Heels came back to win 14–11 and snap Stony Brook's 14-game win streak, ending their season at 16–3.[59]
Before the season, Spallina's contract was extended through 2026.[60] In the 2022 opener, No. 4 Stony Brook lost to No. 3 Syracuse 12–11 at the Carrier Dome.[61] They beat No. 11 Florida 14–13 then lost to No. 5 Northwestern 16–12, both on the road.[62][63] Then, Stony Brook won 14 straight games, including ranked wins over No. 16 Johns Hopkins, No. 10 Princeton and No. 24 Yale.[64][65][66] TheAmerica East Conference banned Stony Brook from the conference tournament because of its impending move to theColonial Athletic Association, marking the first time since 2012 that the Seawolves did not win it.[67] However, Stony Brook earned an at-large bid to the2022 NCAA Tournament as the No. 8 seed, beating Drexel and Rutgers to rematch No. 1 North Carolina in the quarterfinals.[68][69] UNC won again, 8–5.[70]
In Stony Brook's first year as a member of theColonial Athletic Association, the 2023 Seawolves began 4–0 with ranked wins over No. 18Michigan, No. 21Yale and No. 17Stanford before falling at No. 3Northwestern and No. 1Syracuse.[71][72][73][74][75] On April 12, Stony Brook lost 12–7 atRutgers, the program's first loss to an unranked team since 2019.[76] The Seawolves finished 7–0 in CAA play and also won the CAA Tournament in their first year, beatingDelaware 18–6 in the quarterfinals andTowson 19–4 in the championship game.[77][78] Stony Brook broke the record for most goals scored and margin of victory in a CAA title game.[79] However, Stony Brook was unseeded in the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019.[80] Stony Brook beatPenn State 12–8 in the first round[81] but lost to eight-seedLoyola 9–8 in the second round, the first time the Seawolves did not advance past that stage since 2019.[80]
On March 5, 2024, No. 12 Stony Brook upset No. 5 Syracuse 13–12 in overtime at theJMA Wireless Dome, the program's fifth-ever win against a top-five opponent.[82]
Reference:[83]
| Record | Amount | Player | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 341* | Courtney Murphy | 2014–18 |
| Assists | 246* | Kylie Ohlmiller | 2015–18 |
| Points | 498* | Kylie Ohlmiller | 2015–18 |
| Ground balls | 189 | Kaitlin Leggio | 2006–09 |
| Draw controls | 390 | Ellie Masera | 2021–24 |
| Caused turnovers | 125 | Danielle Werner | 2003–06 |
An asterisk indicates the all-time NCAA record.[10]
| Record | Amount | Player | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Goals | 100* | Courtney Murphy | 2016 |
| Assists | 86* | Kylie Ohlmiller | 2017 |
| Points | 164* | Kylie Ohlmiller | 2017 |
| Ground balls | 73 | Beth Arikian | 2003 |
| Draw controls | 145 | Ellie Masera | 2024 |
| Caused turnovers | 66 | Avery Hines | 2024 |
An asterisk indicates the all-time NCAA record.[10]
| Season | Coach | Overall | Conference | Standing | Postseason | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| NCAA Division I(America East Conference)(2003–2022) | |||||||||
| 2003 | Danie Caro | 7–10 | 2–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 2004 | Danie Caro | 6–9 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 2005 | Danie Caro | 8–7 | 2–4 | 5th | |||||
| 2006 | Allison Comito | 9–9 | 4–2 | T-3rd | |||||
| 2007 | Allison Comito | 13–4 | 5–1 | T–1st | |||||
| 2008 | Allison Comito | 9–6 | 2–4 | T–4th | |||||
| 2009 | Allison Comito | 4–12 | 1–5 | 6th | |||||
| 2010 | Allison Comito | 3–12 | 1–5 | T–5th | |||||
| 2011 | Allison Comito | 4–11 | 1–5 | T–6th | |||||
| 2012 | Joe Spallina | 14–5 | 5–1 | 2nd | |||||
| 2013 | Joe Spallina | 17–3 | 6–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2014 | Joe Spallina | 17–4 | 4–1 | T–1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2015 | Joe Spallina | 18–2 | 6–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2016 | Joe Spallina | 17–4 | 6–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2017 | Joe Spallina | 20–2 | 6–0 | 1st | NCAA Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2018 | Joe Spallina | 20–1 | 7–0 | 1st | NCAA Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2019 | Joe Spallina | 16–5 | 7–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2020 | Joe Spallina | 4–1 | 0–0 | Season canceled due toCOVID-19 | |||||
| 2021 | Joe Spallina | 16–3 | 8–0 | 1st | NCAA Quarterfinal | ||||
| 2022 | Joe Spallina | 16–3 | 6–0 | 1st | NCAA Quarterfinal | ||||
| NCAA Division I(Colonial/Coastal Athletic Association)(2023–present) | |||||||||
| 2023 | Joe Spallina | 15–4 | 7–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2024 | Joe Spallina | 18–3 | 8–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| 2025 | Joe Spallina | 16–5 | 8–0 | 1st | NCAA Second Round | ||||
| Total: | 287–125 (.697) | ||||||||
National champion Postseason invitational champion | |||||||||
The Seawolves have appeared in 11 NCAA tournaments. Their postseason record is 13–11.[84]
| Year | Seed | Round | Opponent | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | – | First Round Second Round | Towson #1Maryland | W, 8–6 L, 3–11 |
| 2014 | – | First Round Second Round | Towson #2Syracuse | W, 10–8 L, 6–13 |
| 2015 | #6 | Second Round | Princeton | L, 4–8 |
| 2016 | – | First Round Second Round | Boston College #4Syracuse | W, 11–9 L, 6–7 |
| 2017 | #8 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Bryant Northwestern #1Maryland | W, 21–6 W, 13–9 L, 12–13 |
| 2018 | #5 | Second Round Quarterfinal | Penn #4Boston College | W, 18–5 L, 11–12 (2OT) |
| 2019 | – | First Round Second Round | James Madison #1Maryland | W, 10–9 (OT) L, 8–17 |
| 2021 | #8 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Towson Rutgers #1North Carolina | W, 14–8 W, 20–8 L, 11–14 |
| 2022 | #8 | First Round Second Round Quarterfinal | Drexel Rutgers #1North Carolina | W, 16–4 W, 11–7 L, 5–8 |
| 2023 | – | First Round Second Round | Penn State #8Loyola | W, 12–8 L, 8–9 |
| 2024 | – | First Round Second Round | Niagara #3Syracuse | W, 19–7 L, 10–15 |
| 2025 | – | First Round Second Round | Loyola #2Boston College | W, 11–8 L, 7–10 |
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