Michigan
Detroit Mercy
Michigan to Open Season Against Detroit Mercy, No. 5 Notre Dame
2/9/2022 9:58:00 AM | Women's Lacrosse
» Michigan opens its season with a pair of games, starting with Detroit Mercy in Pontiac, Mich.
» The Wolverines will get tested early with a road contest against No. 5 Notre Dame.
» U-M enters the 2022 season at No. 23 in the Inside Lacrosse and IWLCA Preseason Coaches' Polls.
THIS WEEK
Friday, Feb. 11 -- vs. Detroit Mercy (Pontiac, Mich.), 9 p.m.
Live Stats
Sunday, Feb. 13 -- at #5 Notre Dame (South Bend, Ind.) 6 p.m.
TV: ACC Network | Live Stats | Live Video
• Complete Notes (PDF)
• Social Media: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 23-ranked University of Michigan women's lacrosse team opens the 2022 season away from Ann Arbor as it first travels to Pontiac, Mich., for a contest against Detroit Mercy on Friday (Feb. 11) at 9 p.m. at UWM Sports Complex. On Sunday (Feb. 13) the Wolverines will take on No. 5 Notre Dame at 6 p.m. in South Bend, Ind. Sunday's matchup will be broadcast live on ACC Network.
Wolverine Bites
• With the 2020 season cut short due to the COVID-19 pandemic, athletes were given the choice to return for an extra season. Fifth-year senior Caitlin Muir, along with graduate students Arielle Weissman and Katherine Galzerano have opted to take that year and play with the Wolverines this season.
• Michigan comes into the season ranked 23rd in both the IWLCA and Inside Lacrosse polls. The Wolverines return 28 letterwinners from the 2021 campaign and add eight newcomers to the roster.
• Fifth-year senior Caitlin Muir, senior Kaitlyn Mead and sophomore Maddie Burns were named Michigan's Big Ten Players to Watch this season. Muir returns for her fifth season after leading U-M with 46 points (23 goals, 23 assists) and being a named to the Tewaaraton Watch List in 2021. Mead won a team-best 36 draw controls in 2021, while scoring 15 goals and adding five assists. Burns burst onto the defensive scene, playing in all 12 games with nine starts, 10 ground balls and seven caused turnovers.
• Head coach Hannah Nielsen brought in eight freshmen and one transfer for the 2022 season. The 2022 class includes: transfer midfielder Lily Montemarano, midfielders Jane Fetterolf, Katharine Merrifield, Jill Smith and Julia Schwabe, defenders Haley Polk and Maya Rutherford, attacker Kaylee Dyer, and goalkeeper Erin O'Grady.
• Graduate student Arielle Weissman, fifth-year senior Caitlin Muir, and seniors Erin Garvey, Kaitlyn Mead and Morgan Whitaker were named captains for the 2022 campaign. Weissman started nine games in the cage with 61 saves, including back-to-back 14-save contests at Penn State, while Whitaker helped anchor the backline in her junior season after returning from injury. Garvey appeared in 11 games, scoring six goals and adding six assists, while Mead was a 2021 All-Big Ten At-Large selection. Muir led the Wolverines with 46 points and was a 2021 second team All-Big Ten selection.
Opponent Preview
Detroit Mercy
Michigan leads the all-time series 4-0
Michigan is 4-0 all-time against the Titans, having won in both 2018 and 2019 with matching 14-7 scores.
Detroit Mercy went 2-8 in the 2021 season with back-to-back wins over Akron and Youngstown State. The Titans were led by senior Elise Harder, who had a team-best 31 points with 27 goals and four assists. Taryn McManus also returns for her senior season after adding 25 points (13 goals, 12 assists) as a junior. In the cage, Hannah Schrader and Maddie Johnson return after splitting time in 2021 and both making 51 saves.
Notre Dame
Michigan trails the all-time series 3-0
U-M and Notre Dame will face off for the fourth time in the history of the programs, with Michigan looking for its first win. The two teams last faced off in 2018, with the Fighting Irish earning a 14-8 victory.
Notre Dame made it to the NCAA Quarterfinals a year ago, falling to eventual national champion Boston College. The Fighting Irish come in as the No. 5-ranked team nationally after an 11-7 record in 2021 that included five wins over top-20 opponents. The Irish return Jackie Wolak and Kasey Choma, who had 51 and 50 points, respectively, in 2021. In the cage, Bridget Deehan returns after making 167 saves and allowing just 11.78 goals per game in 2021.
Up Next
Friday, Feb. 18 -- vs. Arizona State (U-M Lacrosse Stadium), 4 p.m.
Sunday, Feb. 20 -- at Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio), 1 p.m.
