Spring is almost upon us, which means college lax is officially back. As the 2020 season gets underway, we’ve got a list of the ten players you should expect to see filling up the stat sheets, taking home some hardware, and leading their teams on deep tournament runs come May.

1. Jamie Ortega, University of North Carolina, Junior

Named the US Lacrosse Magazine Preseason Player of the Year, Ortega holds UNC’s single-season record with 81 goals. She was named MVP of the 2019 ACC tournament after putting up a school-record 12 points in the Tarheel’s championship victory. Known for making big plays in big moments, Ortega was also named to the 2019 All-NCAA Tournament Team after racking up five goals and two assists in the semifinal game. Our prediction: Ortega takes home this year’s Tewaaraton (Player of the Year Award) as she extends her reign as one of the greatest offensive threats in the country.

2. Kali Hartshorn, University of Maryland, Senior

Hartshorn has dominated the past few seasons as a draw control specialist and a goal scorer, recording at least 100 draws controls and 35 goals each season since her freshman year. She’s on track to surpass the draw control record of Maryland legend – and perhaps the greatest college lacrosse player ever – Taylor Cummings. After recording 137 draw controls and putting up an impressive 48 goals last year, Hartshorn will have a chance to beat Cummings’ single-season record for draw controls in Maryland history this year (144). Whether or not she hits that mark, expect her to still net her fair share of head-turning goals.

3. Charlotte North, Boston College, Junior

North is one of the best ball-handlers in the game right now (and here’s the proof). A recent transfer from Duke, she led the Blue Devils with 59 and 82 goals as a freshman and sophomore, respectively. Now she’ll have a chance to be BC’s main offensive threat, after the Eagles graduated most of their top scorers from last year. A walking highlight-reel, expect North to come out firing as she looks to find a rhythm with her new teammates.

brb watching this one million times pic.twitter.com/Az8sR3j0GU

— US Lacrosse Magazine (@USLacrosseMag) January 22, 2020

4. Brindi Griffin, University of Maryland, Senior

In 2019, she led her team in assists and scored a hat-trick in the Terps’ 2019 National Championship win. Griffin’s playing style is similar to her sister Brooke’s, a former two-time All-American and National Champion at Maryland, as both excell at feeding and dodging to the goal. While she hasn’t yet been recognized as an All-American, don’t be surprised to see her end up on the first team this year as she establishes herself as the leader of Maryland’s offense while continuing to put up goals like this:

Brindi Griffin and Caroline Steele brought out the fancy stuff last night ???? #FearTheTurtle pic.twitter.com/vKawH8ky1c

— Maryland Women's Lacrosse (@MarylandWLax) May 19, 2019

5. Katie Hoeg, University of North Carolina, Senior

Last season, Hoeg clocked 73 single-season assists, breaking her own single-season school record of 50 set the year prior. Named an IWLCA second-team All-American, Hoeg became the second Tarheel to ever record 104 points in a season, joining fellow attacker Jamie Ortega. After last year’s loss in the NCAA semifinals, you better believe Hoeg will be hungry for a title this year. If her and Ortega can continue to find each other, expect UNC’s offense to be just about unstoppable.

6. Ali Biacco, Stanford University, Junior

Biacco has almost single-handedly transformed the once-sluggish Stanford offense since arriving as a freshmen, turning the Cardinal attack into a well-oiled machine defined by quick execution and crisp transition play. Biacco won the Pac-12 Freshman of the Year Award in 2018 before leading the Pac-12 with an astonishing 80 goals (and nine hat tricks) as a sophomore. Under the guidance of new offensive coordinator Megan Whittle, a three-time All American at Maryland, expect Biacco to push the tempo as she looks for creative ways to score against defenses committed to shutting her off.

???? trick alert ????

Ali Baiocco's quick goal extends @StanfordWLax's lead! pic.twitter.com/mm5lh7aEVc

— Pac-12 Network (@Pac12Network) April 29, 2018

7. Quinton Hoch-Bullen, University of Denver, Junior

Hailing from Canada, Hoch-Bullen is best known for her otherworldly stick skills. In 2019, she was named the Big East Attacker of the Year and ended the season with 59 goals. In an especially memorable performance, Hoch-Bullen netted a team-high five goals against Michigan in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, ultimately leading Denver to its first-ever NCAA Quarterfinal appearance. Expect her to repeat as Big East Attacker of the Year this year as she helps Denver reclaim the league championship after just falling short in double overtime last year.

Molly Little starts the break with the turnover and gets the give and go from Quintin Hoch-Bullen for the goal.

Denver 7, Georgetown 4 | 26:10 pic.twitter.com/p88eMWTbqA

— Denver Women’s Lacrosse (@DU_WLAX) May 4, 2018

8. Kerrigan Miller, University of Southern California, Senior

When all is said and done, Miller might go down as one of the best west coast lacrosse players of all time – and it’s not hard to see why. Last season, Kerrigan made waves as one of youngest players to play for the US National Team in the Spring Premiere. She then went on to lead the Pac-12 in caused turnovers (a whopping 41) while repeating as the league’s Midfielder of the Year. Expect her to both be a Tewaaraton finalist and claim her first All-American First Team award as she continues to captain USC’s offense.

9. Emma Trenchhard, University of North Carolina, Junior

The reigning ACC Defender of the Year, Trenchard will once again be one of the top defensive players in the game this year. In 2019, Trenchard recorded 24 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers while regularly shutting down the other team’s best player. After spending her off-season training with Team USA, expect Trenchard to anchor the best defense in the country alongside Kayla Wood and Catie Woodruff as the Tarheels look to secure their third NCAA title.

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10. Sam Fish, Princeton University, Junior

A one-woman brick wall, Fish gained national attention last year in the 2019 Quarterfinals when she stopped a record nine goals against then No. 1 Boston College. With 192 saves and a .482 save percentage, she went on to win IVY League Goalie of the Year, solidifying her reputation as one of the best netminders in all of college. Look for her to be the backbone of a Princeton team that may just surprise a few people come tournament time.

Talk about keeping your eye on the ball... Princeton women's lacrosse goalie Sam Fish, all over it! #lacrosse pic.twitter.com/EYPCpSaGKm

— Patrick Tewey Photos (@PatrickTewey) April 8, 2018

The Women's Super League (WSL) is growing, with the UK league's top two flights deciding in a Monday expansion vote to enlarge its top tier from 12 to 14 teams ahead of the 2026/27 season.

The number of matches played each season will also balloon from 22 to 26 games to accommodate the incoming clubs, as will established cup competitions.

Monday also saw the WSL vote down a prior proposal to temporarily suspend the relegation and promotion process to accommodate this expansion, deciding instead to adopt a "two up, one down" model for the second-tier WSL2 next season.

As such, the top two finishers of the 2025/26 WSL2 season will automatically join the higher-tier WSL, while the WSL's last-place team will battle the WSL2's third-place club in "a high-profile, high stakes match" for the final spot in the top flight.

After reaching 14 teams, both leagues will return to relegating the last-place WSL finisher while promoting the WSL2's top team for the following season.

Along with the increased investment in club infrastructure, a 14-team WSL keeps pace with the global women's game — most notably, the NWSL, which will become a 16-team league in 2026.

"Our priority was to find a route that would benefit the whole women's game pyramid, and we believe this next evolution of women's professional football will raise minimum standards, create distinction, and incentivize investment across the board," said WSL Football CEO Nikki Doucet.

With EuroBasket set to tip off on Wednesday and injuries mounting league-wide, WNBA teams are filling out dwindling rosters with more short-term contracts — and calling back some familiar faces along the way.

While some European standouts withdrew from EuroBasket consideration — including Phoenix's Satou Sabally and Seattle's Gabby Williams — others, like New York's Leonie Fiebich and Golden State's Temi Fagbenle, will join their national teams for the regional FIBA tournament through the end of June.

Due to these planned absences, WNBA teams temporarily suspend their EuroBasket players' contracts, allowing squads to add others to their rosters.

Players signed due to temporary absences are technically on rest-of-season deals, though the agreements can end whenever the missing athletes return.

In contrast, the league requires that teams release any hardship signings due to injury once squads tally enough healthy original players to satisfy the WNBA's 10-athlete roster minimum.

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Featuring a lineup stacked with international talent, Golden State made the most transactions this week, temporarily suspending four regular contracts as 2025 EuroBasket stars departed for the annual competition.

To bolster their depleted bench, the Valkyries brought back 2025 WNBA Draft Cinderella pick Kaitlyn Chen and recent training camp participant Laeticia Amihere on short-term contracts, in addition to guard Aerial Powers and forward Chloe Bibby.

Elsewhere, after losing forward Maddy Siegrist to injury and temporarily suspending the contracts of centers Teaira McCowan and Luisa Geiselsöder, Dallas acquired center Li Yueru from Seattle — with the Wings possibly needing additional hardship signings in the coming days.

The Storm snagged two future draft picks in the Saturday deal — a second-round selection in 2026 and a third-round pick in 2027.

Ultimately, teams are striving to find a balance between stocking up and maintaining consistency, all while operating under the WNBA's roster constraints — with further league expansion fast approaching.

The 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup will wrap up its conference play on Tuesday, as both Eastern and Western teams battle for a ticket to the in-season competition's championship game — and a cut of the $500,000 prize pool.

With 12 of the league's 13 teams facing off across Tuesday's WNBA courts, the results will set the stage by minting the two squads who will battle in the July 1st final showdown.

Reigning Commissioner's Cup champs Minnesota have the West's easiest path, as a win over the Las Vegas Aces will send the Lynx to a second straight final.

Should the Lynx fall to the Aces, however, Seattle can grab the Western Conference berth by beating the Los Angeles Sparks.

Meanwhile in the East, a surging Atlanta could land a trip to the final by topping New York, while the Liberty need both a win over the Dream plus a loss by the Indiana Fever to clinch their own return ticket to the Cup's grand finale.

If New York does take down Atlanta, the Fever could advance to the team's first-ever Commissioner's Cup final by beating the struggling Connecticut Sun.

How to watch Tuesday's 2025 WNBA Commissioner's Cup games

All of Tuesday's six WNBA games count toward the 2025 Commissioner's Cup tally.

The action begins with the Atlanta Dream tipping off against the New York Liberty while the Indiana Fever battles the Connecticut Sun at 7 PM ET, live on WNBA League Pass.

Chicago Sky star Angel Reese made headlines this week, with the second-year WNBA forward announcing that she has trademarked word "mebounds" — a slang term opposing fans use to describe Reese rebounding her own missed shots.

"Whoever came up with the 'mebounds' thing, y’all ate that up, because mebounds, rebounds, keybounds...anything that comes off that board, it's mine," Reese said in a TikTok video on Saturday.

"And a brand? That's six figures right there," she continued, referencing her trademark application. "The trolling — I love when y'all do it because the ideas be good!"

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Currently averaging 11.9 boards per matchup, Reese is leading the WNBA in rebounds for the second straight season.

Her rookie campaign saw Reese average 13.1 boards per game, a rate that set a single-season league record. She also blasted through the WNBA's consecutive double-double record last season, claiming it with 10 straight before extending it to an impressive 15 games.

Along with the average rebounds record, Reese also broke the single-season total rebounds record previously held by retired Minnesota Lynx legend Sylvia Fowles — a mark that was later surpassed by 2024 MVP A'ja Wilson following Reese's season-ending wrist injury.

"Statistically, all the rebounds that I get aren't always just mine," Reese added in her Saturday social media post. "They're the defense's, too, or somebody else on my team."