BALTIMORE — The 18th-ranked Loyola Greyhounds women's lacrosse team is gearing up for what promises to be one of the most challenging seasons in program history, with their "anyone, anywhere, anytime" motto driving them forward.
WATCH: 18th-ranked Loyola women's lacrosse opens season against Johns Hopkins
The team opens its 2026 campaign on Wednesday evening against eighth-ranked Johns Hopkins in the 25th Battle of Charles Street at 4 p.m. at Homewood Field.
Despite being a young squad with 20 underclassmen and 13 newcomers, the Greyhounds are confident in their leadership core. Senior captain Elisa Faklaris is coming off a career year, having scored 51 goals on a 63% shooting percentage last season.
"This year is really special. We have, like all the girls working so hard. Everyone's a contributor in so many different ways, and I think that really helps us build on and off the field," Faklaris said.
Fellow senior captain Cydney Lisk, who started in all 20 games last season, is embracing her leadership role on the veteran-light roster.
"At first it was definitely weird, considering, you know, looking back, it's looking at the locker room and seeing that I am a senior now and newbies coming in. It's definitely a role that you're not ready for, but then just like the freshmen that we have, it's just been super welcoming, and our coaches have the confidence in our senior class and even our juniors for us to be put in that position," Lisk said.
Head coach Jen Adams enters her 18th year at the helm of the program. She's coming off another Patriot League Coach of the Year honor – her seventh – and has led the team to 11 straight regular-season conference championships.
This season, Adams' young team will face a brutal early schedule, with three of their first four matchups coming against top 10 teams.
"We're of the mentality, anyone, anywhere, anytime. And so for us, we don't shy away from playing the best competition in the country. That's what sport is all about, and for us, we're super lucky and fortunate being here on the East Coast and having the opportunity to play a variety of so many great teams and teams in the top 20," Adams said.
The season opener against Johns Hopkins carries extra significance as a crosstown rivalry.
"It's huge, you know, we're miles separate us, but we're similar programs. We like the same kind of players. We recruit the same kind of players. I think this is always a game that's respect and expect," Adams said.
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