TAMPA, Fla., April 18, 2026 – The University of South Florida women's lacrosse team (10-4, 5-0 American) closed out its home schedule in dominant fashion Saturday afternoon, downing East Carolina(7-8, 2-3 American) 17-4 at Corbett Stadium to clinch at least a share of the American Conference Regular Season Championship title.
 
With JMU's victory over Vanderbilt, the Bulls claimed the tie-breaker and earned the No. 1 seed in the American Conference Tournament.
 
South Florida joins Florida as the only programs in Division I women's lacrosse history to win a conference championship within their first two seasons of existence — a testament to the program's rapid rise under head coach Mindy McCord.
 
How It Happened
The Bulls wasted no time asserting themselves, erupting for nine goals in the opening quarter and never looking back. Kaitlyn Tartaglione got the Bulls on the board just 24 seconds into the game, burying back-to-back unassisted goals to open a 2-0 lead before the first minute had elapsed.
 
Sofia Chepenik followed with a man-up free-position goal at 12:12 to make it 3-0, and USF continued to pour it on — scoring five more times over the next four minutes to take a commanding 8-0 advantage.
 
Chepenik capped the quarter with her second goal of the period at 2:21, sending the Bulls to the break up 9-1.
 
Game Totals
Nine different Bulls found the back of the net in all, with four different seniors scoring the first five goals of the game on Senior Day.
 
USF controlled possession from wire to wire, winning 19 of 23 draw controls — led by Jena Binkis' six wins at the circle — and outshooting the Pirates 42-26.
 
Goalkeeper Natalie Eastwood was sharp in the net, stopping nine of the 12 shots she faced before Hailey Darko came on in relief.
 
UpNext
The Bulls turn their attention to Vanderbilt next Saturday, April 26, as they close out the season on the road with a chance to clinch the outright title. The game will be on ESPN+ at 1:00 p.m. ET
 
Note-A-Bulls:

• Redshirt junior Sofia Chepenik recorded three goals and an assist to push her season total to 39 goals. Chepenik has now scored in every game this season and continues to pace the Bulls' offense.
• Redshirt senior Maggie Newton posted a game-high six points on three goals and three assists. Newton's three goals pushed her season total to 15.
• Kaitlyn Tartaglione recorded a hat trick, bringing her season goal total to 22.
• Elise Grissett tallied two goals — her 33rd and 34th of the season — and an assist.
• Ava Uphues finished with two goals and an assist for three points on the afternoon.
• USF won 19 of 23 draw controls, led by Jena Binkis' six wins at the circle. The Bulls outshot East Carolina 42-26 and held a 31-16 advantage in shots on goal.
• The Bulls capitalized on their man-up opportunities, converting 4-of-4 free-position attempts while holding ECU to just 1-of-3 on the same chances.
• The Bulls were efficient on clears, converting 11 of 13 attempts (84.6%) compared to East Carolina's 10-of-22 mark (45.5%).

Tickets
Fans can purchase women's lacrosse tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
 
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About USF Women's Lacrosse
Amidst its second season, the University of South Florida women's lacrosse program builds on a historic inaugural year that quickly established the Bulls as a contender in the American Athletic Conference. South Florida opened its first-ever season on Feb. 7, 2025, with a 19–6 win over Kennesaw State, setting the State of Florida regular-season attendance record as 2,386 fans filled Corbett Stadium. The Bulls went on to finish the 2025 season with a 13–5 record and earned a place in the American Conference Championship in their inaugural season, ultimately finishing as the league's runner-up. South Florida also drew more than 10,000 total fans to Corbett Stadium during the season. USF named Mindy McCord, an eight-time conference coach of the year, as the program's first head coach in May 2022. McCord arrived in Tampa with 240 career wins and a proven record of building successful programs after launching and leading Jacksonville University's women's lacrosse team for its first 13 seasons. During her tenure at JU, she guided the Dolphins to 21 regular-season and conference tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and back-to-back Sweet Sixteen berths while developing 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees. South Florida plays a fast-paced, high-scoring style influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men's basketball fast break. That approach ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin during McCord's tenure at Jacksonville and continues to shape the Bulls' offensive identity heading into year two.
 
– #GoBulls –