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USF Women’s Lacrosse Travels to Vanderbilt for Regular Season Finale

Bulls look to secure the outright American Conference Regular Season Championship in final regular season matchup.

April 22, 2026

TAMPA, Fla., April 22, 2026 – The University of South Florida women's lacrosse team (10-4, 5-0 American) close out their regular season this weekend with a chance to secure the outright American Conference regular season title with a win.
 
The Bulls travel to Nashville, Tenn., to take on Vanderbilt (8-8, 3-2 American) this Saturday, April 25. First draw is set for 1 p.m. ET, with the game streaming live on ESPN+.
 
South Florida has a chance to go undefeated in conference play, becoming just the second program ever to do so in NCAA D1 history within their first two seasons (Florida, 2011).
 
The Bulls enter the weekend coming off a dominant 14-4 victory over East Carolina, which secured a share of the American Conference regular season title and locked up the No. 1 seed in the American Conference Championship Tournament.
 
Now, South Florida has their sights set on history once again—this time with the opportunity to claim the championship outright. A win over Vanderbilt would give USF sole possession of the conference crown in just its second season of competition.
 
The Bulls became just the second team in NCAA D1 history to win a conference championship within their first two seasons as a program (Florida, 2011).
 
Series History
South Florida holds a 1-0 all-time record against Vanderbilt, earning a 17-7 victory in the first-ever meeting between the programs last season at Corbett Stadium in Tampa, Fla.
 
The Opponent
Vanderbilt enters the matchup at 8-8 overall and 3-2 in conference play. The Commodores are coming off a 14-9 loss to James Madison and will look to bounce back on their home field in the regular season finale.
 
Note-A-Bulls:
  • South Florida ranks No. 3 in the NCAA in shots per game (35.86) and No. 6 in shots on goal per game (24.71)
  • The Bulls are No. 14 nationally in draw controls per game (15.29) and lead the conference in the category 
  • USF ranks No. 17 in scoring offense (14.43 goals per game) and No. 19 in scoring margin (+4.71)
  • The Bulls are No. 13 in ground balls per game (18.29) and continue to control possession at a high level 
  • South Florida leads the conference in multiple offensive categories, including points per game (20.79) and shots per game
  • Sofia Chepenik leads the offense with 53 points (3.79 per game), ranking among the top players nationally 
  • Maggie Newton has totaled 31 assists this season, ranking inside the top 35 nationally 
  • The Bulls have already clinched a berth in the American Conference Championship Tournament and secured the No. 1 seed, with a chance to win the title outright on Saturday. 
Tickets
Fans can purchase women's lacrosse tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
 
Follow USF Women's Lacrosse
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Women's Lacrosse news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
 
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 –
 
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