SAN DIEGO – San Diego State women's lacrosse team begins its 2020 season on Saturday, Feb. 1, hosting Mountain Pacific Sports Federation-foe UC Davis in an exhibition matchup. The first face-off of the year is set for 1 p.m. at Aztec Lacrosse Field.
The Aztecs last faced UCD when they claimed their second-straight MPSF championship with a 15-7 triumph over the host Aggies in the title game.
SDSU looks to defend their title after matching a program record 11 victories in the 2019 season.
The team lost six starters from last year's squad and returns 25 letterwinners and six starters. Key returners include seniors Katy Sharretts and Taylor Sullivan, both of whom earned all-MPSF honors during the 2019 season.
Senior Morgan Taylor is also in the mix, recording 22 points on 20 goals, seven free-position goals, 26 ground balls and nine caused turnovers throughout last season. Sullivan finished with the Aztecs' second-highest number of goals with 35, while Taylor tallied 20 of her own.
The Aztecs have a challenging schedule set, facing five nationally ranked teams in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) preseason poll. SDSU starts off regular season play facing No.20 ranked Stanford, Sunday, Feb. 16 at 1 p.m. before its home opener against the Arizona State Sun Devils on Thursday, Feb. 20, beginning at 1 p.m.
A week following its two season-starting matches, the Scarlet and Black will travel up to Los Angeles Calif., home of No. 16 University of Southern California. Play against the Trojans is set for Sunday, Feb. 23, at 1 p.m.
In March, the Aztecs travel to Ann Arbor, Mich. to battle the preseason No.9-ranked Michigan Wolverines. The squad last faced the No. 9 Michigan in 2017, when it ended in an 11-7 victory to continue their six-game winning streak. The two teams will face off on Sunday, March 22, at 1 p.m. Four days following, on Thursday, March 26, SDSU meets another ranked opponent in No. 10 Denver, as the Pioneers travel to San Diego for a noon matchup.
Sitting at the top of the IWLCA preseason rankings is No. 1 University of Maryland, who SDSU will face for the first time in program history in College Park, Md. on Wednesday, April 1, at 7 p.m.
Following Saturday's contest, San Diego State will have another friendly against Claremont-Mudd-Scripps on Saturday, Feb. 8, a week before its season-opener in Stanford, Calif.
Admission to all Aztec lacrosse games is free.