Led by Madison Taylor and elite goalie Jennika Cuocco, the top-seeded Wildcats dominate national honors.
Northwestern's dominant season earned widespread recognition Thursday as seven players were named All-Americans by USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Madison Taylor headlined the honors, earning First-Team All-American recognition for her historic offensive campaign. The ‘Cats senior attacker finished with 80 goals and 111 points in 18 games, ranking second in the nation in scoring, while raising her figure on the NCAA record books.
Taylor is also one of five finalists for the 2026 Tewaaraton Award, the college lacrosse's highest individual honor, for which she was named a finalist twice. The winner will be announced at the Tewaaraton Ceremony on May 28 in Washington, D.C.
Transfer goalie Jennika Cuocco was named Second-Team All-American after a stellar debut season in purple and white. The 2026 Big Ten Tournament Most Outstanding Player ranks No. 7 nationally in saves (161) and No. 5 in save percentage (51.6%). Her career-high 18 saves in the Big Ten Championship game — the most in tournament history—cemented her status as one of the nation's elite goalkeepers.
Five additional Wildcats earned Honorable Mention All-American recognition: Aditi Foster, Noel Cumberland, Annabel Child, Jaylen Rosga and Madison Smith.
Foster emerged as a reliable secondary scoring threat with 43 goals on the season, providing crucial offensive support when the opponent's defensive pressure mounted on Taylor. Cumberland also took a significant leap in her junior year, contributing 17 goals and five assists while also standing out defensively with 10 draw controls.
Child brought veteran experience after transferring from Harvard, starting all 18 games and recording 13 points (11 goals, two assists) while causing 12 turnovers and picking up 31 ground balls. Her clutch three-goal performance in the Big Ten Championship game proved instrumental in Northwestern's 8-7 overtime victory.
Rosga fueled the 'Cats' defense with 23 ground balls and 20 turnovers caused, while Smith solidified the defensive midfield with a dominant 105 draw controls (team-high) with 29 ground balls and 19 turnovers caused.
The seven All-American selections underscore Northwestern's depth and balance throughout the 2026 season. The 'Cats overcame early-season struggles, including back-to-back losses to Syracuse and Ohio State, to finish 15-3 overall, capture both the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships, and earn the No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament.
Northwestern begins NCAA action this Sunday as the top-seeded 'Cats face the winner of Notre Dame and James Madison in a second-round matchup at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium on Sunday, May 10 at 1 p.m. CT.