No. 25 for the Wildcats is stamping her name in the record books.
Northwestern's 2022 recruiting class featured four players ranked among Inside Lacrosse's Top 50. Madison Taylor was not one of them, but she was quick to show everyone that recruiting stars ultimately don't matter when determining how good a player will be.
On Sunday morning, Taylor will have the opportunity to close out her collegiate lacrosse career with a National Championship. She was a key contributor as a freshman during Northwestern's most recent title run in 2023 and is now looking to bookend her time in Evanston with a second trophy.
Taylor is also on the precipice of individual history. As a junior in 2025, she broke the NCAA's single-season goals record by finding the back of the net 109 times. Taylor's longevity has her nearing a pair of career records as well, both of which belong to her former teammate, Izzy Scane.
If Taylor manages to notch three points during Sunday's National Championship Game against North Carolina, she'll surpass Scane for the most career points in NCAA Tournament games. Because Northwestern has reached the title match in each of Taylor's four years in Evanston, the Wantagh, N.Y., native has compiled 84 points in 15 career NCAA Tournament games.
She's also seven points behind Scane's career record in Northwestern history. Taylor has notched 341 goals — tied for the third-most in NCAA history behind only Scane and Boston College's Charlotte North — and 135 assists to total 476 career points.
May 28, 2023; Cary, NC, USA; Samantha White (23) of the Northwestern Wildcats celebrates her goal with teammate Izzy Scane (27) during the second half of the Women's NCAA Lacrosse Championship against the Boston College Eagles at Wake Med Soccer Park. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-Imagn ImagesTaylor is a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award for the third consecutive season, given to the nation's best men's and women's college lacrosse players. She lost out on the award to North Carolina's Chloe Humphrey last spring — largely due to the Tar Heels' lockdown performance on Taylor in the 2025 National Championship — but Taylor has the opportunity to avenge both the personal and team accolades against Humphrey and UNC on Sunday.
If the Wildcats can take care of North Carolina and win the championship, Taylor would likely become the fifth different Northwestern player ever to hoist the Tewaaraton. Kristen Kjellman and Hannah Nielsen each took home the trophy twice from 2006 to 2009, then Shannon Smith claimed the honor in 2011. Scane won the Tewaaraton in both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
While Taylor's goal-scoring this season has not matched the prolific campaign of 2025, the senior is still having an exceptional year. In 21 games, Taylor has racked up 96 goals, 36 assists and 58 draw controls.
The opening draw of the 2026 National Championship will commence on Sunday at 11 a.m. CT on Northwestern's home field.
