Coming off a 2025 that saw the program collect its first East Coast Conference Championship, the Molloy women's lacrosse team was picked second in the East Coast Conference poll, voted on by the league's coaches.
 
The Lions received 44 points and three first-place votes. 2025 runner-up Mercy was selected first with 45 points and four first-place votes, Roberts Wesleyan was tabbed third with 35 points and Daemen rounded out the playoff picture tabbed fourth with 28 points. Rounding out the poll is D'Youville (23), St. Thomas Aquinas (14), and District of Columbia (7) finishing fifth through seventh, respectively.
 
The cardinal and white return 16 members of the championship squad, led by returning leading scorer sophomore Emma Ryan who netted 26 goals alongside two assists to total 28 points in her rookie campaign. Sophomore Ava Benasutti will begin her second season in Rockville Centre coming off a freshman season that saw her net 23 goals and hand out three assists to tally 26 points.
 
Defensively, sophomore Tiana Barone returns to the backline after causing 11 turnovers and picking up 10 ground balls in 2025. The Lions will return its netminder with junior Nicole Schaumloffel expected to take her spot between the pipes. Last season, Schaumloffel finished second in the league in goals against average (11.70) while starting in all 19 contests.
 
Head Coach Emily Pepe enters her fourth season in Rockville Centre, adding seven freshman to the squad in search of returning to conference glory.

Molloy kicks off 2026 Wednesday, February 18 with its home-opener against Southern Connecticut State at 4:00 p.m.