The William Smith lacrosse team will begin the 2026 season ranked seventh in the USA Lacrosse Magazine preseason poll. It's a four-spot jump from where they were ranked in the final USA Lacrosse Magazine poll of 2025.
 
In addition, the Herons were 12th in the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association Preseason Poll earlier this week.
 
Head Coach Anne Phillips returns 20 players from last year's squad that went 14-5 overall and reached the third round of the NCAA tournament. Now in her 11th season in Geneva, she has guided the Herons to a 150-37 record and made the NCAA tournament nine times.
 
Offensively, William Smith returns seven of its top 10 point producers from last year. Junior Kira Fulton tops that list. She had 54 points on 32 goals and 22 assists. 
 
The Herons' defense, which finished 2025 20th in the nation in the scoring defense (7.37) will be led by the duo of senior Lily Kuhn and junior Janey Sypeck, who started all 19 games a year ago. Sypeck was a USA Lacrosse Magazine third team All-American.
 
William Smith's schedule features five teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll. The Herons will host No. 10 St. John Fisher on March 11. William Smith hits the road to take on No. 8 Wesleyan on April 12 and Ithaca, which is receiving votes, April 8. The Herons will take on No. 3 Salisbury, March 16 in Panama City Beach, Florida, and No. 11 Washington and Lee in Sparks Glencoe, Maryland, on April 25.