SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Skidmore College women's lacrosse team will begin its season on Sunday, Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. at home against nationally 23^rd-ranked SUNY Cortland.
 
The early challenge is a familiar one. Last year, Skidmore battled back to beat future NEWMAC champion Babson on the road in overtime, 11-10, to start the year. Skidmore finished 2023 8-9 and 4-6 in the Liberty League. It was enough to make the postseason as the seven seed. The Thoroughbreds traveled to Ithaca and fell to the Bombers in the first round 11-4.
 
Still, the trip to the tournament was a valuable experience for the Skidmore squad with plenty of returning firepower for 2024. It was Skidmore's first postseason appearance since 2019. Now, as the calendar has been turned and the final tune-ups have been made, the coaching staff has a group it feels is prepared to take on the challenges of the upcoming season.
 
"Pre-season is always a wild card in preparing for a 'spring sport' in the Northeast, but this year Mother Nature has been kind to the Thoroughbreds," said Skidmore head coach Elizabeth Ghilardi, who won her 100^th career game last season. "It started in late January when the team returned fit and ready to compete and each week we have built on that foundation.
 
"We return several key players on both sides of the ball and will lean heavily on our speed and athleticism."
 
The Thoroughbreds return all but 18, or 91.8 percent, of their scoring from a year ago. Nine out of 10 of Skidmore's double digit goal scorers, including Gabriella Modesti, are back. Modesti led the team last year with 40 goals and 19 assists for 59 points. She was an All-Liberty League Second Team honoree as a junior.
 
The Thoroughbreds also have back 20-goal scorers in Jillian Lockwood (32-6—38), Maddy Marr (20-14—34), and Julia Cafasso (23-3—26). Skidmore has two goalies returning from last year's roster, including 2022 All-Liberty League First Team goalie Liv Kazanjian. She appeared in 14 games last year with seven starts and accumulated 100 saves in 560 minutes in the cage.
 
In all, Skidmore returns 21 players with a combined 135 games started from a year ago. The roster is also infused with nine newcomers.
 
"The team is hungry, and we couldn't be more excited to play games," Ghilardi said.
 
After the opener against Cortland, Skidmore will play four in a row on the road before returning on Friday, March 15 against Hartwick. The Thoroughbreds open Liberty League play the next afternoon against Bard. After five more consecutive away games, the regular season closes with five straight games at Wachenheim Field, culminating in a rematch against Ithaca on April 27. The Liberty League First Round is April 30 followed by the semifinals on May 3 and the championship game on May 5.