Northwestern's Madison Taylor Aims to Lead Lacrosse Team Back to the Top

The Wildcats' star senior looks to guide her team to another national championship run.

Apr. 13, 2026 at 10:09am

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A fragmented, cubist-style painting depicting the dynamic action and energy of a women's lacrosse game, with sharp geometric shapes and overlapping perspectives representing the players' skill and the sport's intensity.Northwestern's star lacrosse player Madison Taylor leads her team's pursuit of a national championship with her record-breaking performances and veteran leadership.Chicago Today

Northwestern's powerhouse women's lacrosse team has been to three straight national championship games and six straight final fours. The Wildcats are led by senior Madison Taylor, who broke the NCAA Division I record for goals in a single season last year with 109. Taylor has now joined another recent Wildcats superstar, Izzy Scane, as the only two players in program history to score 300 career goals.

Why it matters

Northwestern women's lacrosse is one of the most dominant programs in the sport, and Taylor's leadership and record-breaking performances are crucial to the team's continued success and pursuit of a national championship.

The details

On April 4, Taylor joined Izzy Scane as the only two players in Northwestern history to score 300 career goals. This milestone came during the team's second annual Lacrosse Day in Chicago, where they played in front of a record crowd of over 5,800 fans. After a couple of early-season setbacks, the Wildcats got back on track with a big win over then No. 1 North Carolina.

  • On April 4, Taylor reached 300 career goals.
  • The Wildcats played in front of a record crowd of over 5,800 fans on their second annual Lacrosse Day in Chicago.

The players

Madison Taylor

A senior on the Northwestern women's lacrosse team who broke the NCAA Division I record for goals in a single season last year with 109. She has now joined Izzy Scane as the only two players in program history to score 300 career goals.

Izzy Scane

A recent Northwestern women's lacrosse superstar who is one of only two players in program history to score 300 career goals, along with Madison Taylor.

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What they’re saying

“I never thought I'd be in this position. I'm super grateful to be here and be playing with this team. It's just been awesome.”

— Madison Taylor, Senior, Northwestern Women's Lacrosse

“It was such a cool environment. We've never done anything like that before, where we had a doubleheader with Notre Dame men's team playing, and then we played after them. So it was super cool. So many fans. So much people helped put into that amazing day, so we're just super grateful for them, and it was just a really cool experience.”

— Madison Taylor, Senior, Northwestern Women's Lacrosse

“Yeah, it was awesome. We've had a lot of ups and downs this year. We've learned to stay calm and consistent. You always learn the most when you go through those hard moments and those losses. We've learned so much from them. It's been able to push us through this season, and we're kind of right where we want to be right now.”

— Madison Taylor, Senior, Northwestern Women's Lacrosse

“At the same time, we're also trying to take it day by day. I think that's when the results will come instead of thinking so far ahead. I think especially for this group right now we're super focused on each practice, just trying to get better and become the best versions of ourself and the team.”

— Madison Taylor, Senior, Northwestern Women's Lacrosse

What’s next

The Wildcats will continue their pursuit of a national championship, taking it one day at a time and focusing on improving as a team.

The takeaway

Northwestern's women's lacrosse program remains one of the most dominant in the country, led by the record-breaking performances and veteran leadership of senior Madison Taylor. The Wildcats are poised for another deep postseason run as they aim to capture their first national title since 2012.