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On a sweltering Senior Day at Donald R. Dizney Stadium in Gainesville, the University of Florida women’s lacrosse program delivered another emphatic reminder that the Big 12 runs through the Gators.
Florida overwhelmed UC Davis 19–6 on April 25, 2026, to clinch the outright Big 12 regular-season championship and complete a second consecutive perfect conference slate at 5–0. The victory pushed Florida to 14–2 overall, extended its winning streak to 11 games, and reinforced its standing as a top-five team nationally, according to local coverage from The Independent Florida Alligator.
In just its second season of Big 12 competition, Florida has already become the league’s benchmark program. Saturday’s result did more than finish off a conference schedule; it set the stage for a postseason that will run directly through Gainesville, with the Gators hosting the Big 12 Tournament as the No. 1 seed.
Florida’s final box score looked like a blowout, but the opening minutes were relatively measured. Despite owning steady possession early, the Gators managed only two goals in the first quarter. Senior midfielder and captain Kaitlyn Davies and freshman attacker Autumn Blair supplied those initial strikes as Florida probed the UC Davis defense and settled into its rhythm.
Once it clicked, the game turned fast.
Late in the first quarter and into the second, Florida uncorked a 10–0 surge that broke the contest open. What had been a modest lead rapidly became an 11–1 halftime margin as the Gators dominated draw controls, pushed transition pace, and repeatedly found mismatches against a tiring Aggies unit forced to chase on a hot afternoon.
According to game reports, Florida finished with 16 draw controls and has now won the draw battle in nine of its last 11 outings, a key possession advantage that fuels its up-tempo style. As temperatures climbed on the metal bleachers surrounding Dizney Stadium, Florida looked fresher and deeper, using its bench and athleticism to stretch the field.
Senior captain Kaitlyn Davies delivered the first major milestone of the day almost as soon as the contest started. Her opening-quarter goal not only put Florida on the board, it made her the 28th player in program history to reach 100 career points, per WRUF’s game recap.
Davies joined teammates Frannie Hahn and Clark Hamilton in hitting that benchmark earlier this season, underscoring the offensive firepower clustered near the top of the Gators’ depth chart. On Senior Day, she authored one of her most complete performances: six total points on four goals and two assists, plus key contributions on the ground-ball battle in the midfield.
Her early productivity steadied Florida as UC Davis tried to disrupt the Gators’ possessions. Once the supporting cast fully found its stride, Davies continued to orchestrate and finish opportunities, showing why she wears the captain’s band for one of the nation’s elite programs.
If Davies set the tone, her teammates took the scoring load and ran with it. Behind her, Florida showed the balance that has made its offense so difficult for Big 12 opponents to scout this season.
Junior attacker Frannie Hahn, already past the 100-point career mark, ignited the second-quarter onslaught. She finished as the game’s top point producer with five goals and one assist, constantly finding seams as UC Davis shifted attention toward other threats.
Senior attacker Ava Kristynik provided one of the afternoon’s best storylines. Coming off the bench on her birthday, Kristynik turned in her strongest performance of the year, piling up four goals and an assist. She recorded a hat trick in the second quarter alone, helping Florida expand its halftime lead to double digits and effectively put the game out of reach.
All of this came on a day when one of the country’s premier attackers, Tewaaraton Award watch-list standout Clark Hamilton, was face-guarded and held to a single assist. Even without a big scoring line, Hamilton altered the game by drawing heavy defensive attention, which opened pockets of space for Hahn, Davies, Kristynik, and others to exploit.
This kind of depth is not an accident. Florida’s offense has long been known for spreading production across multiple lines, a hallmark of head coach Amanda O’Leary’s system. That diversity makes it harder for opponents to build a game plan around stopping one or two stars, especially over the course of a conference schedule.
While the offense piled up goals, Florida’s defense was every bit as impressive. Behind starting goalkeeper Susan Radebaugh, the Gators held UC Davis to just one goal in the first half. Radebaugh turned away every shot she faced in the opening quarter and conceded only once in the second, providing a calm backline presence while Florida’s attack found its groove.
The defensive unit in front of her, anchored by senior captain and Big 12 Defender of the Week Theresa Bragg, consistently disrupted Aggies possessions. Florida forced all eight of UC Davis’s turnovers and rarely allowed clean entries into the critical eight-meter arc. That physical, organized approach limited quality looks and fueled the transition game that is central to Florida’s identity.
On the draw, senior defender Jenny Woodings enjoyed a career afternoon. She collected 12 draw controls by herself, an eye-popping number that speaks to both her timing and the Gators’ emphasis on possession. With 16 total draw controls as a team, Florida repeatedly started on the front foot, something that has become a hallmark of this 2026 squad.
For recruits and families tracking the defensive side of the ball, the performance was a blueprint: aggressive but disciplined, with upperclass leaders like Bragg and Woodings setting the standard and younger players thriving within a clear structure.
The lopsided score was only part of the story. Saturday doubled as a celebration of an accomplished senior class that has helped steer Florida through conference realignment, deep NCAA Tournament runs, and the transition into the Big 12.
Florida honored the following seniors before their final regular-season home game at Dizney Stadium:
That group has been central to Florida’s identity. They not only produced on the field but also helped define the culture that younger players are stepping into. O’Leary, who launched the program in 2010 and has guided it ever since, emphasized after the game how much this class has meant in terms of energy, standards, and accountability.
Those veterans have also shepherded an unusually young supporting cast. The 2026 roster includes 15 freshmen, including several redshirts. Blending that many newcomers with an established core is not easy, but the Gators’ on-field cohesion suggests the seniors have embraced their leadership role.
Florida’s quick rise in the Big 12 is the latest chapter in a broader story. Since the women’s lacrosse program’s launch in 2010, the Gators have built a résumé that stacks up with many of the sport’s traditional powers.
According to the Florida Gators’ historical records, the program has claimed:
On the NCAA Tournament stage, Florida has reached the quarterfinals eight times and advanced to the national semifinals in 2012, 2024, and 2025. That level of consistency has solidified the Gators as a perennial top-10 presence and a fixture in national rankings.
Entering the closing weeks of the 2026 season, Florida appeared in the NCAA selection committee’s top-10 reveal alongside fellow Big 12 member Colorado, as reported by Big12Sports.com. That snapshot reflects both the Gators’ staying power and the league’s growing profile in women’s lacrosse.
Saturday’s blowout did more than secure the regular-season title. It locked in Florida as the No. 1 seed and host for the Big 12 Tournament, which will be played at Donald R. Dizney Stadium from April 30 to May 2.
The bracket sets up a quick rematch: Florida will face UC Davis again in the first semifinal on Thursday afternoon. The other semifinal pits Colorado against Arizona State in the nightcap, giving the league a chance to showcase its depth on a national stage.
The championship game is scheduled for May 2 and will be broadcast nationally, with the winner earning the Big 12’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. For the Gators, claiming another trophy on home turf would provide critical momentum heading into a national bracket where they expect to be measured against the sport’s elite and pursue a third straight trip to championship weekend.
From a recruiting perspective, Florida’s 19–6 Senior Day win over UC Davis checks several key boxes that prospects and parents look for when evaluating top programs:
For athletes thinking about the Big 12 as a potential destination, Florida shows what is possible when a program combines tradition, coaching continuity, and a willingness to schedule and perform like a national contender.
If you are a high school or club player watching Florida’s run and wondering how you might fit into a program at that level, the first step is to build a clear picture of your academic and athletic goals, then match them with the right set of schools.
Pathley is designed to make that process easier. You can start with the Lacrosse Pathley Hub, which helps you explore college lacrosse programs, compare schools and rankings, and find showcases and camps that align with your position, level, and target conferences.
If you want broader discovery beyond lacrosse, the Pathley College Directory lets you browse and research colleges across divisions in one place, then save schools that look like a fit to your personal shortlist.
When you are ready to go deeper at a specific program like the University of Florida, you can run a free College Fit Snapshot. It gives you a simple, visual PDF showing your academic, athletic, and campus match for that school, plus next-step ideas tailored to your profile.
Florida’s 19–6 win over UC Davis was more than a Senior Day party. It was another statement that the Gators intend to sit at the center of Big 12 and national title conversations for years to come. For recruits, that visibility comes with both opportunity and competition.
Whether your goal is to compete for a powerhouse like Florida or to find a strong academic fit at a different level, the key is to build a smart, realistic list and start conversations with coaches early. Tools like the Pathley AI recruiting assistant and the lacrosse sport hub can help you discover options you may not have considered, analyze rosters, and organize your outreach.
As the Big 12 women’s lacrosse tournament arrives in Gainesville and the NCAA bracket looms, Florida’s seniors are chasing one more deep run. For younger athletes watching from the stands or on TV, this postseason is also a chance to learn, take notes, and envision where your own recruiting journey could lead.
