Head coach Jessica Drummond and Oregon lacrosse are fighting desperately to break the norm set in Eugene over the past decade or so.

The trend, dominating weaker non-conference opponents, only to get dismantled by much stronger conference opponents, has only been exacerbated by Oregon’s move to the hyper-competitive Big Ten. A 6-10 record in 2025 — which included a 0-8 record in conference play and virtually zero close Big Ten losses — signified growing pains for the Ducks under Drummond. Still, with three new transfers and the development of Drummond’s first recruiting class, there’s plenty for Duck fans to be excited about in 2026 and beyond.

First, the positives: under Drummond, Oregon‘s transfer portal success has improved greatly, with Bri Carrasquillo transferring in for one season with the Ducks and scoring 40 goals as arguably Oregon’s best player last season. Looking to continue that trend, Drummond brought in three impact transfers in defender Shelby Hahn (Marist College), attacker Jaeda Jensen (University of Detroit Mercy) and goalkeeper Francesca Viteritti (Stony Brook University). The three transfers combine to have over 70 games played, and should all start or contribute consistently throughout the season.

Viteritti is perhaps the Ducks’ most important transfer, with the goaltender expected to fill in for graduated goalie Paige Crowther, whose strong play helped keep the score respectable in most losses last year.

Another welcomed development under Drummond has been Oregon’s home record. The Ducks were 5-4 in home games last season, improving their home record to 12-6 at home in the Drummond era.

Anna Simmons returns for her senior season as perhaps the Ducks’ most potent offensive threat. Simmons was named the Big Ten midfielder of the week three straight times to begin the season, and finished with 33 goals, good for second on the team by a wide margin.

Lyla Hurley was another breakout star in the 2025 season, as the junior dished 11 assists and was a key cog in Oregon’s offense.

The infusion of talent and winning more games at home alone won’t be enough for Oregon to start winning games in such a talented conference. Oregon was last in the Big Ten in average goals allowed, save percentage and groundballs, for what it’s worth, but it does little to the Ducks’ hopes when almost the entire conference is ranked in the top 25 nationally. The Ducks will also need to show significant improvement on offense — especially with the graduation of Carrasquillo — as they ranked last in shots on goal and assists.

Another potential spot for improvement would be in power play goals, where the Ducks finished with just 13 throughout the 2025 season, in comparison to the rest of the Big Ten, which averaged around 20. Still, in year three under Drummond — who brought in 10 freshmen in this recruiting season, including midfielder Jordan Woolworth from Tacoma, Washington, in the first class she fully controlled — the Ducks should be expected to take a step forward.

Oregon will play four total games against University of California, Berkeley, Stanford University and University of California, Davis in the UC Davis Fall Tournament. The Ducks’ 2026 regular season schedule is not yet announced.