No. 1 Maryland women’s lacrosse has been the hottest team in the nation, winning its first 13 games. As a result, the Terps are the top team in the nation. 

But how has this happened?

The short answer is a culmination of different factors.

Wholistically, it stems from Maryland having a solid lineup throughout this season.

It starts with JJ Suriano in goal, who currently sits ranked second in the nation with an average save percentage of 54.7% and a plethora of goal scorers.

“[Suriano’s] energy is so contagious down there; she gets so hyped after every goal that’s scored or a great defensive stop,” said graduate defender Maddy Sterling.

The team’s depth of talent is something that head coach Cathy Reese likes to emphasize this season.

So far, 14 of the Terps have scored at least one goal this season. That’s almost 50% of the team – not including the goalies.

“I think we just have great chemistry, and we have so many different threats that it’s hard to stop us,” Jordyn Lipkin said.

Of all those goal scorers, Lauren LaPointe has set herself apart. She has the most goals of the whole team, and not by a small margin. She has 16 more goals than the player below her, Kristen Shanahan.

LaPointe is currently in the top 20 of goal scorers in the nation. The junior has nearly doubled her career-high of 39 points, which she set last season, when she finished fourth on the team, and has 67 points in 2026.

Shanahan has made a huge difference on the team as well; she is right behind LaPointe in assists with 22 and is extremely skilled at free-position shots.

She has an 80% success rate in free position shots this season and has shown some of her more unique scoring ability with a behind-the-back shot in the Terps competition with the Penn Quakers.

Graduate students are really boosting the team, with Keeley Block and Lipkin in the top five in points. 

“Every moment we’re on the field, like, we’re growing, we’re learning, and we’re having fun,” said Lipkin about the reason for their offensive success.

The defense is also extremely important to Maryland’s dynamic; key defensive players are Kennedy Major, Neve O’Ferrall and Maddy Sterling.

Kennedy Major has had a slow start to her season after being held out a couple of times for injuries and preventative measures.

Maddy Sterling has been on this team for five years and has played with most of the defense in that span.

“Being mainly upperclassmen on defense, we’ve had so many years to grow our chemistry and to learn each other’s tendencies,” Sterling said, “ we have each other’s backs no matter what.”

The Terps have been earning win after win because of their depth. No one player dominates the stat sheet every game.

Maryland is set to play four more teams before the Big Ten tournament begins. The highest-ranked team on the schedule right now is No. 6 Michigan on April 16.

Throughout the season, though the girls haven’t shown any fear or worry, their main mantra appears to be “going 1-0 on the day,” a saying said by many of the players and Reese.

“This is easily the most fun I’ve ever had playing here out of my five years,” Sterling said. “Our team is really special. The relationships and the friendships.”

That sentiment is why the Terps are as dominant as they are.

“It makes you want to go every day and get better and push each other,” Lipkin added, “ I think that level of trust we have with one another, it’s so awesome.”