DAVIS, Calif. — Just over two weeks from the first draw against Stanford, UC Davis lacrosse's defenders and goalkeepers look to step things up after a strong 2025 campaign.

With 10 defenders and a pair of goalkeepers on this year's roster, including three seniors, the 2026 defensive unit shapes up to be one of the best in the Big 12.

Telly Schwarz - Senior

A 16-game starter from a season ago, the Pennsylvania native looks to save her best for last as she steps into her senior season in the blue and gold.

Last year, she ranked first on the Aggies with 23 ground ball pickups, while also ranking second with eight caused turnovers, causing one in seven separate games, including two against USC on February 21.

Hailey Dommers - Senior

Appearing in 12 contests last year, Dommers brings the defensive toughness to the team, leading the Aggies with 10 caused turnovers last year while also picking up 13 ground balls.

Her 10 caused turnovers were spearheaded by three games with two or more, including a road win over Butler on April 6.

Samantha Riely - Senior

Rounding out the senior class, the Utah native enters her fourth year at Davis after appearing in seven games a season ago.

Ella Stephens - Junior

Playing in 12 games over her first two seasons with the Aggies, Stephens looks to build on that experience to emerge as one of her team's defensive leaders in 2026.

Mia Welty - Junior

Entering her third season in the blue and gold after missing her sophomore season, Welty looks to come back stronger after learning from last year's senior leadership.

Carley Smith - Junior

After appearing in two games as a freshman, the junior from Pennsylvania is hungry to get back on the field.

Olivia Navone - Sophomore

After one game of action a season ago, Navone continues to climb the depth chart and looks to become an impact player as a sophomore.

Roma Peressutti - Sophomore

The sophomore from Connecticut enters year two looking to make an impact for the Ags.

Last season, she joined the Aggies after an all-time great career at Ridgefield High School, where she won lacrosse national championships as a freshman, sophomore, and junior. 

Ruby Montanez - Freshman

Also from Connecticut, the three-sport athlete from Greenwich Academy comes to Davis after a varied high school career.

In addition to her versatility as a midfielder and defender in lacrosse, she also served as captain for the Gators basketball team, also playing varsity on the soccer team.

Alex Remily - Freshman

A local product from El Dorado Hills, Remily comes across the Causeway to join the Aggies after four years at Oak Ridge High School.

In addition to her time with the Trojans, Remily has also participated in a number of local tournaments, including NorCal Ascent, one of the top lacrosse tournaments in Northern California.

Emily Altshuler - Sophomore

After spending last season backing up All-Big 12 honoree Ally Richardson-Pepper, Altshuler enters her second season looking to build upon the knowledge gained from last season.

Hailing from Maryland, Altshuler joined the Aggies last season after a senior season at Glenelg High School, where she won the 2024 Maryland State Championship and was named to the 2024 Washington Post First-Team All-Metro team, one of the highest honors bestowed on high school athletes each season.

Krystalin Respicio - Freshman

Coming from Yuba City, Respicio is excited to continue her playing career close to home.

In addition to playing lacrosse for Yuba City High School, Respicio also spent time on the Honkers basketball team, playing in 17 games as a senior.

UP NEXT

Following a home scrimmage against Dominican on Jan. 31, the Aggies open the 2026 season at home against Stanford on Saturday, Feb. 7. The game is set to begin at 1:00 p.m. PT.

ABOUT UC DAVIS ATHLETICS: 

UC Davis, the No. 2 ranked public university by the Wall Street Journal, is home to 40,000 undergraduate students and 12,000 employees. Ranked #1 in Agriculture and Forestry as well as #1 in Veterinary Medicine, UC Davis is located in a true California college town nestled between world-class destinations such as the San Francisco Bay Area, Napa Valley and Lake Tahoe. Over 650 Aggie student-athletes compete in 25 Division I varsity sports, with 16 sports transitioning to the Mountain West Conference beginning in 2026–27. 

For more information, visit https://ucdavisaggies.com/.