CLEMSON — For many college lacrosse programs across the country, opening weekend is synonymous with icy turf, numb fingers and gray, wintry skies,

For No. 9 Clemson, however, opening day forecasts predict melted snow, rising temperatures, and new beginnings for head coach Allison Kwolek’s squad.

The Tigers, who finished 14-7 last year with a program-best 6-3 record in ACC-play, will open their fourth season against the Vanderbilt Commodores at the Clemson Lacrosse Complex on Saturday.

“We need to play somebody else, so I think the team’s really excited,” Kwolek said ahead of the season-opener. “We’re only a few days away and just eager to get going against someone that’s not us.”

Last season, the Tigers knocked off the U.S. Naval Academy in their first appearance of the NCAA Tournament before falling to the North Carolina Tar Heels– the eventual national champions– in the second round.

Clemson finished ranked fifth in the ACC in only its third year of play, largely thanks to veterans Natalie Shurtleff, a midfielder, Paris Masaracchia, a defender, and Kayla Macleod, an attacker. All three players will return for the Tigers this season.

Last season, Masaracchia secured 35 ground balls and caused 27 turnovers, while serving as a captain and a starter in all 21 games. She was awarded preseason All-American honors ahead of the 2026 season. 

In two seasons, Shurtleff became the Tigers’ all-time leader in points (99). She earned first-team All-ACC honors last season after notching 21 assists and 36 goals, securing 17 multi-point games. Ahead of the 2026 season, she also earned preseason second-team All-American honors. 

Shurtleff, a Cockeysville, Md., native tied Macleod in points last season. Macleod earned preseason All-ACC honors entering the 2026 season after notching a program-high 77 goals across her first two seasons with the Tigers. She had a career-high six goals against Stetson last season.

The Roswell, Ga., native suffered an injury that kept her out of last year’s postseason, but nine months later, she is ready to take the field with her team this weekend. 

“We’re excited to see Kayla come back,” Kwolek said. “She had an injury at the end of last year, so I think a lot of fans will probably be excited to see her take the field again.”

While the veteran core that helped the Tigers to their best season in their short history return, potentially the most newsworthy part of this team is the freshman class that will see the field for the first time on Saturday.

Clemson’s freshman class boasts five five-star players, dubbing it the No. 1 recruiting class in the 2025 cycle. The Tigers welcome Inside Lacrosse’s No. 1 and No. 2 players in the nation in attacker Alexa Spallina and Emma Penczek, a midfielder.

Spallina committed to Clemson in June of 2024 after originally pledging her talents to Syracuse, a long-standing power in women’s lacrosse. The Mount Sinai, N.Y., native was a three-time USA Lacrosse All-American in high school. Her father is the coach at Stony Brook and her three brothers play lacrosse at Syracuse.

Spallina joins Trevor Lawrence as the only No. 1 high school recruits to commit to Clemson in any sport. Fittingly, she will wear No. 1 for the Tigers.

Penczek, on the other hand, holds the Maryland state record for most points (487) in her high school career. She was USA Lacrosse’s 2025 High School Girls’ National Player of the Year. 

Penczek and Spallina are joined by five-star goalie Tessa Deluca, top-ranked midfielder Aubrie Eisfeld, five-star attacker Marleigh O’day, midfielder Ella Pauley, as well as four other players with extensive high school accolades.

Ahead of the season, Macleod spoke on the pressures of the highly-anticipated freshman class taking the spotlight. 

“It would be really easy to get rattled a little bit, especially with them being the number one recruiting class,” she said. “But, they’ve proven to us especially that they are the number one recruiting class for a reason. And I think just holding their own and not being scared to go and shoot the ball because that’s what we need. They’re going to be the girls that get things done.”

With the combination of returning veterans and young talent, Macleod believes this could be the year it all comes together for the Tigers, who are currently fifth in preseason ACC standings.

“I think this year we definitely have a really good group that can get it done,” Macleod said. “And I think in years past, we also did, but I think this year just feels a little different. I think we’re really ready.”

Clemson will showcase its new-look team Saturday at noon at the Clemson Lacrosse Complex against Vanderbilt. Last season, the Tigers secured a 20-12 win over the Commodores in Nashville. 

The forecast calls for sunny skies and warm (ish) weather in Clemson, and the Tigers will look to capitalize on new beginnings in the weather and with their new squad.

–photo courtesy of Clemson Athletic Communications