ORANGE, Calif. — Women's lacrosse begins the 2024 season against Cal Lutheran on Saturday, Feb. 24, after its season opener at Redlands was canceled on Wednesday.

Here's everything you need to know about the Panthers headed into the 2024 season.

THE NEW AND THE OLD

The Panthers are led by new head coach Delaney Benson, who comes to Chapman after coaching in Israel and at NCAA Division III College of Wooster. She joins men's basketball head coach Mike Bokosky as the second Panther coach to earn her degree from Fort Lewis College in Colorado.

On the field, Chapman returns All-SCIAC recipients Annika Carlson and Sophie Pelton. Carlson led the Panthers in scoring last season with 28 goals. Pelton received her second straight SCIAC honor in 2023 after receiving a first-team selection and a Second Team All-Region nod in 2022. 

The Panthers also return third-year keeper Anna Hereu, the 2022 SCIAC Newcomer of the Year.

KEY MATCHUPS

The Panthers open the season in the thick of SCIAC competition with games against Cal Lutheran, Pomona-Pitzer, Occidental, and Whittier. They play two non-conference opponents in Edgewood College and Lewis & Clark, both games at Wilson Field.

Chapman will face Claremont-M-S, who's knocked the Panthers out of the SCIAC tournament the last two seasons, on March 23 and April 27. 

CONFERENCE OUTLOOK

The SCIAC has ended with the same four teams in the tournament the last two seasons, and it looks to be the same as the SCIAC preseason poll places Pomona-Pitzer, CMS, Chapman, and Occidental as the top-four teams. 

Pomona-Pitzer heads into the season ranked No. 12 in the IWLCA preseason poll, while CMS is receiving votes.

Chapman will look to get over the hump in 2024 to reach the SCIAC Championship and NCAA tournament.