Women’s Lacrosse Well Represented at 2026 World Championship
Jul 21 | Women's Lacrosse
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – For Rutgers women’s lacrosse head coach Melissa Lehman, representing the United States on the world stage is a lifelong dream. As the defensive coordinator for the U.S. Women's Senior National Team, she gets that opportunity at the 2026 World Championships, held July 24 through August 2 in Tokyo.
Lehman is one of four individuals with ties to the Scarlet Knights heading to the world showcase. Current RU goalkeeper Stella Quilty will compete for Team Ireland, while 2022 All-American Steph Kelly will represent Team Australia. Former letterwinner and student assistant Eileen Ferry, now the head coach at Bryant, is the head coach of Team Ireland.
2026 World Championships: Rutgers Pool Play Schedule*
Friday, July 24
Ireland vs. USA (8 p.m.)
Saturday, July 25
Canada vs. Australia (5:30 a.m.)
USA vs. Haudenosaunee (8 p.m.)
Chinese Taipei vs. Ireland (8 p.m.)
Sunday, July 26
Australia vs. Wales (5:30 a.m.)
Tuesday, July 28
Australia vs. Germany (2:30 a.m.)
Chinese Taipei vs. USA (5:30 a.m.)
Haudenosaunee vs. Ireland (5:30 a.m.)
*All games streamed on tv.worldlacrosse.sport
* All game times EST
Lehman has served as an assistant with the national team since 2024, working under Team USA head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein. During her tenure, Lehman has already helped her country to a gold medal at the 2025 Pan-American Women’s Lacrosse Championship last summer.
The United States is the top ranked squad heading into the world championships and looks to add to its impressive trophy case. Lehman will oversee a defensive unit that features former collegiate standouts Shea Baker (Boston College), Sam Forrest (North Carolina), Katie Goodale (Syracuse) and Sydney Scales (Boston College).
“It's truly an honor to be part of the team USA coaching staff,” Lehman said. “To get to wear USA across your chest is something that I think every young athlete dreams of in some capacity growing up. To be able to represent this country alongside some of the best coaches and players in the game is an experience that is truly rewarding.”
When Lehman and Team USA take the field for the first time on Friday, it will be against Ferry, Quilty and Team Ireland. Ferry graduated from Rutgers in 2011, serving as a player-assistant coach as a junior and senior during her time “On the Banks.” Ferry, who had her playing career cut short due to injury, was named the head coach at Bryant in 2024 and earned America East Coach of the Year in 2025.
Quilty will be an option for Ferry in cage. The Huntington, New York, native, earned a spot on Team Ireland after a successful tryout, previously captaining Ireland’s U20 program at the 2024 World Championships in Hong Kong.
When she found out she made the senior team, the first person Quilty told was Lehman.
“[Lehman] called me right away when I told her I made the roster, and it was just so amazing to feel that support from her and the rest of my coaches at Rutgers,” Quilty said. “I think it will be a little weird seeing her on the opposite sideline, but I can’t wait to see her in Japan. We’re both very excited for this opportunity.”
Entering her third collegiate season, Quilty enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign in 2026. She appeared in 11 games with eight starts last spring, finishing the season with 106 saves, a .453 save percentage and an 11.75 goals against average. Quilty recorded five double-digit save outings and produced nine stops and the win against No. 17 Princeton in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament.
She believes her international experience with Team Ireland helped her take the next step at the collegiate level.
“It definitely helped me get prepared for this past season,” Quilty said. “When I last played with Ireland a few years ago in China, I was able to get used to that level of play and that level of talent. Being able to see all different levels of play in that tournament I think it definitely prepared me for what I now see here at Rutgers and in the Big Ten.”
Quilty is not the only Scarlet Knight heading to Tokyo with previous international success. As a member of Team Australia, Kelly helped the Aussies to a bronze medal at The World Games 2025 last summer in Chengdu, China. Kelly played in five games during the team’s third-place run, finishing with nine points on seven goals and two assists.
Kelly previously won the 2024 Shelley Maher Trophy – presented to the best women's player in Australia – and netted 41 goals and 23 assists across 17 games that season. Kelly made her U23 debut in 2017 and has competed on the international level since then.
“I’m incredibly excited and grateful to once again represent Australia at the World Lacrosse World Championships in Tokyo,” Kelly said. “It’s a pretty special feeling to compete alongside the best players in Australia, some who I’ve played with since we first picked up a stick as kids, against the best talent in the world. We’ve worked really hard to get to this point, so I’m really looking forward to embracing the challenge and making Australia proud.”
Kelly spent her graduate season at Rutgers in 2022, earning All-America and All-Big Ten laurels as a team captain that spring. Kelly started 21 games on attack, setting a then single-season program record with 39 assists to go along with 26 goals. Kelly helped Rutgers to a 16-5 record in 2022, which included an appearance in the Big Ten Championship game and a second-round appearance at the 2022 NCAA Tournament.
Now one of the top players for the Aussies, Kelly credits her time at Rutgers for helping her be successful at the sport’s highest level.
“Playing lacrosse at Rutgers was a huge opportunity in helping me develop as a player and preparing me for international competition,” Kelly said. “It was a highly competitive environment where our coaches challenged us to improve every practice while still maintaining the fun and enjoyment that makes lacrosse so special. I loved playing under Melissa, whose coaching style encouraged creativity, teamwork and playing to our strengths. She continually challenged us to raise our standards and that mindset has been one I’ve carried throughout my lacrosse journey both in Australia at the international level.”
The Rutgers connections at the World Championship are something Lehman is extremely proud of. It also represents the trajectory of the program, which has made three NCAA Tournament appearances during Lehman’s tenure in Piscataway.
“I think it speaks to the level of talent that we have had here, as well as the talent we currently have,” Lehman said. “That’s the type of program we have here at Rutgers. Not just one that competes nationally, but across the world. I could not be prouder of those athletes, and I know they will make our alumni base proud as well.”
