Rutgers Trio Named Big Ten Players to Watch as Scarlet Knights Eye 2026 Season
PISCATAWAY, N.J. - With the 2026 women’s lacrosse season fast approaching, Rutgers has three names you’ll want to keep an eye on. Lily Dixon, Hilary Elsner, and Charlee Thomas have all been named Big Ten Players to Watch, a nod from the conference that these Scarlet Knights are poised to make a serious impact this spring.
While the preseason coaches’ poll has Rutgers pegged at seventh out of nine teams, there’s more to this roster than meets the eye-starting with Dixon, one of the most productive attackers in the Big Ten.
Dixon Leading the Charge
Now entering her senior season, Lily Dixon has already etched her name into Rutgers’ record books. She’s racked up 111 career points through 50 games, becoming just the 28th player in program history to cross the 100-point threshold. Her 2025 campaign was a showcase of all-around excellence: 50 points, 33 assists, 17 goals, and a whole lot more in the hustle stats-31 draw controls, 28 ground balls, and 20 caused turnovers.
Dixon’s playmaking ability is the engine that drives the Scarlet Knights’ offense. She doesn’t just pile up stats-she creates opportunities, controls tempo, and forces defenses to adjust. If Rutgers is going to climb the Big Ten ladder this season, it starts with Dixon setting the tone.
Sophomore Stars on the Rise
Joining Dixon on the conference’s watch list are a pair of second-year standouts who made their presence felt as freshmen.
Hilary Elsner wasted no time getting on the scoreboard in her rookie season, finishing with 17 points on 15 goals and two assists across 15 games. She showed a knack for stepping up in big moments, scoring in 10 different games and delivering three multi-goal performances.
Her breakout came in a dominant 19-7 win over Temple, where she poured in a career-high four goals. Elsner’s ability to find space and finish under pressure gives Rutgers another scoring threat defenses can’t ignore.
On the other end of the field, Charlee Thomas proved to be a reliable anchor on defense. She started all 18 games last season and posted 16 ground balls, four draw controls, and three caused turnovers.
Thomas showed a veteran’s poise as a freshman, with multiple ground-ball pickups in four games-including a career-best three against conference powerhouse Northwestern. Her presence in the back line gives Rutgers a steady, physical defender who’s only getting better.
Rutgers Looking to Build on 2025 Momentum
The Scarlet Knights closed out last season with eight wins, including ranked victories over No. 16 Stony Brook and No.
21 Ohio State. Under head coach Melissa Lehman, Rutgers has now reached the Big Ten Tournament five years running-a sign of consistency and competitiveness in one of the sport’s toughest conferences.
The schedule didn’t do them any favors in 2025; Rutgers faced 11 opponents who were ranked in the IWLCA Coaches Poll. But that kind of battle-tested experience could pay dividends as they look to climb the standings this year.
Big Ten Preseason Coaches’ Poll
Here’s how the coaches see the conference shaping up heading into the season:
- Northwestern (Unanimous)
- Maryland
- Johns Hopkins
- Michigan
- Penn State
- USC
- Rutgers
- Ohio State
- Oregon
Northwestern remains the gold standard, coming off another dominant campaign and topping the poll unanimously. But with Dixon leading the offense, and young talents like Elsner and Thomas continuing to grow, Rutgers has the pieces to shake things up.
Big Ten Players to Watch: Rutgers Standouts
- Lily Dixon, Sr., A
- Hilary Elsner, So., A
- Charlee Thomas, So., D
As the 2026 season gets underway, Rutgers may not have the top billing-but with this trio leading the way, they’ve got the talent to surprise a few people. Keep an eye on Piscataway. The Scarlet Knights aren’t just showing up-they’re coming to compete.