PHILADELPHIA – Leading our team on and off the field this year. The University of Pennsylvania women's lacrosse team announced its leadership for the 2026 season on Thursday afternoon.
 
Catherine Berkery, Patricia Columbia-Walsh, Clare Ruff, and Natasha Yajadda will serve as captains for Penn this year.
 
"We are thrilled to announce our 2025-2026 team captains: Natasha Yajadda, Patricia Columbia-Walsh, Catherine Berkery, and Clare Ruff," said Lois S. Leitner, Head Women's Lacrosse Coach, Karin Brower.  "Each brings a unique style, and together they will complement one another as they lead our team in pursuit of an Ivy League Championship and NCAA run."
 
Junior Berkery had a strong second-year campaign, highlighted by hitting the 100-career point milestone due to a career-high eight points and five goals in the NCAA first round against Army. The midfielder started in all 19 games for Penn in 2025, scoring a career-high 41 goals to go along with 62 points. Berkery's sophomore year was highlighted by an overtime goal against #6 Maryland to send the Quakers to the NCAA quarterfinals.
 
Senior Columbia-Walsh scored 19 points in ten games in 2025, carried by a five-point outing, led by a hat trick in the win at Brown last year.
 
Junior Ruff started in all 19 games during her second season, wearing the Red and Blue, tallying a career-high ten turnovers and 32 ground balls.
 
Senior Yajadda had a standout defensive outing in 2025, starting in all 19 games while tallying 23 caused turnovers on the year. The defender had a career-high outing in the NCAA quarterfinals, causing four turnovers against #2 Northwestern.