GORHAM, Maine – Graduate student Anna Byers (Milford, Ct./ Joseph A. Foran), graduate student Katelyn D'Appolonia (Yarmouth, Maine) and senior Elaina Hanselmann (Sanford, Maine) will serve as captains of the University of Southern Maine Huskies' women's lacrosse team for the 2026 season. Byers and D'Appolonia were team captains last season when the team posted a program-record 13 wins and reached the semifinals of the Little East Conference Tournament.
 
Byers has played in 47 games with 38 starts in her three-year career. She has scored 50 goals and dished out 11 assists for 61 total points. Byers has also been a force on the draw for the Huskies with 110 career draw controls, a total that ranks eighth in program history. Last season saw Byers start 14 games and record 24 goals, two assists, 34 draw controls and 13 ground balls. She ended her senior season on a five-game scoring streak with 10 goals in that stretch. Byers earned her degree in Elementary Education and is now working towards her Master of Science in Education (MSEd) in Teacher Leadership.
 
D'Appolonia, last season's LEC Rookie of the Year and a First Team All-LEC selection, powered the Huskies' offense with a team-leading 57 goals, 73 points and 82 draw controls. She also earned Second Team All-Region honors from the IWLCA. Defensively, she finished second on the team in ground balls with 43 and fourth in caused turnovers with 23. She scored three or more goals in nine games last season including 11 in a win over Clark University to set a new program record for both goals and points in a game. D'Appolonia, who was named to the Intercollegiate Women's Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) Division III Academic Honor Roll last season, completed her degree in Communications and is pursuing her Master's in Digital Marketing Analytics.
 
Hanselmann played in all 19 games in 2025 and started in 13. She had a breakout year with a career-high 19 goals and scored multiple goals in seven games highlighted by a hat trick against UMass Boston. She also recorded eight ground balls and four caused turnovers. In her career, Hanselmann has played in 39 games with 24 starts. Her career stat line includes 27 goals, 15 ground balls and 10 caused turnovers. Hanselmann also made the IWLCA Academic Honor Roll last season and finished her bachelor's degree in Political Science with minors in women and gender studies and social justice. She is now working towards a degree in Marketing.
 
The Huskies begin the 2026 season with a home game against Worcester State on Saturday, February 28 at 12:00 pm.