LOUISVILLE, Ky. - Bellarmine lacrosse head coach Andrew Whitley on Wednesday announced the Knights' schedule for the 2026 campaign.
 
In their 22nd season, Bellarmine will face four power conference programs—Duke, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Rutgers—among 11 total nonconference opponents before their five-game Atlantic Sun schedule. Eleven of Bellarmine's 16 games will be away from Owsley B. Frazier Stadium.
 
"This is potentially the most aggressive schedule our program has played, but our players are extremely excited and prepared for the challenge," Whitley said. "Duke, Ohio State, Notre Dame and Rutgers all are positioned to make deep runs in the NCAA tournament, but with the development our program has shown, we feel the time is right to try and make the jump up a level in competition. That being said, we feel like every one of our nonconference opponents has a chance to make a deep run in their own conference tournament. So, we will be very well prepared for ASUN play at the conclusion of our nonconference slate."
 
The Knights will begin their season on January 31 looking for their first-ever win against Duke. This will mark the fourth straight year and fifth time overall Bellarmine has visited the Blue Devils in Durham, N.C.—each for a season opener. Duke went 12-6 last year and lost to Georgetown in the first round of the NCAA tournament, finishing the year ranked No. 11 in the USILA coaches poll.
 
After a visit to Mercyhurst on February 7, the Knights visit Ohio State, a former foe in both GWLL and ECAC, on Tuesday, February 10 for the third straight year and their 14th all-time meeting. The Buckeyes went 14-2 last year before falling to Notre Dame in the first round of the NCAA tournament. OSU was ranked ninth in the final USILA poll. The Knights beat Mercyhurst 21-11 at Frazier last February.
 
Bellarmine will open their home schedule on February 14 against former ASUN foe Cleveland State. The programs have split their 10 meetings, all during the last eight seasons. The Vikings won last spring in northeast Ohio, 16-10.
 
Just three days later on Tuesday, February 17, the Knights visit Notre Dame for their seventh all-time meeting and first since 2021. The Irish went 9-5 in 2025 and reached the round of eight in the NCAA tournament before falling to Penn State. They finished tied for sixth in the USILA poll.
 
Bellarmine then visits Detroit Mercy (February 21) and St. Bonaventure (Tuesday, February 24) before hosting Long Island (Sunday, March 1) to conclude a stretch of three games in nine days. The Knights were victorious over the Titans and Bonnies last season, but will be looking to avenge a loss to the Sharks.
 
The Knights conclude their nonconference agenda by traveling to Robert Morris (March 7) and Rutgers (March 14) before hosting Marquette (March 21). Robert Morris, a former ASUN opponent, fell to the Knights 13-10 last season, but earned the NEC's automatic bid to the NCAA tournament (by beating LIU and Detroit Mercy) where they fell to ASUN champion Air Force. A longtime heated regional rival, Marquette beat the Knights in Wisconsin last year 19-11 to take a 6-5 advantage in that series. The Knights and the Scarlet Knights of the Big Ten's Rutgers will be meeting for the first time.
 
ASUN play finally commences the following week. Bellarmine will visit Utah (March 28), host Air Force (April 4), visit Mercer (April 11), host Jacksonville (April 18) and visit Queens (April 25). Last year, Bellarmine won home games against Mercer and Queens, but dropped a home tilt to Utah and road contests at Air Force and Jacksonville. Air Force, Utah and Jacksonville each finished 4-1 ASUN play, but the Falcons earned the NCAA bid by taking down the Utes in the ASUN championship before reaching the round of 16 in the NCAA tournament and falling to Maryland.
 
"Every conference game is a scrap between evenly matched and very familiar opponents," Whitley said. The ASUN has turned into a tough, physical, exciting brand of lacrosse and I would expect this season to be no different. There are no easy wins in Division I lacrosse, but we had a very good fall development season and there is a lot of optimism in our locker room around the 2026 campaign."
 
Bellarmine will host Division II Maryville on Saturday, January 24 for an exhibition game before heading to Duke to open the season the following weekend.
 
In 2025, the Knights finished 8-9 overall, 2-3 in ASUN play. Utah ended the Knights' 2025 season in the ASUN tournament for the third time in four years. Senior John Alie returns after scoring a single-season school-record 52 goals, will look to pass Kyle Playsted become the program's all-time leading scorer. Sophomore keeper Nolan Hudnut returns after setting a program record with 212 saves during his rookie campaign.
 
"We return a large number of contributors from last season and, despite having 34 freshmen and sophomores on the roster, we are a much more experienced and battle-tested group than we were a year ago," Whitley concluded.
 
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