Madison Rassas is an American college lacrosse player who represents the University of Notre Dame as a midfielder. A former Georgetown Visitation standout and nationally ranked recruit, she earned First Team All-ACC honors in 2026 after finishing her sophomore season with 54 goals and 66 points.
Her development at Notre Dame followed a promising freshman campaign in 2025, when she led the Fighting Irish in goals despite an injury that shortened her season. She returned in 2026 to receive several national and regional honors, including USA Lacrosse All-American Second Team recognition.
Beyond her college achievements, Rassas has participated in the USA Lacrosse national team development program and spoken publicly about her sporting ambitions, family influences, and experiences representing Notre Dame.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Madison Rassas |
| Hometown | Sterling, Virginia, United States |
| University | University of Notre Dame |
| College team | Notre Dame Fighting Irish |
| Playing position | Midfielder |
| Jersey number | 27 |
| Previous school | Georgetown Visitation |
| Major recognition | 2026 First Team All-ACC |
Who Is Madison Rassas in Notre Dame Women’s Lacrosse?
Madison Rassas is a collegiate midfielder who played for the Notre Dame Fighting Irish during the 2025 and 2026 women’s lacrosse seasons. Originally from Sterling, Virginia, she attended Georgetown Visitation in Washington, D.C., before joining Notre Dame.
The university’s 2025–26 roster listed her as a sophomore wearing jersey number 27. Her college career began with considerable expectations following her performances in high school lacrosse and recognition in national recruiting rankings.
Rassas entered Notre Dame as one of the prominent recruits in the 2024 incoming class. Inside Lacrosse ranked her No. 2 in its incoming 2024 freshman class, recognizing her achievements before she began her Notre Dame career.
Her first two seasons offered a clear record of development. She recorded 29 goals in 2025, followed by 54 in 2026. That increase coincided with her progression from Second Team All-ACC recognition as a freshman to First Team All-ACC honors during her sophomore campaign.
She also gained experience through USA Lacrosse’s youth development system before college. Her achievements across high school, national development activities, and NCAA competition form the main parts of her sporting background.
How Madison Rassas Excelled at Georgetown Visitation
Before arriving at Notre Dame, Rassas attended Georgetown Visitation, where she developed her reputation as a highly regarded high school lacrosse player. Beyond her high school matches, Rassas developed her lacrosse skills through competitive play with the M&D Lacrosse club.
Her high school achievements included two USA Lacrosse High School All-American selections. She also received the 2023 D.C. State Championship MVP award and was named MVP of the 2023 New Balance All-American Highlight Division.
One of her documented high school achievements came on May 21, 2023, when Georgetown Visitation faced Maret in the D.C. State Athletic Association girls’ lacrosse championship.
Georgetown Visitation won the game 17–1, with Madison and her sister Mackenzie contributing nine goals between them. The Washington Post covered the championship and spoke with Rassas about the experience of playing alongside her sister.
In that interview, she discussed how practising and competing together helped the two understand each other’s movements on the field. Their familiarity formed part of their attacking partnership during the championship.
Inside Lacrosse identified Rassas as the No. 2 incoming freshman in its December 2024 recruiting rankings, following a high school career that included individual honors, championship success, and competitive club lacrosse.
Her USA Lacrosse Development and Notre Dame Ambitions
Rassas’s involvement with USA Lacrosse began before her college career. In August 2021, she participated in the organization’s National Team Development Program Combine, an opportunity for developing athletes seeking experience within the national team pathway.
During an interview published by USA Lacrosse Magazine on August 11, 2021, she discussed her ambition to represent the United States in lacrosse.
Her father, Todd Rassas, had previously earned All-American recognition while playing lacrosse for Notre Dame. She explained how his sporting background influenced her early interest in the game.
One memory she shared involved receiving a red, white, and blue headband from her father while she was learning lacrosse. The accessory was connected to her ambition to compete for the United States.
She also recalled advice from her father about responding to setbacks during competition. Those comments provided an early account of the guidance she received while developing as an athlete.
Her national development involvement continued when she was selected for the 2024 U.S. women’s U20 training team. Before Notre Dame, Rassas played midfield at Georgetown Visitation while also taking part in M&D Lacrosse club competitions.
That selection recognized her place within the U20 training program. It was separate from selection for the final team competing at the 2024 Women’s U20 World Championship.
Notre Dame also carried personal significance for Rassas. In a February 2026 interview with USA Lacrosse Magazine, she described playing lacrosse at the university as an ambition she had held since childhood.
Her family’s connection with Notre Dame formed part of that background, but her place on the Fighting Irish roster followed her own recruiting record and competitive achievements.
Madison Rassas’s Freshman Breakthrough and 2025 Injury
Rassas began her college career at Notre Dame in 2025 and quickly became an important contributor to the team’s attack.
She appeared in 12 games during her freshman season and started every one of them. Across those appearances, she recorded 29 goals, four assists, and 33 points, finishing as Notre Dame’s leading goal scorer.
She also registered six hat tricks and 33 draw controls, adding to her contributions across different phases of play.
A notable early performance came on February 9, 2025, against Central Michigan. Against Central Michigan, Rassas delivered a five-goal performance and totaled eight points, setting two Notre Dame freshman home-opener records.
She also earned Second Team All-ACC recognition in 2025.
Her freshman campaign ended earlier than expected. According to a February 2026 report from USA Lacrosse Magazine, a lower-body injury caused her to miss the final three games of the 2025 season.
Despite that interruption, her recorded statistics remained among Notre Dame’s most significant individual offensive contributions that year.
Speaking with USA Lacrosse Magazine in February 2026, Rassas explained how Notre Dame’s difficult 2025 campaign influenced the team’s preparation for the following season. She described a renewed emphasis on collective improvement and consistent work.
Head coach Christine Halfpenny also discussed her physical preparation and developing understanding of the game ahead of the sophomore season. Halfpenny referred to her growing connection with teammates as part of that development.
Those comments provided context for the team’s approach entering 2026, when Rassas returned to the midfield after her shortened freshman campaign.
How Madison Rassas Earned First Team All-ACC Honors in 2026
Rassas opened the 2026 season with a series of productive performances for Notre Dame.
Across the Fighting Irish’s opening games against Michigan and Central Michigan, she recorded nine goals and three assists. Her contribution included a six-goal performance against Central Michigan.
Her early-season recognition extended beyond those games.
On February 11, 2026, Notre Dame announced that she had been included on the Tewaaraton Award Watch List, which identifies collegiate lacrosse players under consideration for one of the sport’s major individual awards.
Another Notre Dame lacrosse player, Shawn Lyght, won the men’s Tewaaraton Award in May 2026, while Rassas earned recognition on the women’s 2026 watch list.
The selection followed her freshman achievements and strong opening performances in 2026.
She had also received preseason recognition from USA Lacrosse and the Atlantic Coast Conference, placing her among the players receiving attention before the conference season developed.
On April 21, 2026, the ACC named Rassas to its All-ACC First Team following a vote by the conference’s 13 head coaches. She had previously earned Second Team recognition in 2025.
By the end of Notre Dame’s 2026 campaign, she had accumulated 54 goals and 12 assists for a total of 66 points.
Her final statistics also included 24 ground balls, 10 caused turnovers, and eight draw controls.
The improvement in scoring was particularly noticeable when compared with her freshman season.
| Statistic | 2025 season | 2026 season |
|---|---|---|
| Goals | 29 | 54 |
| Assists | 4 | 12 |
| Total points | 33 | 66 |
| Hat tricks | 6 | 8 |
Her total points doubled between the two seasons, while her goals increased by 25.
National Recognition and Her 2026 NCAA Tournament Performance
Rassas’s sophomore season brought several awards beyond the Atlantic Coast Conference.
On May 7, 2026, Notre Dame announced that she had been selected for the USA Lacrosse All-American Second Team. The university also recognized teammates Kate Timarky and Maura Irish in its announcement of the national honors.
A week later, on May 14, Notre Dame confirmed that Rassas had earned IWLCA West/Midwest All-Region Second Team recognition.
The selection marked her second consecutive season receiving All-Region honors, adding another achievement to her first two years of college competition.
On May 15, Notre Dame announced that Rassas and Kate Timarky had received Inside Lacrosse All-American recognition. Rassas was named an Honorable Mention All-American by the publication.
These honors came from separate organizations, each recognizing performances during the collegiate season.
Notre Dame played its final game of the 2026 season against James Madison University in the NCAA Tournament’s first round on May 8.
Notre Dame entered the first-round game seeking to continue its postseason campaign, but James Madison secured a narrow 13–12 victory.
Rassas finished the game with three goals and one assist, contributing four points in the defeat. It was her eighth hat trick of the season.
The result ended Notre Dame’s 2026 campaign with a record of 12 wins and six losses.
Across her first two Notre Dame seasons, Rassas recorded 83 goals and 99 points. She finished the 2026 campaign with First Team All-ACC recognition and additional national and regional honors.