via USF press release/website

TAMPA, Fla., June 4, 2024 – University of South Florida women’s lacrosse head coach Mindy McCord, announced the addition of three transfers to the Bulls roster this spring as USF prepares for its inaugural competition season in 2024-25.

The Bulls transfer additions include two defenders and a goalkeeper that have all earned conference postseason honors for their play, including the Atlantic Sun Conference Defensive Player of the Year, a two-time Atlantic East Conference Defensive Player of the Year and the Great Lakes Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year. Transfers Carolina Gallagher (D, Cabrini University), Mikaela Ness (D, Missouri Western State) and Paige Pagano (GK, Jacksonville University) will all be graduate students at USF.

“We are very excited about the talent, experience, elite athleticism, and length we have added to our defense with these three grad-transfers,” McCord said. “We had a tremendous training year on campus in 2023-24, establishing our culture, standards and playing style during 19 scrimmages. We have an enthusiastic and committed group of young women returning, a top recruiting class coming and are now targeting specific needs that will strengthen us as we launch South Florida’s first NCAA lacrosse season in 2024-25.”

The Bulls have a full roster training and competing on campus and used the 2023-24 season as a training year. USF will begin NCAA Division I competition playing in the American Athletic Conference starting in February of 2025.

Caroline Gallagher | D | Cape May, N.J. | Cabrini University
Named the Atlantic East Conference Defensive Player of the Year for the second straight year in 2024, Gallagher joins USF as a graduate student having earned her bachelor’s degree from Cabrini University. She brings 61 career goals, 167 ground balls, 153 caused turnovers and 102 draw controls in 70 career starts to USF. She played in 71 games over four seasons at Cabrini University, including starting all 20 games in 2024 as she recorded 65 ground balls, 58 caused turnovers and 58 draw controls on defense, while logging 28 goals on 71 shots and scoring 30 points offensively.

Mikaela Ness | D | Forest Lake, Minn. | Missouri Western State
Named the 2024 Great Lakes Valley Conference (GLVC) Defensive Player of the Year and a first team all-conference selection in her first season as a defender, Ness joins USF as a graduate student, having earned a bachelor’s degree from Missouri Western State. She started all 17 games for the Griffons in 2024, scoring 10 goals on 13 shots on goal and posting a .714 shooting percentage, 43 ground balls, 37 caused turnovers and 107 draw controls as MWSU went 10-7. She began her career as a midfielder and earned honorable mention All-GLVC honors in 2023 after starting all 15 games and posting 20 goals on 32 shots on goal, 22 ground balls and 65 draw controls.

Paige Pagano | GK | Toronto, Ontario, Canada | Jacksonville University
Named the 2022 ASUN Defensive Player of the Year and all-conference first team selection in her first season at Jacksonville, Pagano earned her bachelor’s degree at Jacksonville University and will be a graduate student at USF. She comes to the Bulls having played in 50 games and made 27 starts in goal for Jacksonville University. She brings 242 career saves, a .498 save percentage and 17-7 career record in goal to USF. She played in 18 games with 15 starts for Jacksonville in 2024 and posted 82 saves. Pagano won a silver medal with Team Canada U19 Lacrosse in the 2019 World Cup of Lacrosse and is a former Nike Elite 120 All-Star.

ABOUT USF LACROSSE
The University of South Florida announced the addition of women’s lacrosse to its now 21-sport varsity athletics program in November of 2021. The Bulls named eight-time conference coach of the year Mindy McCord to lead the program in May of 2022. McCord, who came to USF with 240 career wins, earned 21 regular season and conference tournament titles at Jacksonville University and led the program to eight NCAA appearances after starting and leading the Dolphins’ program in its first 13 years. She developed 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections and 13 conference player of the year honorees during that span. USF runs a fast-paced, high scoring offense influenced by the early 1990’s Loyola Marymount men’s basketball record-setting fast break, which ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game and scoring margin numerous seasons during McCord’s tenure at JU. The Bulls had a full roster on campus for the 2023-24 school year and will begin NCAA Division 1 competition in the American Athletic Conference in February of 2025.

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