HUNTSVILLE – Lacrosse is a fast growing sport in North Alabama, especially in Madison with the local high school teams. If you want to catch some of the best lacrosse action in the nation, you have your chance today and Sunday at no cost.

The University of Alabama in Huntsville women’s lacrosse team starts the 2023 campaign with two nonconference games at Charger Park this afternoon as the squad welcomes No. 15 Lynn at 4 p.m. followed by a matchup with No. 7 Tampa on Sunday at 9 a.m.

Admission for this weekend’s game — and every regular season home game — is free again this season courtesy of Alabama Credit Union.

UAH is coming off its third consecutive Gulf South Conference championship season in the 2022 campaign in which the Chargers went 11-6 overall and 6-0 in league play.

Second-year head coach Akasha Kasper returns three of her top five offensive performers from a year ago, including Katie Gerber (40g-14a), Isadora Springer (38g-6a) and Katie Williams (32g-9a).

Additionally, the Chargers primary goalkeeper from 2022, Shaina Doser, returns for her senior campaign after posting a 13.38 goals against average and .355 save percentage on a 10-4 record last season.

In the GSC preseason release last month, UAH was voted third in the coaches’ poll with one first-place nod. Gerber, Springer and Sara Pagotto were each named to the GSC Top Returners list as well.

UAH will be facing Lynn for the first time in program history on Friday, while the Chargers have a 0-5 all-time record against Tampa.

Lynn is coming off a 13-4 record last season, while Tampa went 11-8 and won the Sunshine State Conference regular season with a 6-1 league record.

After this weekend’s home-opening contests, UAH hits the road to Rhodes on Wednesday.