The 2025 NCAA Division I women’s lacrosse championship is set to commence, with the selection show unveiling a competitive field of 29 teams on May 4. This year’s tournament features 15 conference champions who secured automatic bids alongside 14 at-large selections. The single-elimination format will culminate in the final rounds at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, scheduled for May 23-25.
Bracket Overview
The championship bracket showcases the matchups for this year’s tournament:
➡️ For those interested, printable and interactive versions of the bracket are available.
Championship Schedule
All times listed are in Eastern Time (ET).
- Selection Show: Sunday, May 4 at 9 p.m. — ESPNU
- First Round: Friday, May 9 — ESPN+
- No. 6 Maryland 16, Fairfield 7
- No. 7 Yale 12, UAlbany 9
- No. 8 Johns Hopkins 21, Liberty 11
- No. 5 Virginia 20, LIU 6
- Michigan 17, Akron 6
- Penn 16, Army West Point 6
- No. 4 Florida 18, Mercer 6
- Syracuse 15, Brown 9
- Stony Brook 11, Loyola Maryland 8
- Clemson 11, Navy 8
- Princeton vs. Massachusetts, 5 p.m.
- James Madison vs. Duke, 6 p.m.
- Stanford vs. Denver, 7 p.m.
- Second Round: Sunday, May 11 — ESPN+
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 15 — ESPNU
- Noon
- 2:30 p.m.
- 5 p.m.
- 7:30 p.m.
- Semi-finals: Friday, May 23 — ESPNU
- Final: Sunday, May 25 — ESPNU
Historical Context
The championship has a rich history, with Boston College claiming last year’s title by narrowly defeating former champions Northwestern. Below is a summary of champions and runners-up since women’s lacrosse became a Division I sport in 2001:
| Year | Champion | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Boston College | Acacia Walker-Weinstein | 14-13 | Northwestern | Cary, N.C. |
| 2023 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 18-6 | Boston College | Cary, N.C. |
| 2022 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 12-11 | Boston College | Baltimore, Md. |
| 2021 | Boston College | Acacia Walker-Weinstein | 16-10 | Syracuse | Towson, Md. |
| 2020 | Canceled due to COVID-19 | — | — | — | — |
| 2019 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 12-10 | Boston College | Baltimore, Md. |
| 2018 | James Madison | Shelley Klaes-Bawcombe | 16-15 | Boston College | Stony Brook, N.Y. |
| 2017 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 16-13 | Boston College | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 2016 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 13-7 | Maryland | Chester, Pa. |
| 2015 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 9-8 | North Carolina | Chester, Pa. |
| 2014 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 15-12 | Syracuse | Towson, Md. |
| 2013 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 13-12 (3OT) | Maryland | Villanova |
| 2012 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 8-6 | Syracuse | Stony Brook |
| 2011 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 8-7 | Maryland | Stony Brook |
| 2010 | Maryland | Cathy Reese | 13-11 | Northwestern | Towson |
| 2009 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 21-7 | North Carolina | Towson |
| 2008 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 10-6 | Penn | Towson |
| 2007 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 15-13 | Virginia | Penn |
| 2006 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 7-4 | Dartmouth | Boston University |
| 2005 | Northwestern | Kelly Amonte Hiller | 13-10 | Virginia | Navy |
| 2004 | Virginia | Julie Myres | 10-4 | Princeton | Princeton |
| 2003 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 8-7 (OT) | Virginia | Syracuse |
| 2002 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 12-7 | Georgetown | Loyola (Md.) |
| 2001 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 14-13 (OT) | Georgetown | Johns Hopkins |
➡️ For a comprehensive list of women’s lacrosse champions dating back to 1982, further resources can be accessed.
