Here is everything you need to know for the 2026 DI women’s lacrosse championship.
The selection show will air Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU. First round of play will begin on Friday, May 8 with the championship just 16 days later on Sunday, May 24 at Northwestern University’s Martin Stadium in Evanston, IL. for the first time ever.
It is a 29-team, single elimination tournament — 15 automatic bids and 14 at-large selections. First and second round matchups will be stationed at the same site, with three teams at the host site of top-3 seeds and four at the four through eight seeds.
2026 DI women’s lacrosse championship bracket
2026 DI women’s lacrosse championship schedule
- Selection show: Sunday, May 3 at 9 p.m. ET on ESPNU
- First round: Friday, May 8 on ESPN+
- Second round: Sunday, May 10 on ESPN+
- Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 14 on ESPNU
- Semifinals: Friday, May 22 | Martin Stadium at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL
- Championship: Sunday, May 24 | Martin Stadium at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL
Championship history
The North Carolina Tar Heels defeated the Northwestern Wildcats, 12-8, to take home the 2025 national championship. It was the program’s first since 2022 and fourth all-time.
🏆 TAR HEELS ON TOP: See how UNC won its fourth-ever national title, from the bleachers
Below is a full list of every DI women’s lacrosse national champion since 1982.
| Year | Champion | Coach | Score | Runner-Up | Site |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | North Carolina | Jenny Levy | 12-8 | Northwestern | Foxborough, Mass. |
| 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 |
| 2000 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 16-8 | Princeton | TCNJ |
| 1999 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 16-6 | Virginia | Johns Hopkins |
| 1998 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 11-5 | Virginia | UMBC |
| 1997 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 8-7 | Loyola (Md.) | Lehigh |
| 1996 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 10-5 | Virginia | Lehigh |
| 1995 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 13-5 | Princeton | TCNJ |
| 1994 | Princeton | Chris Sailer | 10-7 | Maryland | Maryland |
| 1993 | Virginia | Jane Miller | 8-6 (OT) | Princeton | Maryland |
| 1992 | Maryland | Cindy Timchal | 11-10 (OT) | Havard | Lehigh |
| 1991 | Virginia | Jane Miller | 8-6 | Maryland | TCNJ |
| 1990 | Harvard | Carole Kleinfelder | 8-7 | Maryland | Princeton |
| 1989 | Penn State | Susan Scheetz | 7-6 | Harvard | West Chester |
| 1988 | Temple | Tina Sloan Green | 15-7 | Penn State | Haverford |
| 1987 | Penn State | Susan Scheetz | 7-6 | Temple | Maryland |
| 1986 | Maryland | Sue Tyler | 11-10 | Penn State | Maryland |
| 1985 | New Hampshire | Marisa Didio | 6-5 | Maryland | Penn |
| 1984 | Temple | Tina Sloan Green | 6-4 | Maryland | Boston University |
| 1983 | Delaware | Janet Smith | 10-7 | Temple | Penn |
| 1982 | Massachusetts | Pamela Hixon | 9-6 | TCNJ | TCNJ |
Note: Before 2001, this championship was a national collegiate championship.
