The 2025 NCAA ladies’s lacrosse event begins this weekend, with video games getting underway on Friday at on-campus websites. The 29-team subject options 15 automated bids and 14 at-large choices.
Boston School is the game’s reigning champs and the Eagles will attempt to turn into the primary crew to repeat as nationwide title holders for the primary time in a decade. Standing of their manner nonetheless is the undefeated North Carolina Tar Heels, who’ve already bested BC twice this season.
The remainder of the sector contains gifted gamers, fascinating storylines and a handful of groups with actual probabilities to contend for a spot within the Closing 4. Let’s break down every little thing there’s to know concerning the event this season.
How does the NCAA ladies’s lacrosse event format work?
Of the 29 groups that make the sector, the highest three seeds obtain first-round byes. This 12 months, these belong to No. 1 total seed North Carolina, reigning champs Boston School, and third-seeded Northwestern, which received the event in 2023.
The highest eight seeds within the subject get internet hosting privileges through the event’s opening weekend. The remainder of the highest seeds are: No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Virginia, No. 6 Maryland, No. 7 Yale and No. 8 Johns Hopkins. Sure — Johns Hopkins performs a lot of its different sports activities in Division III, however competes in Division I in males’s and girls’s lacrosse.
First spherical video games will happen on Friday, and the winners of these video games within the on-campus pods will then face off within the second spherical on Sunday. Of the eight groups remaining within the quarterfinals, the upper seed in every matchup will host on Might 15, with the winners shifting onto the Closing 4 in Foxborough, Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium.
The nationwide semifinals will happen on Might 23, with the championship sport set for Might 25.
The way to watch the NCAA ladies’s lacrosse event
Video games within the first and second spherical will likely be on ESPN+. The quarterfinals and semifinals will likely be on ESPNU, and the nationwide championship sport will air on ESPN at midday ET on Might 25.
Who’s the favourite within the 2025 NCAA ladies’s lacrosse event?
It’s the North Carolina Tar Heels, who’re an ideal 18-0 and have 11 wins over nationally ranked opponents, together with two towards Boston School and one towards Northwestern. Guided by longtime head coach Jenny Levy, the Tar Heels rank second nationally in scoring with 17.5 targets per sport and first in protection, permitting simply 6.67 targets per sport.
Main the Tar Heels’ offense are sisters and finalists for the Tewaaraton Award, Chloe and Ashley Humphrey. Chloe, a redshirt freshman, was named MVP of the ACC Match and is sixth nationally in scoring with 73 targets this season. Ashley, a graduate senior, is tenth nationally in whole factors with 70 assists and 28 targets. Chloe is the primary freshman ever to be a finalist for the Tewaaraton — akin to the Heisman for ladies’s lacrosse — whereas Ashley is 9 assists away from proudly owning the NCAA’s all-time profession report.
On the defensive finish, UNC’s sophomore goalkeeper Betty Nelson has the nation’s fourth-best save share at 50.5.
North Carolina will play the winner of Clemson vs. Navy on Sunday. The Tigers — whose program is simply three years outdated — is within the NCAA Match for the primary time ever, whereas Navy is within the subject for the primary time since 2019 below Corridor of Fame coach Cindy Timchal.
What different gamers are value watching?
Boston School’s Rachel Clark is the nation’s main goalscorer with 91 this season, whereas Northwestern’s Madison Taylor is simply behind her with 89 targets. Taylor additionally has 32 free place targets this season, which leads the nation.
Moreover for Boston School, goalkeeper Shea Dolce is a Tewaaraton finalist. She was voted Goalkeeper of the Yr within the ACC and has the nation’s finest save share at 55.7.
Georgia Latch, a senior assault at Loyola Maryland, is an offensive pressure too as she’s second nationally in whole factors with 69 assists and 53 targets. The Greyhounds open towards Stony Brook on Friday and the winner will face Boston School.
Madison Epke of James Madison is one of the best within the nation at draw controls, successful 12.61 per sport and a complete of 227 on the season. JMU opens the event towards Duke on Friday.
Defensively, Reagan O’Brien of Johns Hopkins is the queen of forcing turnovers, inflicting 85 this season and 4.72 per sport. The Blue Jays open the event versus Liberty.
For fourth-seeded Florida, midfielder Kaitlyn Davies does a bit of little bit of every little thing at a excessive stage, rating within the high three for the Gators in targets, floor balls, triggered turnovers and draw controls. The Huge 12 Midfielder of the Yr will lead the Gators towards Mercer.
