The 2025 NCAA girls’s lacrosse match 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 picks.
Boston School is the game’s reigning champs and the Eagles will attempt to turn out to be the primary crew to repeat as nationwide title holders for the primary time in a decade. Standing of their method nonetheless is the undefeated North Carolina Tar Heels, who’ve already bested BC twice this season.
The remainder of the sphere consists of proficient gamers, attention-grabbing storylines and a handful of groups with actual possibilities to contend for a spot within the Closing 4. Let’s break down all the things there may be to know in regards to the match this season.
How does the NCAA girls’s lacrosse match format work?
Of the 29 groups that make the sphere, the highest three seeds obtain first-round byes. This yr, these belong to No. 1 general seed North Carolina, reigning champs Boston School, and third-seeded Northwestern, which gained the match in 2023.
The highest eight seeds within the subject get internet hosting privileges throughout the match’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 recreation set for Might 25.
Methods to watch the NCAA girls’s lacrosse match
Video games within the first and second spherical might be on ESPN+. The quarterfinals and semifinals might be on ESPNU, and the nationwide championship recreation will air on ESPN at midday ET on Might 25.
Who’s the favourite within the 2025 NCAA girls’s lacrosse match?
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 recreation and first in protection, permitting simply 6.67 targets per recreation.
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 complete 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 file.
On the defensive finish, UNC’s sophomore goalkeeper Betty Nelson has the nation’s fourth-best save proportion 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 underneath 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 proportion at 55.7.
Georgia Latch, a senior assault at Loyola Maryland, is an offensive power too as she’s second nationally in complete 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 the most effective within the nation at draw controls, profitable 12.61 per recreation and a complete of 227 on the season. JMU opens the match 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 recreation. The Blue Jays open the match versus Liberty.
For fourth-seeded Florida, midfielder Kaitlyn Davies does somewhat little bit of all the things at a excessive stage, rating within the prime three for the Gators in targets, floor balls, induced turnovers and draw controls. The Large 12 Midfielder of the Yr will lead the Gators towards Mercer.