NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Information

The NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship is the premier event in collegiate women's lacrosse, bringing together the nation's top programs to compete for a national title. Each spring, the NCAA women's lacrosse tournament features exciting postseason action, culminating in Championship Weekend where a champion is crowned. Whether you're planning to attend in person or follow every game from home, this guide covers the tournament schedule, selection process, bracket format, ticket information, and broadcast details to help you make the most of the NCAA women's lacrosse postseason.

When Does the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament Take Place?

The NCAA has sponsored the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship since 1982, with the tournament continuing to expand alongside the sport's growth. Today, Division I features one of the nation's most competitive postseason fields, while Divisions II and III also crown national champions through their own NCAA tournaments.

The NCAA women's lacrosse tournament typically follows this annual schedule:

• Selection Sunday: NCAA announces the tournament field and official bracket
• Early May: First Round, Second Round, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and National Championship
• Late May: Championship Weekend at a predetermined neutral-site venue

Fans planning to attend should monitor the official championship schedule as dates are announced each season.

NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Selection Process and Bracket

The NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship features a single-elimination bracket that rewards the nation's top-performing teams throughout the regular season.

Teams earn bids through two pathways:

• Automatic Qualifiers (AQs): Conference tournament champions receive automatic berths into the NCAA women's lacrosse tournament.
• At-Large Selections: The NCAA Women's Lacrosse Committee selects the remaining teams based on several performance metrics, including:
• RPI (Ratings Percentage Index)
• Strength of schedule
• Quality wins
• Head-to-head competition
• Results against common opponents
• Overall body of work

After the field is announced on Selection Sunday, the committee seeds the top teams and releases the official NCAA women's lacrosse bracket. Higher-seeded teams typically host early-round games on campus before advancing teams travel to the predetermined Championship Weekend site.

The NCAA women's lacrosse tournament bracket progresses through:

• First Round
• Second Round
• Quarterfinals
• National Semifinals
• NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Game

Fans can follow the bracket throughout the tournament as scores, matchups, game times, and advancing teams are updated after every round.

If a championship game remains tied after regulation, NCAA women's lacrosse uses overtime periods until a winner is determined, ensuring every game concludes with a decisive result.

How to Buy NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship Tickets

Official NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship tickets are available through NCAATickets.com for both campus-hosted early rounds and Championship Weekend.

Ticket options may include:

• Single-session tickets
• All-session passes
• Premium seating (when available)
• Group ticket opportunities

Visit the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship tickets page for more information on tickets.

How to Watch the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship

Fans unable to attend can still follow every round of the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship through national television and streaming coverage.

Coverage typically includes:

• Early-round games streamed on school athletic platforms, conference networks, or ESPN platforms.
• Quarterfinals, semifinals, and championship games televised on ESPN family networks such as ESPN2, ESPNU, or ESPN.
• Live streaming through the ESPN App.

As championship week approaches, visit the official broadcast schedule on NCAA.com containing TV listings, streaming information, and match start times.

Championship Weekend Events

Championship Weekend offers much more than the games themselves. Fans attending the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Championship can often enjoy:

• Fan festivals
• Championship merchandise
• Interactive sponsor experiences
• Photo opportunities
• Trophy presentation following the national championship game

The daily schedule is available throughout championship week to help fans make the most of their visit.