Denver Up to No. 6 in Nike/USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20

A wild week in women’s lacrosse has shaken up the Top 20. But the top three remain the same, which means No. 1 North Carolina continues to set the standard in Division I.

The 5-0 Tar Heels turned the most anticipated game of the regular season — a title-game rematch, albeit with new faces and without Caitlyn Wurzbuger — into a clinic. The game was only wild for its final score: 16-5, Tar Heels.

Boston College falls from No. 4 to No. 5. It’s doubtful teams 6-20 would’ve fared much better against the Heels. Some have already proven they wouldn’t.

Virginia will get its shot on Saturday. The 6-0 Cavs beat Clemson and Elon and move from No. 8 to No. 7. Denver is also 6-0 after wins over Michigan and Maryland. The Pios sit one spot ahead of Virginia at No. 6.

Speaking of wins over Maryland, James Madison scored one on Wednesday and beat Ohio State handedly on Saturday, propelling the Dukes two spots from No. 10 to No. 8.

Notre Dame is on the precipice of the top 10 (No. 11) after downing Duke 14-6. Yale joins the Top 20 at No. 14 after Saturday’s 15-10 win over Princeton. It marked the first time the Tigers lost an Ivy League game since March 23, 2019, against Brown (there was no Ivy League slate in 2020 or 2021, though). It was a rollercoaster week for the Tigers, who beat Rutgers on Wednesday 18-12.

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION I WOMEN’S TOP 20

* = game in Nashville

Also considered (alphabetical order): Drexel (4-2), Louisville (4-2), Navy (4-2), UMass (5-1), Penn (3-1), Penn State (4-1), Stanford (2-3)

Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings

Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women

HOT

North Carolina (no change)

The best team in the country until proven otherwise.

James Madison (+2)

Isabella Peterson has carried a heavy load for the No. 8 Dukes since 2020. But JMU proved it had a multi-threat offense in a pair of wins last week. Against Maryland’s touted defense, Lilly Boswell (2 G, 1 A) and Katelyn Morgan (1 G, 3 A) shined alongside Peterson (2 G) in the upset. Kat Buchanan, who replaced all-timer Molly Dougherty, made 10 stops.

Peterson led the pack with five goals against Ohio State, but Tai Jankowski (4 G, 1 A) also put together a standout performance. James Madison has Liberty on Wednesday and Johns Hopkins on Saturday. Then, a new American Athletic Conference rivalry with Florida begins on March 18.

Florida has finished first in its conference’s regular-season standings every year since 2011 (ALC, Big East and AAC) — JMU presents a formidable challenge to that streak.

Virginia (+1)

A win over Elon on Sunday put No. 7 Virginia at 6-0 for the first time since 2007. That year, the Cavs took the ACC title and advanced to the NCAA championship game. Since then, the Cavs have had their share of hot starts. After beating Clemson on Friday, UVA moved to 5-0 for the third time in five seasons, but the program hasn’t been able to crack the top tier of the hyper-competitive ACC. One reason 2023 could be different: A more balanced attack with experience playing together. Sophomore Rachel Clark (21 G, 4 A) complements Ashlyn McGovern (22 G), who poured in seven goals against the Tigers. Is UVA worthy of upper-echelon ACC status? We’ll get some clues this weekend when the Cavs play top-ranked UNC.

NOT

Boston College (-1)

The No. 5 Eagles fell behind 7-1 early in the second quarter and never gained footing against the Tar Heels. Rachel Hall gave up 11 first-half goals and made two saves. But even swapping Hall for freshman Shea Dolce in the second half couldn’t ignite the Eagles. The offense struggled, too, only putting 14 shots on net. BC has made a habit of turning doubt and disappointment into success over the years. I’d hate to be the Eagles’ next opponent (it’s Brown on Wednesday).

Rutgers (-3)

After losing to Army last weekend, the No. 18 Scarlet Knights couldn’t get off the mat for a home matchup with Princeton. Rutgers had issues between the 30s, going 12-for-15 on clears (including 1-for-3 in the fourth quarter). Another challenging game awaits in the Big 10 opener: A Penn State team off to a 4-1 start that just challenged No. 12 Loyola in an 11-7 loss.

IN

Yale (No. 15)

No. 17 Princeton has been the Ancient Eight standard-bearer for nearly a decade, with Penn often playing a strong second fiddle. But No. 15 Yale advanced to the Ivy League title game last season (a 16-6 loss to Princeton). On Saturday, the Bulldogs flipped the script, capturing the five-goal win and putting the league — perennial favorites included — on notice. It was Yale’s first win against Princeton since 2007. The Bulldogs host CCSU tonight and play at UConn on Saturday.

OUT

Stanford (was No. 20)

The Cardinal had Stony Brook on the ropes, jetting out to a 6-0 lead. But the Seawolves stormed back for the 14-11 win. Stanford beat Cornell on Monday but lacks a Top 20 win. The Cardinal have three games it should win coming up in Albany (Sunday), Colorado (March 17) and Oregon (March 19) before a clash with Northwestern on March 26.

PREVIOUS RANKINGS

• Preseason

• Week 1: Feb. 13, 2023

• Week 2: Feb. 20, 2023

• Week 3: Feb. 27, 2023