The NCAA released its first women’s lacrosse regional rankings for Division II on Wednesday, with West Chester, Le Moyne, Regis, and Florida Southern claiming the top spots in the four regions. The rankings reflect game results through April 14 and include the top six teams in each region.

West Chester, 11-2 overall and ranked seventh in the latest Nike/US Lacrosse Top 20 Poll, is No. 1 in the Atlantic Region. East Stroudsburg ranks second, with Bloomsburg third, and Seton Hill fourth.

Defending national champion Le Moyne, one of two remaining undefeated teams in the nation, is the No. 1 team in the East Region, followed by Adelphi, Assumption, and New York Tech.

Regis, 13-0 overall, is the top team in the Midwest Region. Lindenwood, UIndy, and Colorado Mesa round out the top four.

Last year’s national runner-up Florida Southern, 14-2 overall, holds the top spot in the South Region. The Mocs are followed by three other members of the Sunshine State Conference – Rollins, Tampa, and St. Leo.

Complete regional rankings can be accessed at www.ncaa.com/rankings/lacrosse-women/d2/regional-rankings.
 

Beginning this season, the NCAA Championship Tournament will include the top four teams from each of the four regions, with each of the top four seeds serving as regional host. First and second round games in the four regionals are scheduled for May 10 and 12.

The NCAA’s Division II regional advisory committee uses a number of criteria for the regional rankings. According to the NCAA’s Championship Manual, these criteria, in no particular order, include:

● Overall Division II in-region winning percentage;
● Overall Division II winning percentage;
● Overall Division II strength of schedule (opponents’ average winning percentage and opponents’ opponents’ average winning percentage);
● Division II head-to-head competition;
● Results versus Division II common opponents.

The regional advisory committee will release the next regional ranking on April 24, and its final regional ranking on May 1. Selections for the 16-team national championship tournament will be made on Sunday, May 5.