The women’s Division II mayhem starts Friday. The 12-team NCAA Tournament field has been announced, with each of the top four teams in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division II Women's Top 20 – Lindenwood, West Chester, Florida Southern, and Le Moyne - receiving first round byes and serving as opening weekend host sites.
No. 1 Lindenwood is the top seed in the Midwest bracket and will face the winner of Friday’s Regis vs. Indianapolis first round game. The Lions are 19-0 overall and one of just two undefeated teams remaining. After claiming the RMAC’s regular season title, Lindenwood added the RMAC Tournament crown to its resume on Sunday with a 19-14 win over Regis. UIndy won the GLIAC championship, aided in large part by 10 goals from sophomore Delaney Davidson in the 21-13 final win over McKendree.
The other undefeated team is West Chester, which jumped to number two in this week’s poll after capturing its 22nd PSAC championship with a 17-12 win over Mercyhurst on Sunday. WCU, national champion in 2002 and 2008, is the top seed in the Atlantic bracket and hosts the winner of Friday’s first round game between East Stroudsburg and Mercyhurst. The Atlantic region is the only bracket where all three teams qualified from one conference.
In the South bracket, No. 3 Florida Southern received the bye and will host the winner of Friday’s game between SSC-rival Florida Tech and Limestone. The Mocs need one win at home, where they have won 25 straight, to advance to championship weekend in Tampa, just 45 minutes down the road from their Lakeland campus. Florida Tech is making its second straight NCAA appearance, while Limestone returns to the tournament field for the first time since 2014 after winning the Conference Carolinas championship.
No. 4 Le Moyne earned the top seed in the East bracket after claiming the NE10 championship with a 14-10 win Sunday over No. 5 Adelphi. The Dolphins secured their fourth straight NCAA berth and will have the benefit of playing a second round game at home against the winner of Friday’s Adelphi-LIU Post game. Adelphi has won the NCAA title in three of the last four years and six times in the past nine years, while LIU Post has won four NCAA crowns, including back-to-back in 2012 and 2013.
Saturday’s second round winners advance to championship weekend at the University of Tampa. The national semifinals will be played on Friday, May 18, with the championship game on Sunday, May 20. The full NCAA bracket can be accessed her.
May 7, 2018 |
W/L |
Prev |
Next |
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|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lindenwood | 19-0 | 1 | 5/12 vs. Regis/Indianapolis winner |
| 2 | West Chester | 19-0 | 4 | 5/12 vs. E. Stroudsburg/Mercyhurst winner |
| 3 | Florida Southern | 19-1 | 3 | 5/12 vs. Fla. Tech/Limestone winner |
| 4 | Le Moyne | 19-1 | 5 | 5/12 vs. Adelphi/LIU Post winner |
| 5 | Adelphi | 18-2 | 2 | 5/11 vs. LIU Post (in Syracuse, N.Y.) |
| 6 | Florida Tech | 16-2 | 6 | 5/11 vs. Limestone (in Lakeland, Fla.) |
| 7 | Limestone | 17-2 | 7 | 5/11 vs. Fla. Tech (in Lakeland, Fla.) |
| 8 | Indianapolis | 16-3 | 10 | 5/11 vs. Regis (in St. Charles, MO) |
| 9 | East Stroudsburg | 13-3 | 8 | 5/11 vs. Mercyhurst (in West Chester, Pa.) |
| 10 | Regis | 15-4 | 9 | 5/11 vs. Indianapolis (in St. Charles, MO) |
| 11 | LIU Post | 14-5 | 12 | 5/11 vs. Adelphi (in Syracuse, N.Y.) |
| 12 | Rollins | 14-4 | 11 | Season completed |
| 13 | Mercy | 14-4 | 14 | Season completed |
| 14 | Colorado Mesa | 12-4 | 16 | Season completed |
| 15 | Mercyhurst | 13-6 | NR | 5/11 vs. E. Stroudsburg (in West Chester, Pa.) |
| 16 | NYIT | 14-5 | 13 | Season completed |
| 17 | Pace | 14-5 | 17 | Season completed |
| 18 | Lake Erie | 15-2 | NR | Season completed |
| 19 | Merrimack | 14-5 | 19 | Season completed |
| 20 | Tampa | 12-5 | 20 | Season completed |
Also considered: Belmont Abbey, Grand Valley State, Mount Olive, St. Leo
Nike/US Lacrosse Rankings
Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women
HOT
West Chester (+2)
The Rams have secured their highest ranking of the year after completing an undefeated run through the PSAC regular season and tournament. While WCU returns to the NCAA field for the first time since 2013, they are no stranger to championship play, having claimed the NCAA trophy in both 2002 and 2008, and finished as the national runner-up seven other times.
Indianapolis (+2)
The Greyhounds bring a 10-game winning streak into their first-ever NCAA Tournament contest on Friday against Regis. Friday’s NCAA game is a re-match from February 18, a 12-11 home victory by UIndy in which it rallied twice: once from an early 5-0 hole, and then again from a four-goal second half deficit.
NOT
Adelphi (-3)
The Panthers are taking a different path into the NCAA Tournament this year. For the first time since 2013, Adelphi is not the NE10 champion, and thus, will begin its chase for the NCAA title in Syracuse. The Panthers open with a familiar foe, local neighbor LIU Post, which AU defeated 7-5 in a tightly-contested game last month. A victory sets up the rubber-match with NE10 rival Le Moyne, potentially the third meeting between the teams in 17 days.
East Stroudsburg (-1)
The Warriors return to the NCAA field for the second straight year despite losing to Mercyhurst in the PSAC semifinals last week. ESU gets a chance to avenge that loss with a re-match against the Lakers Friday.
NEW
Mercyhurst
The Lakers move back into the Top 20 after making a run to reach the PSAC final for the fifth straight year, where they lost to West Chester. Mercyhurst has won seven of nine heading into Friday’s game against East Stroudsburg, the third meeting between the teams in three weeks.
OUT
Grand Valley State (previously No. 15)
It was a tough end to the season for GVSU, which allowed a season-high in goals during a 27-19 home loss to McKendree in the GVIAC semifinals.