2025 NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament: Top players, how to watch

The 2025 NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament begins this weekend, with games getting underway on Friday at on-campus sites. The 29-team field features 15 automatic bids and 14 at-large selections.

Boston College is the sport’s reigning champs and the Eagles will try to become the first team to repeat as national title holders for the first time in a decade. Standing in their way however is the undefeated North Carolina Tar Heels, who have already bested BC twice this season.

The rest of the field includes talented players, interesting storylines and a handful of teams with real chances to contend for a spot in the Final Four. Let’s break down everything there is to know about the tournament this season.

How does the NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament format work?

Of the 29 teams that make the field, the top three seeds receive first-round byes. This year, those belong to No. 1 overall seed North Carolina, reigning champs Boston College, and third-seeded Northwestern, which won the tournament in 2023.

The top eight seeds in the field get hosting privileges during the tournament’s opening weekend. The rest of the top seeds are: No. 4 Florida, No. 5 Virginia, No. 6 Maryland, No. 7 Yale and No. 8 Johns Hopkins. Yes — Johns Hopkins plays much of its other sports in Division III, but competes in Division I in men’s and women’s lacrosse.

First round games will take place on Friday, and the winners of those games in the on-campus pods will then face off in the second round on Sunday. Of the eight teams remaining in the quarterfinals, the higher seed in each matchup will host on May 15, with the winners moving onto the Final Four in Foxborough, Massachusetts’ Gillette Stadium.

The national semifinals will take place on May 23, with the championship game set for May 25.

How to watch the NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament

Games in the first and second round will be on ESPN+. The quarterfinals and semifinals will be on ESPNU, and the national championship game will air on ESPN at noon ET on May 25.

Who is the favorite in the 2025 NCAA women’s lacrosse tournament?

It’s the North Carolina Tar Heels, who are a perfect 18-0 and have 11 wins over nationally ranked opponents, including two against Boston College and one against Northwestern. Guided by longtime head coach Jenny Levy, the Tar Heels rank second nationally in scoring with 17.5 goals per game and first in defense, allowing just 6.67 goals per game.

Leading 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 Tournament and is sixth nationally in scoring with 73 goals this season. Ashley, a graduate senior, is 10th nationally in total points with 70 assists and 28 goals. Chloe is the first freshman ever to be a finalist for the Tewaaraton — akin to the Heisman for women’s lacrosse — while Ashley is nine assists away from owning the NCAA’s all-time career record.

On the defensive end, UNC’s sophomore goalkeeper Betty Nelson has the nation’s fourth-best save percentage at 50.5.

North Carolina will play the winner of Clemson vs. Navy on Sunday. The Tigers — whose program is just three years old — is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever, while Navy is in the field for the first time since 2019 under Hall of Fame coach Cindy Timchal.

What other players are worth watching?

Boston College’s Rachel Clark is the nation’s leading goalscorer with 91 this season, while Northwestern’s Madison Taylor is just behind her with 89 goals. Taylor also has 32 free position goals this season, which leads the country.

Additionally for Boston College, goalkeeper Shea Dolce is a Tewaaraton finalist. She was voted Goalkeeper of the Year in the ACC and has the nation’s best save percentage at 55.7.

Georgia Latch, a senior attack at Loyola Maryland, is an offensive force too as she’s second nationally in total points with 69 assists and 53 goals. The Greyhounds open against Stony Brook on Friday and the winner will face Boston College.

Madison Epke of James Madison is the best in the country at draw controls, winning 12.61 per game and a total of 227 on the season. JMU opens the tournament against Duke on Friday.

Defensively, Reagan O’Brien of Johns Hopkins is the queen of forcing turnovers, causing 85 this season and 4.72 per game. The Blue Jays open the tournament versus Liberty.

For fourth-seeded Florida, midfielder Kaitlyn Davies does a little bit of everything at a high level, ranking in the top three for the Gators in goals, ground balls, caused turnovers and draw controls. The Big 12 Midfielder of the Year will lead the Gators against Mercer.