NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four 2026: What to Watch
Boulder County had a team in the mix until the very last seconds. CU Buffs women's lacrosse pushed #1-seeded Northwestern to double overtime in the quarterfinals on May 14 — Maddie Shoup tied it with four seconds left in regulation before Northwestern won 13-12 in double OT. That's as close as it gets. With CU's run now over, here's what's happening next in the NCAA Division I Women's Lacrosse Championship and who to watch in the Final Four.
How the Quarterfinals Played Out
Four games on May 14 set the bracket. Besides CU's heartbreaker, Maryland eliminated Navy 14-10, Johns Hopkins edged Stony Brook 13-12 on a buzzer-beater, and North Carolina beat Stanford 14-11. Every game was decided by three goals or fewer except Maryland-Navy — this was not a weekend for blowouts.
CU's season goes down as a genuine run. Reaching the quarterfinals against the top seed and taking that game to double overtime is something Boulder County lacrosse fans should remember.
The Final Four Field
Northwestern enters as the #1 seed and the team that had to earn it — a 13-12 double-overtime win over Colorado is not a comfortable quarterfinal. They have been the benchmark program in women's college lacrosse for years and come in with the experience and depth to go the distance.
Maryland won the most convincingly of the four quarterfinal winners, beating Navy 14-10. They are a perennial contender and never an easy out regardless of where they're seeded.
Johns Hopkins had one of the quarterfinal's dramatic moments — a buzzer-beater 13-12 win over Stony Brook. Tournament teams that win close games tend to believe they can win any game. That mindset matters in a Final Four.
North Carolina took down Stanford 14-11 to advance. UNC is another program that knows how to play in May. They have the athleticism and the pedigree to beat anyone left in the bracket.
Check the NCAA championship bracket for confirmed semifinal pairings and updated game times as they're announced.
Schedule: Memorial Day Weekend
The semifinal round is set for Friday, May 22, 2026. The championship game follows on Monday, May 25, 2026 — Memorial Day. Both games will be available through the NCAA's broadcast partners; check ncaa.com for streaming and TV details closer to game day.
Following Along From Boulder
USA Lacrosse covers the national championship throughout the weekend with news, scoring updates, and game coverage. The NCAA site has live bracket tracking and video once games tip off.
CU's quarterfinal run showed that Front Range lacrosse is competing at the highest level of the college game. If you want the full picture of what CU's 2026 season looked like from start to finish, see our CU Buffs Women's Lacrosse 2026 Season recap.