Michigan and Princeton were the biggest surprises of conference championship weekend. They also removed the element of surprise from Selection Sunday.
The Big Ten and Ivy League championships unfolded in a fashion that effectively eliminated Denver and Penn, providing unusual clarity for the NCAA men’s lacrosse committee as it finalized the tournament field Sunday.
The bracket was revealed Sunday night on ESPNU. Duke, Virginia and Notre Dame — three teams that long ago separated from the pack — earned the top three seeds. Maryland, Penn State, Johns Hopkins, Georgetown and Cornell also were seeded. They will host first-round games next weekend.
Delaware and Marist meet in a play-in game Wednesday.
With nine automatic qualifiers and just eight at-large bids available, there was not much room on the bubble. Michigan sent Penn State and Maryland into the at-large pool with their rollicking run to the Big Ten title as the fourth seed. Princeton did the same to Yale, which previously pushed in Cornell.
Those bid thieves left no room for Denver or Penn, both of which came into the final week of the season with legitimate NCAA tournament aspirations. The Pioneers’ omission means Hall of Fame coach Bill Tierney’s legendary career has come to an end.
The Big Ten led all conferences with four selections, followed by the ACC and Ivy League with three teams apiece playing in the tournament.
AUTOMATIC QUALIFIERS (9)
America East: Bryant
Atlantic 10: Richmond
Atlantic Sun: Utah
Big East: Georgetown
Big Ten: Michigan
CAA: Delaware
Ivy League: Princeton
MAAC: Marist
Patriot League: Army
AT-LARGE BIDS (8)
Duke
Virginia
Notre Dame
Maryland
Penn State
Johns Hopkins
Cornell
Yale
NCAA TOURNAMENT BRACKET
Albany, N.Y.
(1) Duke vs. Delaware/Marist
(8) Cornell vs. Michigan
Annapolis, Md.
(5) Penn State vs. Princeton
(4) Maryland vs. Army
Annapolis, Md.
(3) Notre Dame vs. Utah
(6) Johns Hopkins vs. Bryant
Albany, N.Y.
(7) Georgetown vs. Yale
(2) Virginia vs. Richmond
FIRST-ROUND SCHEDULE
Saturday, May 13
Richmond at (2) Virginia – 12 p.m. ET
Utah at (3) Notre Dame – 2:30 p.m. ET
Yale at (7) Georgetown – 5 p.m. ET
Army at (4) Maryland – 7:30 p.m. ET
Sunday, May 14
Bryant at (6) Johns Hopkins – 12 p.m. ET
Michigan at (8) Cornell – 2:30 p.m. ET
Delaware/Marist at (1) Duke – 5 p.m. ET
Princeton at (5) Penn State – 7:30 p.m. ET
