12-Game Win Streak has Ithaca Climbing USA Lacrosse D-III Women's Top 20

The final push for the NCAA tournament has arrived.

Some conference tournaments are already in full swing, and by this time next week, the national postseason field will be determined. Teams on the bubble get one last chance to make their cases, and the near-lock teams get to gear up for the final push — and try to pick up some conference tournament hardware along the way.

This week was a strong showing across the board for the USA Lacrosse Magazine Top 20. No teams inside the top 10 lost, and only four ranked teams dropped games, mainly to programs ranked above them.

With that, very little changed in this week’s Top 20. Take a look at where everybody slotted in:

USA LACROSSE DIVISION III
WOMEN’S TOP 20

1. Middlebury, 16-0 (Prev: 1)
2. Wesleyan, 14-2 (Prev: 2)
3. Tufts, 14-2 (Prev: 3)
4. William Smith, 15-2 (Prev: 4)
5. Gettysburg, 15-2 (Prev: 5)
6. Franklin & Marshall, 14-3 (Prev: 6)
7. Washington and Lee, 14-3 (Prev: 7)
8. Salisbury, 13-3 (Prev: 8)
9. TCNJ, 12-4 (Prev: 9)
10. Pomona-Pitzer, 15-1 (Prev: 10)
11. Ithaca, 15-1 (Prev. 12)
12. Colby, 11-5 (Prev: 11)
13. Roanoke, 14-3 (Prev: 13)
14. Stevens, 14-3 (Prev. 14)
15. York, 11-6 (Prev: 15)
16. MIT, 15-3 (Prev. 16)
17. Christopher Newport, 12-5 (Prev. 17)
18. Babson, 14-2 (Prev. 19)
19. Trinity, 8-8 (Prev. NR)
20. Amherst, 8-8 (Prev. 18)

Also considered (alphabetical order): Bowdoin, Chicago, Haverford, Shenandoah, Williams

HOT

Ithaca (+1)

Ithaca is one of only two teams moving up a rung this week, thanks to its 12-game winning streak and a loss by Colby, previously ranked a spot above it. The Liberty League conference tournament runs through Ithaca, figuratively and literally, this coming weekend.

York (no change)

York front loaded its schedule with some of the best teams in Division III and came away from non-conference play with more than its fair share of cuts and bruises. But the Spartans have won eight in a row now and have built some serious momentum heading into the postseason.  

NOT

Colby (-1)

Colby had a small stumble to end its regular season, dropping a close contest to Bates on Wednesday. The Mules rebounded well, though, with a NESCAC quarterfinal win over Hamilton.

Amherst (-2)

Getting through even the first round of the NESCAC tournament was always going to be a challenge, especially when it drew Middlebury in the first round. But losing the last three games dropped the Mammoths down two spots to No. 20.

IN

Trinity (No. 19)

Trinity closed out the regular season on a high note, winning three of its final four regular season games to secure its place in the NESCAC tournament, where it lost to Tufts in the quarterfinals.

OUT

Williams (prev. 20)

After coming out of the gate flying in 2024, Williams had a rough end to the season, losing its final six games and missing the cut for the NESCAC tournament.