Boston College Sits Atop USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Preseason Top 20

Defending national champion Boston College is No. 1 in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20, the organization announced Friday. National runner-up Northwestern is No. 2.

With a host of key players returning, the Eagles are the clear top team heading into the 2025 season.

Northwestern will face stiff competition in its own conference from a team led by one of its own all-time greats. Hannah Nielsen, who led Michigan to its best season ever in 2024, will certainly use a quarterfinal loss to Boston College as fuel. The Wolverines enter the year at No. 3.

Fourth-ranked North Carolina returns critical players who missed all of 2024 with injuries and figures to return to form in 2025. Virginia rounds out the top five after thriving under first-year head coach Sonia LaMonica.

No. 6 Yale, No. 7 Johns Hopkins, No. 8 Loyola, No. 9 Florida and No. 10 Maryland round out the top 10. Each of these teams advanced to at least the second round of the NCAA tournament last season, with Florida making a run all the way to the national semifinals.

Preseason rankings are compiled by USA Lacrosse Magazine staff and contributors with consultation from college coaches.

USA LACROSSE DIVISION I WOMEN’S
PRESEASON TOP 20

1. Boston College
2. Northwestern
3. Michigan
4. North Carolina
5. Virginia
6. Yale
7. Johns Hopkins
8. Loyola
9. Florida
10. Maryland
11. Syracuse
12. Penn
13. Notre Dame
14. Stony Brook
15. Navy
16. Denver
17. Princeton
18. James Madison
19. Penn State
20. USC

Also considered (alphabetical order): Colorado, Drexel, Fairfield, Stanford