After two years being unable to compete for another title, Middlebury proved not much has changed from its national championship season in 2019. The Panthers avenged their lone loss of the season, beating Tufts in the Division III championship game to capture their eighth NCAA title overall and third since 2016.

Middlebury (22-1) reclaimed its place atop the Nike/USA Lacrosse Division III Women’s Top 20 with the 13-5 win, three weeks after losing to the Jumbos in the NESCAC championship game on May 8. Tufts finished as the runner-up for a second straight year.

Meanwhile, 2021 champion Salisbury exited in the quarterfinals with a loss to The College of New Jersey, which fell to Tufts in the semifinals and finished No. 3 in the rankings with help of a regular-season win over semifinalist Gettysburg. The Bullets wrapped up their final season under coach Carol Cantele ranked No. 5.

Washington & Lee dropped down four spots from No. 2 after losing to Gettysburg in the quarterfinals, and Wesleyan climbed three spots with a second-round win over former No. 11 York.

Denison and Chicago re-joined the Top 20 with second round wins. The Big Red topped former No. 16 Catholic 13-12 in overtime before falling to Gettysburg in the third round, and Chicago beat undefeated Capital University 19-14 prior to getting knocked out by Middlebury.

Former No. 18 Messiah and former No. 20 Stevens dropped out with second-round defeats. 

Nike/USA Lacrosse Rankings

Division I Men | Division I Women
Division II Men | Division II Women
Division III Men | Division III Women

NIKE/USA LACROSSE
DIVISION III WOMEN’S TOP 20

Also considered (alphabetical order): Amherst, SUNY Brockport, Capital, FDU-Florham, Haverford, Kenyon, Messiah, Roanoke, Stevens, Stevenson

PREVIOUS RANKINGS

• Preseason

• Week 1 (Feb. 21)

• Week 2 (Feb. 28)

• Week 3 (March 7)

• Week 4 (March 14)

• Week 5 (March 21)

• Week 6 (March 28)

• Week 7 (April 4)

• Week 8 (April 11)

• Week 9 (April 18)

• Week 10 (April 25)

• Week 11 (May 2)

• Week 12 (May 9)