NIKE/US LACROSSE RANKINGS

DIVISION I MEN | DIVISION I WOMEN
DIVISION II MEN | DIVISION II WOMEN
DIVISION III MEN | DIVISION III WOMEN

Reigning NCAA women’s lacrosse champion North Carolina is the No. 1-ranked team in the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Preseason Top 20.

The Tar Heels are led by IWLCA first-team All-American midfielder Marie McCool, one of just two current collegians named to the U.S. World Cup team on Wednesday, and first-team All-American attacker Molly Hendrick. Sammy Jo Tracy, a second-team All-American midfielder known who has come up big in both of North Carolina’s NCAA title runs, returns as a redshirt senior.

Maryland, which has an 88-4 record over the last four seasons, enters at No. 2. The Terps will look to reload after losing the first three-time Tewaaraton winner in history, midfielder Taylor Cummings, as well as defender Alice Mercer, a 2017 finalist. First-team All-American attacker Megan Whittle surely will command plenty of attention.

No. 3 USC and No. 4 Stony Brook, both of which were on the verge of making their first final four in 2016, bring back their respective best players in first-team All-Americans Michaela Michael and Courtney Murphy, the first 100-goal scorer in NCAA Division I history. The Seawolves also boast second-team All-American attacker Kylie Ohlmiller, who is fresh off a run with the U.S. women’s World Cup training team.

Florida rounds out the Top 5.

Scroll down to see the complete Top 20 or click here for a more comprehensive listing.

Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women Preseason Top 20

1. North Carolina
2. Maryland
3. USC
4. Stony Brook
5. Florida
6. Syracuse
7. Penn State
8. Notre Dame
9. Northwestern
10. Duke
11. Stanford
12. Virginia
13. Penn
14. Princeton
15. Johns Hopkins
16. Cornell
17. Towson
18. Boston College
19. Louisville
20. UMass