This spring, 28 college teams travelled the yellow brick road and now they’re in Kansas for the 2024 USA Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championship, which begins Tuesday at the Stryker Sports Complex in Wichita.
The WCLA national tournament, making its first stop in Kansas in its 23-year history, features 16 Division I women’s club teams and 12 Division II teams competing for their respective championships. The four-day event begins on Tuesday, May 7 with opening round games for the Division I teams. The Division II teams begin play on Wednesday. The tournament concludes with championship games for both divisions on Friday, May 10.
Fans are welcome to attend all games. Admission and parking at the Stryker Sports Complex are free.
Florida Club (14-1 overall) arrives in Wichita as the top seed in Division I after winning the Southeastern Women’s Lacrosse League (SWLL) championship. The Gators defeated Clemson Club, 10-7, in the SWLL final to claim the top seed for the first time in program history. Florida is making its 13th overall appearance in the WCLA national tournament.
“We’re looking forward to Nationals and we hope to use the momentum from SWLL to continue our winning streak,” said Florida Club president Payton Rapp. “Our unity and closeness as a team, on and off the field, has played a huge role in our success. Now we’re hoping to end the season on a high note.”
Florida’s impressive 2024 resume includes five wins over teams that also earned invites to Wichita, including two victories over both No. 7 seed Florida State and No. 11 Clemson Club.
The Gators’ only loss this season came against two-time defending national champion Boston College, 6-4, on March 27. BC Club is back at the national championship again in 2024, but after being the top seed for the past two years, the Eagles arrive as the number 8 seed this year. Only one team, Cal Poly, has ever won the championship in three straight years.
“Our team is thrilled to get the opportunity to play for another title, but we know we are an underdog this year,” said team captain Ali Moulton. “We've faced a number of top 10 teams and strong opponents this season, so I think that has prepared us to confidently manage any pressure we will face in Wichita.”
The Georgia Bulldogs earned the second seed behind Florida and may be one of the most experienced teams in the field. The Bulldogs bring a 14-1 record to Wichita as well as some extra motivation after finishing as the national runners-up in each of the past two years.
“We have a different mentality this year,” said senior attacker and club president Katelyn Sparks. “Our motivation has shifted to more of a ‘why not us’ mindset. I think that approach fits our team better.”
Florida and Georgia are two of four teams representing the SWLL in the Division I field, the most from any of the eight leagues that comprise the WCLA. The Western Women’s Lacrosse League (WWLL) also has good representation, with No. 3 seed UCLA, No. 12 Arizona State Club, and No. 15 Grand Canyon.
WCLA Division I First Round Games – Tuesday, May 7 -- (REVISED)
12:00 PM (Field 4) --#3 UCLA (13-1) vs. #14 Washington (8-2-1)
12:00 PM (Field 5) --#6 Utah (8-2) vs. #11 Clemson Club (9-5)
12:00 PM (Field 6) --#7 Florida State (11-3) vs. #10 Michigan Club (8-4)
12:00 PM (Field 7) --#2 Georgia (14-1) vs. #15 Grand Canyon (8-8)
2:30 PM (Field 4) -- #1 Florida Club (14-1) vs. #16 Utah Valley (6-3)
2:30 PM (Field 5) -- #8 Boston College Club (7-5) vs. #9 Virginia Tech Club (7-5)
2:30 PM (Field 6) -- #5 Northeastern (9-3) vs. #12 Arizona State Club (8-8)
2:30 PM (Field 7) -- #4 Pittsburgh Club (9-1) vs. #13 Texas A&M (11-3)
In Division II, CSU San Marcos (12-0) earned the top seed for the first time and is making its fourth overall appearance in the championship tournament. The Cougars are one of just two undefeated teams at the championship, along with No. 2 seed Boise State (13-0). CSU San Marcos was this year’s D-II champion in the Western Women’s Lacrosse League, defeating San Diego, 14-8, in the tournament final.
“We’re very proud to have earned the number one seed and feel like this is a huge opportunity to showcase all of the hard work we have put into this season,” said San Marcos team captain Audrey Street. “Our team is very motivated to play for a championship, and being the number one seed fuels the fire.”
A strong defense has been one of the keys to San Marcos’ success this season. The Cougars have limited seven of 12 opponents to five goals or less.
“Playing in the national tournament the last two years has given us good exposure to playing at a higher level and has challenged us to grow as a team,” Street said. “I think we understand the physicality and mentality needed to compete at this level.”
In Division II, the teams are arranged into four pools of three teams each. A round-robin within each pod determines the qualifier that advances into the semifinal round. Single-elimination is utilized in the semifinals and final.
WCLA Division II Opening Day Games – Wednesday, May 8
9:00 AM (Stadium) - #1 CSU San Marcos (12-0) vs. #8 Concordia (11-3)
9:00 AM (Field 4) --- #2 Boise State (13-0) vs. #7 Florida Atlantic (8-2)
9:00 AM (Field 5) --- #3 Providence (7-3) vs. #6 Air Force (6-6)
9:00 AM (Field 6) --- #4 Vermont Club (6-3) vs. #5 New Hampshire Club (4-4)
1:00 PM (Field 4) -- #1 CSU San Marcos vs. #12 Missouri (8-1)
1:00 PM (Field 5) --- #2 Boise State vs. #11 Florida Golf Coast (5-4)
1:00 PM (Field 6) --- #3 Providence vs. #10 Southern Methodist (6-4)
1:00 PM (Stadium) - #4 Vermont Club vs. #9 Denver Club (6-3)
Division II Pool Play concludes with games on Thursday morning.
USA Lacrosse will provide free video streaming of all D-I and D-II games throughout the tournament. Links and details for video streaming will be available beginning Tuesday at usalacrosse.com/wcla.
The WCLA is comprised of nearly 150 college club (non-varsity) teams from coast-to-coast that compete under the USA Lacrosse umbrella. From these, the most deserving Division I and Division II club teams qualify for the season-ending national championships, conducted annually since 2001 by USA Lacrosse.
Gatorade, Enovis, Lacrosse Specialties, and Powell Lacrosse serve as official event sponsors for the 2024 USA Lacrosse WCLA Championships, with local support provided by Wichita Wind Surge, Chick-Fil-A Wichita East, Visit Wichita, Chicken N Pickle of Wichita, Angelo's Italian Catering, Tanganyika Wildlife Park, and Butler Creative TV.
Complete coverage of the championships – including stories, scores, updated schedules, brackets, and photos - will be available throughout the event on usalacrosse.com/wcla and www.usalacrosse/magazine, and via social media (@USA_Lacrosse) and @USALacrosseMag).
