The Wildcats (19-3) jumped from No. 2 to claim the top spot in this week's women's lacrosse poll, overtaking the Tar Heels (19-2), who slipped to No. 2 after holding the position a week ago. Northwestern's rise to the summit underscores a dominant campaign that has now been validated by the voters.
The real fireworks sit at No. 3, where the Blue Jays (17-5) rocketed up five spots from No. 8 — the biggest single-week climb in the poll. Not far behind, the Buffaloes (16-4) surged six places from No. 11 to No. 5, while the Seawolves (19-3) climbed from No. 10 to No. 6. The Minutewomen (16-3) entered the rankings at No. 25, the only new arrival this week.
The poll reveals a tightening race: five teams swapped the top five positions, and the Midshipmen (20-2) and Cardinal (17-5) both dropped despite strong records, tied at No. 7 after sitting at No. 4 and No. 5 respectively. With tournament season approaching, the margin between No. 1 and No. 10 has never felt thinner.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
More from the newsroom