The Wildcats (19-3) seized the No. 1 ranking, leapfrogging the Tar Heels (19-2) in a shakeup that signals just how fluid the summit of women's lacrosse has become. North Carolina slides to second despite a 19-2 mark, a reminder that every vote matters when the margins are this thin.
The story nobody can ignore is the Blue Jays (17-5), who rocketed from No. 8 to No. 3 — a five-spot surge that reshapes the entire top tier. The Buffaloes (16-4) matched that climb, vaulting from 11th to 5th, while the Seawolves (19-3) mirrored the move from 10 to 6. That is three programs riding serious momentum into the stretch run.
On the other end, the Wolverines tumbled from 6th to 10th and the Fighting Irish fell from 15th to 20th. The Minutewomen (16-3) entered at No. 25, the poll's lone newcomer. With seven teams holding 17 or more wins, May is going to be a brawl.
Data via ESPN · Summarized by D1Ball's editorial engine from official statistics.
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