Navy Leaps into Top 5 of USA Lacrosse D-I Women's Top 20

Navy's win over Florida has the Mids climbing the Top 20 fast.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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North Carolina, Stanford and Maryland seem to have established themselves as the firm Nos. 1-3 in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20, presented by CWENCH Hydration. Several teams are still establishing where they stand, with Colorado's loss to Stony Brook and Northwestern's win over Stony Brook leading to the Wildcats moving up to No. 4. Navy has also climbed to No. 5 after beating Florida in Annapolis, while Stony Brook has moved up to No. 8. Two new teams, Georgetown and Temple, have joined the Top 20 rankings this week.

Why it matters

The USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20 rankings are an important indicator of the top teams in college lacrosse, and changes in the rankings can have significant implications for team standings, tournament seedings, and player recognition.

The details

North Carolina, Stanford, and Maryland have established themselves as the top 3 teams in the rankings, while Northwestern has moved up to No. 4 after wins over Stony Brook. Navy has climbed to No. 5 after beating Florida, and Stony Brook has moved up to No. 8. Georgetown and Temple are the two new teams to join the Top 20 this week.

  • The rankings were released on March 2, 2026.

The players

North Carolina

The top-ranked team in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20.

Stanford

The second-ranked team in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20.

Maryland

The third-ranked team in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20.

Northwestern

The fourth-ranked team in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20.

Navy

The fifth-ranked team in the USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20.

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The takeaway

The latest USA Lacrosse Division I Women's Top 20 rankings showcase the continued dominance of the top programs, as well as the emergence of new contenders like Navy and Stony Brook. These rankings will be closely watched as the college lacrosse season progresses and teams jockey for position heading into the postseason.