NCAA women's lacrosse bracket: Schedule, TV channels, streaming, scores for 2024 tournament
Northwestern women's lacrosse team will look to defend its national championship as the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament begins on Friday.
Fresh off their third Big Ten Tournament title in the last four years, the Wildcats (15-2 overall, 5-1 in Big Ten play) are the top overall seed for the second consecutive season, and will look to replicate their recent past in the big dance: four consecutive semifinal appearances and seven wins at home in the opening rounds. Sixth-year attacker Izzy Scane leads the Northwestern attack with a team-leading 70 goals, which ranks fifth in the nation.
MORE: Watch the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament with ESPN+
Last year's runner-up, Boston College. is the No. 2 overall seed while Syracuse, Maryland, Virginia, Yale, Notre Dame and Penn round out the top eight national seeds, respectively.
For the Fighting Irish (15-3, 7-2 in ACC play), it is their fifth consecutive and 16th overall appearance in the NCAA tournament. Jackie Wolak and Madison Ahern lead the Irish scoring offense — which ranks No. 4 itself in the nation — with 54 and 53 goals, respectively. As for the team itself, the Irish are coming off a loss in the ACC semifinals and looking for their first national championship title.
Here's what you need know about the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament as games begin on Friday:
2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament bracket
The structure of the bracket for the NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament is one of the more distinct formats in comparison to other NCAA tournaments, as the top three overall seeds have first-round byes. As for the field itself, it comprises 29 teams: eight national seeds and 21 at-larges. First-round games will take place on Friday at the home site of the higher seed.
With Northwestern, Boston College and Syracuse each having first-round byes, each team will kick off its national championship title quest on Sunday. Northwestern will play the winner of Denver vs. Stanford; Boston College will play the winner of Princeton vs. Drexel; and Syracuse will play the winner of Stony Brook vs. Niagara.
Here's a full breakout of the national seeds and at-large teams in this year's NCAA women's lacrosse tournament:
National seeds:
Northwestern
Boston College
Syracuse
Maryland
Virginia
Yale
Notre Dame
Penn
At-larges:
Teams listed alphabetically
Binghamton
Coastal Carolina
Denver
Duke
Drexel
Fairfield
Florida
James Madison
Johns Hopkins
LIU
Loyola Maryland
Mercer
Michigan
Niagara
North Carolina
Princeton
Richmond
Robert Morris
Stanford
2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament Schedule
All times in Eastern
First Round: Friday, May 10
Game 1: (4) Maryland vs. Robert Morris | Noon | ESPN+
Game 2: (6) Yale vs. Binghamton | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 3: (7) Notre Dame vs. Coastal Carolina | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 4: (8) Penn vs. Richmond | 1 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 5: Stony Brook vs. Niagara | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 6: (5) Virginia vs. LIU | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 7: Penn State vs. James Madison | 3 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 8: Denver vs. Stanford | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 9: Loyola Maryland vs. Duke | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 10: Johns Hopkins vs. Fairfield | 4 p.m. ET | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 11: Michigan vs. Mercer | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 12: Princeton vs. Drexel | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 13: Florida vs. North Carolina | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Second Round: Sunday, May 12
This section will be updated as the tournament progresses
Game 14: (2) Boston College vs. TBD | Noon | ESPN+
Game 15: (1) Northwestern vs. TBD | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 16: (3) Syracuse vs. TBD | 2 p.m. | ESPN+
Game 17: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Game 18: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Game 19: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Game 20: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Game 21: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Game 22: TBD vs. TBD | ESPN+
Quarterfinals: Thursday, May 16
This section will be updated as the tournament progresses
Game 23: TBD vs. TBD | Noon | ESPNU (Fubo)
Game 24: TBD vs. TBD | 2:30 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
Game 25: TBD vs. TBD | 5 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
Game 26: TBD vs. TBD | 7:30 p.m. | ESPNU (Fubo)
Semifinals: Friday, May 24
This section will be updated as the tournament progresses
Championship: Sunday, May 26
This section will be updated as the tournament progresses
Championship: TBD vs. TBD | Noon | ESPN (Fubo)
Where is the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse championship?
Location: WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, North Carolina)
The semifinals and national championship game of the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament will be held at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina. It is the second straight year the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse championship been brought to WakeMed Soccer Park, which serves as the home to North Carolina FC and the NWSL's NC Courage.
How to watch the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament? TV channel, live stream options
TV channel: ESPNU | ESPN
Streaming: ESPN app | ESPN+ | Fubo (free trial)
The first two rounds of the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament will be streamed and aired on ESPN+. The ESPN family of networks will then broadcast the quarterfinals through the semifinals on ESPNU, while the national championship game will broadcast on ESPN.
Streaming options for the 2024 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament consist of the ESPN app, ESPN+ or Fubo, which carries the ESPN family of networks and offers a free trial to select users.
Past NCAA Women's Lacrosse Tournament champions
Northwestern hoisted its eighth national championship title under coach Kelly Amonte Hiller last season with an 18-6 win over Boston College. As for who holds the NCAA record for most women's lacrosse national championships that would be Maryland at 14.
Here's a full look back at past national champions in the NCAA women's lacrosse tournament dating back to 1982, when the NCAA became the governing body for women's sports:
2023: Northwestern
2022: North Carolina
2021: Boston College
2020: Canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic
2019: Maryland
2018: James Madison
2017: Maryland
2016: North Carolina
2015: Maryland
2014: Maryland
2013: North Carolina
2012: Northwestern
2011: Northwestern
2010: Maryland
2009: Northwestern
2008: Northwestern
2007: Northwestern
2006: Northwestern
2005: Northwestern
2004: Virginia
2003: Princeton
2002: Princeton
2001: Maryland
2000: Maryland
1999: Maryland
1998: Maryland
1997: Maryland
1996: Maryland
1995: Maryland
1994: Princeton
1993: Virginia
1992: Maryland
1991: Virginia
1990: Harvard
1989: Penn State
1988: Temple
1987: Penn State
1986: Maryland
1985: New Hampshire
1984: Temple
1983: Delaware
1982: Massachusetts
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This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: NCAA women's lacrosse bracket: Full schedule, scores, TV channels, streaming
