The top-ranked Middlebury women's lacrosse team has earned the NESCAC's automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers secured a first-round bye and host an opening-weekend pod. Western Connecticut State and St. John Fisher meet on Saturday to begin the tournament, with Middlebury taking on the winner in Sunday's second round. Each game will be played on Peter Kohn Field at 1:00 p.m.
 
ABOUT MIDDLEBURY 

• Middlebury is making its 30th appearance in the NCAA Tournament and seeks its 12th NCAA Championship.
• The program won the national title in each of its last five seasons it has competed, bringing home the hardware in 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025.
• The Panthers earned the NESCAC's automatic bid after defeating #11 Trinity in the NESCAC Semifinals (13-8) and #4 Wesleyan (7-5) in the title tilt.
• Middlebury finished the regular season with an unblemished 15-0 mark for the fifth-straight season and enters the NCAA Tournament sporting an 18-0 record this spring. 
• The Panthers rank in the top-10 places nationally in winning percentage (first - 1.000), free-position percentage (second - .633), scoring defense (third - 5.11), draw control percentage (third - .688), clearing percentage (fifth - .902) and save percentage (10th - .505).

• Caroline Adams resides among the conference's elite in multiple statistical categories. The senior paces her peers in goals (59), goals per game (3.28), points (92) and points per game (5.11). Adams became the first player in program history to surpass 400 draw controls and sits with 452 heading into the national tournament.
• Haley Hamilton has co-starred alongside Adams in the scoring column, ranking second on the team with 51 tallies and 57 points. The Panther has logged three or more markers in 11 contests, including a four-goal flurry on Saturday against the Bantams. 
• Having a hot stick as of late is Skylar Lach. The captain has 10 goals across her last four contests, headlined by six against Williams in the regular-season finale.
• Other offensive contributors have been Siobhan Colin (16G, 15A), Parker Hanson (7G, 22A) and Maeve Lee (24G, 2A).
• On the other end, Caroline Messer has spearheaded the nation's third-best scoring defense, causing 39 cough-ups and digging out 51 ground balls. Jaime Patton-Martin has bolstered the unit with 21 miscues and 20 rollers.
• Other contributors on the defensive end have been Emma McCann (22GB, 22CT), Lauren Giuriceo (21GB, 18CT) and Macy Sweeny (19GB, 15CT).
• Lucy Bishop and Adams have dominated the draw circle throughout the campaign. Adams paces the squad with 103, while Bishop follows with 86. Bishop also has 23 rollers and 14 forced miscues.
• Between the pipes, Elizabeth Savage owns a 5.05 goals against average (GAA), good for the top mark across all three NCAA divisions. She has amassed 72 stops across 18 starts and surpassed the 200-save threshold during Sunday's win over Wesleyan.

• Western Connecticut State punched its first ticket to the NCAA Tournament by winning the Little East Conference Championship. The Wolves defeated Southern Maine 11-9 in the title game, outscoring the Huskies 5-2 in the second half. 
• The squad enters the NCAA Tournament with a 15-3 record and winners of 10 consecutive contests. 
• The Wolves are 11th nationally in winning percentage (.833), 13th in fewest turnovers committed per game (13.67), and 15th in scoring margin (+8.67), 21st in points per game (23.44) and 22nd in both clearing percentage (.857) and assists per game (8.22).
• In the crease, Norah Zuidema has started all 18 contests. The goalie owns a 7.08 GAA to sit 21st among national peers alongside 127 saves. 
• Anchoring the defensive unit has been Mia Negus and Anneliese Reggio. Negus is third on the team in caused turnovers (21), while her 39 groundballs are fourth. Reggio is fifth in rollers (31) and has 19 caused turnovers. 
• Madison Ratchford and Isabella Pota lead a potent attack for the Wolves. Ratchford paces WestConn in points (105), goals (80), free-position tallies (16) and ground balls (46) to go with 23 helpers. Her 80 goals place her fourth in Division III, while her point total is tied for 15th. Pota slots second in points (98) and goals (73), along with 25 assists. Ratchford (87) and Pota (73) sit atop the team ranks in draw control wins. 
• Vicky Grace has recorded a program-high 26 assists and is third on the squad with 47 goals. Madison Preston (35CT, 42GB, 6G, 6A) and Gina Giambald (13G, 18A) also aid the offense.

• St. John Fisher claimed the Empire 8 crown via a 12-10 triumph over SUNY Geneseo. The title was the 14th straight for the program. The Cardinals come into the tournament with a 15-4 record and have won each of their last five games. 
• The Cardinals are fifth nationally in caused turnovers per game (15.16), sixth in scoring margin (+9.84), 11th in scoring defense (5.89) and 19th in both scoring offense (15.74) and shot percentage (.498), while they rank 21st in winning percentage (.789).
• Maggie Cross has started every contest between the pipes this season, posting 15 victories with 74 saves and a 6.53 GAA. That GAA effort ranks 12th among her Division III peers.
• Along the backline for the Cardinals have been Maddie Lowney and Leah Hilton. Lowney leads the team with 63 caused turnovers, 65 ground balls and 76 draw wins. She sits 13th nationally in caused turnovers per game with 3.32. Hilton is second on the team, causing 31 miscues, slotted third in draw victories with 46 and has scooped up 25 rollers.
• Ellie Leisen paces a balanced offensive unit that has four players north of 47 points. Leisen has team-high totals with 87 points, 49 goals and 38 assists to go with 24 ground balls and 14 caused turnovers. 
• Dharma Makarowsky is second in goals (44) and points (63), while her 19 assists are tied for second. Chelsea Lopata is also above the 50-point plateau (35G, 19A) while adding 21 rollers and 14 caused turnovers. Kaley Griffin is another contributor around the draw circle with 72 wins. She also has 36 goals and 47 points

• Middlebury would play St. John Fisher for the third time, with each of the two previous meetings happening in the NCAA Tournament. The Panthers defeated the Cardinals 12-9 during the 2016 regional semifinal, while Middlebury cruised by an 18-5 tally in the 2024 second round.
• The Panthers have never played Western Connecticut State in women's lacrosse.

• The winner of Saturday's first-round game between the Wolves and Cardinals plays on Sunday against Middlebury. 
• Tickets will be priced at $6.30 for adults, $3.15 for students and seniors, and $2.10 for children ages 4-18. Kids aged three and under will receive free admission. All students with a valid ID get in free.
  • Ticket sales will begin one hour before each game in the Bostwick Family Squash Center lobby and behind the pickleball courts. All ticket purchases are credit card only - cash will not be accepted.
• Championship Central
• Full Bracket

The weekend winner advances to the third round which is set to begin the weekend of May 16.