HADLEY, Mass. – The Middlebury Panthers posted their third straight unbeaten mark in NESCAC action (10-0) with a 12-8 win over Williams in the regular-season finale to clinch the top seed in the 2024 NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship for the 14th time in program history. Quarterfinal action begins on Saturday, April 27 on the campuses of the higher seeds. The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinal round on Saturday, May 4 at the highest remaining seed, and the championship game is set for Sunday, May 5 at the site of the semifinal matches.
2023 NESCAC Championship Recap
The top-seeded Middlebury Panthers outscored No. 3 Tufts 6-2 in the third quarter on their way to a 19-13 win in the 2023 NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship. With the victory, the Panthers claimed their 11th conference title and the third in the last four seasons. The victory also marked the 250th career win for Middlebury head coach Kate Livesay. Jane Earley led Middlebury with five goals and six points and Annie Enrietto made six stops in the Panthers’ net. Tufts’ Margie Carden led all scorers with seven goals and eight points and Courtney Kaufman was credited with 12 saves for the Jumbos.
NESCAC Championship History
Five programs have won a NESCAC Women's Lacrosse title. Middlebury leads the way with 11 crowns. Trinity captured five consecutive titles from 2011 to 2015. Colby owns three conference titles (last: 2017) while Tufts won its second title in 2022. Williams won the 2010 NESCAC Championship.
#1 Middlebury Panthers
2024 Record: 15-0 / 10-0 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 22
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 14 (last: 2023)
NESCAC Titles Won: 11 (last: 2023)
Notes: Defending NESCAC Champion … Middlebury is the No. 1 seed for the 14th time in program history and its sixth straight tournament appearance … The Panthers will host a quarterfinal game for the 12th time when they face No. 8 Amherst … Middlebury's perfect 10-0 record in conference play marks the 10th time the Panthers have gone unbeaten in the NESCAC and they are 30-0 versus NESCAC opponents in the regular season over the past three seasons … Middlebury handed Amherst at 16-5 loss in the season opener on March 2 and is 11-0 versus the Mammoths in the NESCAC postseason series, including a victory in the 2022 quarterfinals.
TIEBREAKER: Wesleyan and Tufts both finished with identical conference records of 8-2. In head-to-head competition, Wesleyan defeated Tufts to earn the No. 2 seed.
#2 Wesleyan Cardinals
2024 Record: 13-2 / 8-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 13
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 1 (2021)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Wesleyan has matched its highest seed in program history at No. 2 for the second straight season … The Cardinals will host a quarterfinal for the fourth tournament in a row when they face No. 7 Bowdoin … Wesleyan defeated Bowdoin, 12-7, on April 20 but is 0-2 against Polar Bears in the NESCAC Tournament … In the last meeting in the 2018 quarterfinals, Bowdoin posted an 11-10 victory … The Cardinals enter the championship riding an eight-game win streak … A quarterfinal win would send Wesleyan to the semifinals for the third year in a row and the fourth time in program history.
#3 Tufts Jumbos
2024 Record: 13-2 / 8-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 20
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 4 (last: 2023)
NESCAC Titles Won: 2 (last: 2022)
Notes: 2023 NESCAC Runners-Up … The Jumbos have qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the 16th straight year … Tufts is the No. 3 seed for the third straight year and will host a quarterfinal game for the fifth tournament in a row when it faces No. 6 Trinity … Tufts beat the Bantams, 20-6, in the fourth game of the year on March 9 … The NESCAC Tournament series stands at 5-2 in favor of Trinity, but the Jumbos won the most recent meeting with a 14-8 victory in the 2022 quarterfinals … The Jumbos, who have won three of their last four games, have played in the last three championship games.
TIEBREAKER: Colby and Hamilton both finished with identical conference records of 5-5. In head-to-head competition, Colby defeated Hamilton to earn the No. 4 seed.
#4 Colby Mules
2024 Record: 10-5 / 5-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 22
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 6 (last: 2017)
NESCAC Titles Won: 3 (last: 2017)
Notes: Colby is the No. 4 seed for the second season in a row after winning the head-to-head tiebreaker with Hamilton … The Mules will host a quarterfinal game for the third straight tournament when they meet the fifth-seeded Continentals … The Mules picked up a 12-2 win at Hamilton on March 23 … The two teams have played once in the NESCAC Tournament with Hamilton earning a 9-4 victory in the 2012 quarterfinals … Colby has reached the semifinals in the last two tournaments (2022 & 2023).
#5 Hamilton Continentals
2024 Record: 7-7 / 5-5 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 8
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Hamilton is the No. 5 seed for the second time in three tournaments and will travel to No. 4 Colby for the quarterfinals … The Continentals dropped a 12-2 decision versus the Mules on March 23 … The quarterfinal matchup marks just the second meeting between the schools in the NESCAC Championship … Hamilton won the first meeting, 9-4, in the 2012 quarterfinals … The Continentals closed out the regular season by winning two of their last three games.
TIEBREAKER: Trinity, Bowdoin, and Amherst finished with identical conference records of 4-6. In head-to-head competition, Trinity went 2-0, Bowdoin went 1-1, and Amherst went 0-2 as Trinity earned the No. 6 seed. Bowdoin earned the No. 7 seed while Amherst earned the No. 8 seed.
#6 Trinity Bantams
2024 Record: 8-7 / 4-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 18
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 8 (last: 2017)
NESCAC Titles Won: 5 (last: 2015)
Notes: Trinity is making its third straight appearance in the NESCAC Championship … The Bantams’ 13-11 victory over Amherst in the regular-season finale helped them earn the No. 6 seed for the first time since 2022 … Trinity will travel to No. 3 Tufts for the quarterfinals … The Bantams dropped a 20-6 decision to Tufts on March 9 but own a 5-2 advantage in the NESCAC Tournament series, however, the Jumbos won the most recent meeting with a 14-8 victory in the 2022 quarterfinals ... Trinity won three of its last four games to finish the regular season
#7 Bowdoin Polar Bears
2024 Record: 8-7 / 4-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 19
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 3 (last: 2018)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Bowdoin is the No. 7 seed for the second time in three tournaments … The Polar Bears have qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the third straight season and 19th time overall … Bowdoin travels to No. 2 Wesleyan and will face the Cardinals for the second time in a week after a 12-7 loss to Wesleyan on April 20 … Bowdoin improved to 2-0 against the Cardinals in the NESCAC Tournament with an 11-10 win in the 2018 quarterfinals … The Polar Bears are looking to reach the semifinals for the first time since 2018, the same year they made their last appearance in the NESCAC title game.
#8 Amherst Mammoths
2024 Record: 8-7 / 4-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 22
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 6 (last: 2014)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: The Mammoths are in the NESCAC Championship for the 22nd time in program history and the third year in a row … Amherst is the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2022 and will travel to top-seeded Middlebury for the quarterfinals … The Mammoths dropped a 16-5 decision versus Middlebury in the season-opener on March 2 … Middlebury holds an 11-0 advantage in the NESCAC postseason series, and the teams last faced each other in the 2022 quarterfinals … Amherst enters the tournament having won four of its last six contests.
