HADLEY, Mass. – The Middlebury Panthers posted their third straight unbeaten mark in NESCAC action (10-0) with a 14-4 win over Williams in the regular-season finale to clinch the top seed in the 2025 NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship for the 15th time in program history.
Quarterfinal action begins on Saturday, April 26 on the campuses of the higher seeds. The four quarterfinal winners will square off in the semifinal round on Saturday, May 3, at the highest remaining seed, and the championship game is set for Sunday, May 4, at the site of the semifinal games.
2024 NESCAC Championship Recap
The top-seeded Middlebury women's lacrosse team recorded six unanswered goals, turning a 5-5 contest into an 11-5 triumph against No. 2-seeded Wesleyan in the NESCAC Women's Lacrosse Championship game at Peter Kohn Field. With the victory, the Panthers claimed their conference-leading 12th title.
Susan Rowley led all scorers with four points on a hat trick and one assist. Hope Shue, Sara Ellinghaus, and Maggie Coughlin each scored twice for the Panthers. Laura Baine led the Cardinals with a pair of goals. Elizabeth Savage made eight saves to pick up the win in the Middlebury goal while Izzy Weintraub was credited with seven saves for the Cardinals.
NESCAC Championship History
Five programs have won a NESCAC Women's Lacrosse title. Middlebury leads the way with 12 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
2025 Record: 15-0 / 10-0 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 23
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 15 (last: 2024)
NESCAC Titles Won: 12 (last: 2024)
Notes: Two-time defending NESCAC Champion … Middlebury is the No. 1 seed for the 15th time in program history and the Panthers' seventh straight tournament appearance … The Panthers will host a quarterfinal game for the 13th consecutive year when they face No. 8 Williams for the second time in three days … Middlebury's perfect 10-0 record in conference play marks the 11th time the Panthers have gone unbeaten in the NESCAC … They are 40-0 versus NESCAC opponents in the regular season over the past three seasons while winning 66 straight games … Middlebury is 3-0 versus the Ephs in the NESCAC postseason … The quarterfinal will be the first meeting between the two teams in the NESCAC Tournament since the 2007 semifinals.
#2 Tufts Jumbos
2025 Record: 14-1 / 9-1 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 21
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 4 (last: 2023)
NESCAC Titles Won: 2 (last: 2022)
Notes: The Jumbos have qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the 17th straight year … Tufts is the No. 2 seed for the first time since 2019 … The Jumbos will host a quarterfinal game for the sixth tournament in a row when they face No. 7 Bates … Tufts registered an 18-6 win over Bates on April 9 … The quarterfinal marks the first time the teams will square off in the NESCAC Tournament … Tufts went 12-0 before suffering its lone loss to Middlebury, 16-15, on April 12.
#3 Colby Mules
2025 Record: 13-2 / 8-2 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 23
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 6 (last: 2017)
NESCAC Titles Won: 3 (last: 2017)
Notes: Colby is the No. 3 seed for the first time since 2011 … The Mules will host a quarterfinal game for the fourth straight tournament when they meet sixth-seeded Trinity … Colby earned a 12-2 win over the Bantams on April 12 and holds a 3-2 edge in the NESCAC postseason series … The teams last met in the 2023 quarterfinals with the Mules recording a 12-10 victory … Colby started the season 7-0 and enters the tournament having won five straight games … The Mules have reached the semifinals in the last three tournaments.
TIEBREAKER: Amherst and Wesleyan both finished with identical conference records of 6-4. In head-to-head competition, the Mammoths defeated the Cardinals to earn the No. 4 seed.
#4 Amherst Mammoths
2025 Record: 11-4 / 6-4 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 23
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 6 (last: 2014)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: The Mammoths are in the NESCAC Championship for the 23rd time in program history and the fourth year in a row … Amherst is the No. 4 seed and will host a quarterfinal game for the first time since 2019 when it plays No. 5 Wesleyan … The Mammoths' 9-8 triple-overtime victory over the Cardinals on April 2 gave Amherst the tiebreaker to secure the No. 4 seed … The Mammoths are 4-0 against Wesleyan in the NESCAC Tournament series … The quarterfinal marks the first game between the teams in the championship since the 2008 quarterfinals … Amherst enters the tournament having won nine of its last 11 contests.
#5 Wesleyan Cardinals
2025 Record: 11-4 / 6-4 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 14
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 2 (2024)
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: 2024 NESCAC Runner-Up … Wesleyan is the No. 5 seed for the first time since 2018 … The Cardinals travel to No. 4 Amherst for their opening game of the NESCAC Tournament … Wesleyan suffered a 9-8 triple-overtime loss to the Mammoths on April 2 … The quarterfinal matchup marks the first time the teams will play in the NESCAC Tournament since 2008 … The Cardinals are looking for their first win over the Mammoths in the NESCAC Championship series (0-4) ... A quarterfinal win would send Wesleyan to the semifinals for the fourth year in a row and the fifth time in program history ... Wesleyan made its second appearance in the championship game last season … The Cardinals started the season 6-1 and enter the tournament riding a five-game win streak.
#6 Trinity Bantams
2025 Record: 8-7 / 4-6 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 19
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 8 (last: 2017)
NESCAC Titles Won: 5 (last: 2015)
Notes: Trinity is making its fourth consecutive appearance in the NESCAC Championship … The Bantams are the No. 6 seed for the second tournament in a row … Trinity travels to No. 3 Colby for a quarterfinal … The Bantams suffered a 12-2 loss to the Mules on April 12 … The teams meet for the second time in three tournaments … Colby owns a 3-2 edge over Trinity in the NESCAC Tournament series.
TIEBREAKER: Bates and Williams finished the regular season with identical conference records of 3-7. In head-to-head competition, the Bobcats defeated the Ephs to earn the No. 7 seed.
#7 Bates Bobcats
2025 Record: 7-8 / 3-7 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 11
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 0
NESCAC Titles Won: 0
Notes: Bates has qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the first time since 2019 … The Bobcats are the No. 7 seed for the first time since 2013 … Bates will travel to No. 2 Tufts for the quarterfinals, marking the first time the teams will play each other in the NESCAC Tournament … Tufts posted an 18-6 win over the Bobcats on April 9 … Bates is making its 11th NESCAC Tournament appearance overall.
#8 Williams Ephs
2025 Record: 7-8 / 3-7 NESCAC
NESCAC Tournament Appearances (including this year): 15
NESCAC Finals Appearances: 2 (last: 2010)
NESCAC Titles Won: 1 (2010)
Notes: Williams is the No. 8 seed for the first time since 2016 … The Ephs have qualified for the NESCAC Tournament for the second time in three seasons and 15th time overall … Williams travels to top-seeded Middlebury for the second meeting between the two teams in three days after the Panthers posted a 14-4 victory in the regular season finale on April 23 … The Ephs meet Middlebury in the NESCAC Championship for the first time since the 2007 semifinals and are 0-3 against the Panthers in the NESCAC postseason.
