Northwestern University Athletics
Northwestern
#1 North Carolina
No. 1 Northwestern Clashes with No. 2 UNC in National Championship
5/23/2026 4:47:00 PM | Women's Lacrosse
EVANSTON, Ill. — No. 1 Northwestern and No. 2 North Carolina will battle for the NCAA Championship Sunday, May 24, at Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium. Opening draw is scheduled for 11 a.m. CT on ESPN.
Jay Alter (play-by-play), Sheehan Stanwick-Burch (analyst), Charlotte North (analyst) and Annabelle Hasselbeck (sideline) will be on the call.
The Wildcats (18-3, 7-1 Big Ten) are the first team to host a Championship Weekend game since Penn did so in 2007. They're looking to become the first school to win a national title on its home field since Maryland in 1986.
The two teams last faced off on March 25 in Chapel Hill, N.C., where NU captured a 17-16 overtime victory.
Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium is situated on the shores of Lake Michigan and is the home of Northwestern lacrosse and soccer — as well as the primary home of Wildcat football in 2024 and 2025. It is the first venue outside of the Eastern Time Zone to host an NCAA DI Women's Lacrosse National Championship.
NU boasts the nation's longest-active winning streak, with 13 consecutive victories dating back to March 21 at Oregon.
'CATS CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY
A regular Championship Weekend fixture, Northwestern has advanced to its fourth consecutive NCAA Championship. Under Combe Family Head Lacrosse Coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, the Wildcats have made 12 national title games. NU is 8-3 all-time in championship games, with a 1-2 record in the past three years. With a win, Amonte Hiller would become the first DI lacrosse coach (men's or women's) to capture nine national titles.
The Wildcats won five straight national championships from 2005-2009, back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012 and most recently in 2023.
HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE
Under Amonte Hiller, Northwestern is 39-0 all-time in home NCAA Tournament games — a streak dating back to the 2004 season. The Wildcats have won 28 consecutive games at their outdoor home facility, dating back to April 18, 2019.
NU is the first team with home-field advantage in an NCAA Championship game since Princeton in 2004. The 'Cats are the seventh team in NCAA history to play a home Championship Weekend game, joining Trenton State (1982), Maryland (1986, 1993, 1994), Princeton (2004) and Penn (2007).
LAST TIME OUT
Behind a balanced offensive clinic, Northwestern defeated No. 4 Johns Hopkins, 16-11, on Friday, advancing to Sunday's championship. Madison Taylor, Taylor Lapointe and Maddie Epke posted 21 combined points.
A dominant 6-0 second-quarter run gave the 'Cats a considerable halftime advantage. Epke, Taylor and Madison Smith helped NU put the game on ice with a decisive performance in the circle, outdrawing the Blue Jays 20-9.
The Wildcat defense recorded a season-best 18 caused turnovers. Jaylen Rosga led the charge with four.
Friday's result marked Northwestern's fourth consecutive NCAA semifinal victory.
SCOUTING UNC
The Tar Heels (19-1, 10-0 ACC) knocked off No. 3 Maryland, 16-6, to set up a rematch of last season's NCAA Championship. UNC swept the ACC regular-season and tournament titles for the second consecutive year in 2026.
Head coach Jenny Levy's squad leads the nation in scoring offense (17.85 goals per game) and scoring margin (10.30 goals per game).
Reigning Tewaaraton Award winner Chloe Humphrey spearheads the Tar Heel offense. She has posted 107 goals and 48 assists this season. Addison Pattillo has enjoyed a breakout sophomore campaign, posting 74 points in 2026.
Kate Levy and Eliza Osburn command the UNC midfield. The duo has 91 combined points this season.
Sarah Gresham, North Carolina's primary draw taker, saw limited action in her team's semifinal victory as she nursed a lower-body injury. As such, freshman Charlotte Rathjen logged her first career start on the draw.
The Tar Heels have used a platoon goalie system this season, with Betty Nelson and Lexi Zenk splitting time between the pipes. Nelson has 68 saves with a 40% save percentage, while Zenk has recorded 42 stops with a 49.4% save percentage.
SERIES HISTORY
Sunday will mark the 30th all-time matchup between the two teams. North Carolina leads the all-time series 15-14. The Wildcats defeated the Tar Heels 17-16 in Chapel Hill on March 25.
Northwestern vs. North Carolina (Since 2022):
Date W/L Score
3/6/22 L 20-9
5/27/22 L 15-14
3/19/23 W 13-9
3/25/24 W 16-10
3/27/25 L 15-12
5/25/25 L 12-8
3/25/26 W 17-16 (OT)
