Middlebury Completes Perfect Season, Captures Fifth Straight NCAA Division III Championship
NORTHBOROUGH, Mass.— Middlebury College remains the No. 1 team in Division III after securing its fifth consecutive NCAA National Championship with an 8-6 victory over Wesleyan in the title game.
The Panthers completed a perfect 2026 season with a 23-0 overall record, extending one of the most dominant runs in Division III history. Head coach Kate Livesay also reached a milestone with the championship victory, earning her 10th combined national title as both a coach and player.
Wesleyan finishes the season ranked No. 2 following the program’s first-ever appearance in the NCAA Championship game. The Cardinals capped a historic campaign with a 19-4 overall record, setting a new single-season program record for victories. Wesleyan advanced to the title game with tournament wins over Cortland, No. 21 UChicago, No. 10 Trinity, and No. 3 Salisbury.
Tufts lands at No. 3 after falling to Middlebury in an overtime thriller during the NCAA Semifinals. The Jumbos earned postseason victories over No. 23 Haverford, No. 13 Gettysburg, and No. 20 Williams before ending the season with a 17-4 overall record.
Salisbury moves to No. 4 after a tightly contested semifinal matchup against Wesleyan. The Sea Gulls concluded the 2026 season with an outstanding 20-1 overall record.
Rounding out the Top 5 is Trinity (Conn.), which advanced to the NCAA Quarterfinals after postseason wins over No. 17 Franklin & Marshall and No. 8 Pomona-Pitzer.
In total, 25 teams are represented in the poll, with voters—college coaches from across the nation—reflecting the latest results across women’s lacrosse. The rankings are based on weekly performances, with this being the final poll of the 2026 season.