Photo: Andrew Leal

No. 4 St. Thomas is one of five remaining undefeated teams in the Division II ranking.

The status quo remains in effect for another week at the top of the WCLA (Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates) Division I and II coaches polls, with Pitt and Utah State, respectively, maintaining their number one spots.

Pittsburgh, 10-0 overall, was idle last week, but returns to action this week against local clubs Carnegie Mellon and Duquesne. No. 2 San Diego State, also 10-0, is the only other undefeated team in the Division I ranking. 

Michigan Club and BYU, which both had strong showings at Colorado’s Mile High Invitational last week, remain third and fourth in the poll.

The defending champion Wolverines finished 4-0 in Colorado, with wins over No. 4 BYU, No. 9 Georgia, No. 11 Colorado Club, and Colorado State. 

BYU finished 3-1 at the event, with wins over No. 14 Virginia Club, No. 17 Boston College, and UConn.

No. 12 Northeastern joined Michigan as the only other undefeated squad among the 12 participants at the MHI Invitational, finishing 4-0 and jumping three spots in this week’s ranking. Virginia Club finished 3-1 in Colorado and was the biggest poll mover, climbing five spots.

Tournament host Colorado finished 2-2 in the 12-team event, an impressive showing when considering that team members were also actively involved in hosting the three-day tournament. The annual spring event is the culmination of months of planning and organizing. 

“We spend many hours putting this event together; creating match-ups, creating the schedule, finding hotel deals for teams, designing t-shirts for the event, and many other smaller tasks,” said Colorado senior Kendall Finnegan, one of five team captains who take the lead in the planning process.

The work doesn’t stop when the tournament begins as team members juggle playing duties with hosting duties. 

“Members of our team are at every game running the clock and helping on the field,” Finnegan said. “It’s a lot of work, but the outcome is worth the hours we put in.” 

Knowing that the Buffaloes are able to provide an opportunity for other WCLA teams & players to come together in a competitive setting is the main reward. 

“We really enjoy hosting so many teams, and it’s great to see them return year after year,” Finnegan said. “The competition is always great and teams enjoy coming out here because they get to play some of the best teams in the nation.” 

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

In Division II, No. 1 Utah State improved to 7-1 overall with decisive wins over Boise State and Wyoming. 

Denver Club, Air Force, St. Thomas and Grand Valley State Club complete this week’s Division II top five.  

No. 4 St. Thomas, 6-0 overall, is one of five remaining undefeated teams in the Division II ranking.

No. 6 Navy Club, which joined the ranking for the first time last week, was the biggest mover this week, climbing five spots to number six. 

No. 12 Salisbury Club is the highest-ranked newcomer. The Sea Gulls posted wins over Navy and Rutgers Club before losing to No. 9 Loyola Club.

No. 20 Gonzaga returns to the poll one week after falling out of the ranking. The Zags improved to 9-0 overall with a win over Portland State. 

The WCLA features 230 Division I and Division II non-varsity teams that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The 2019 season will conclude with the US Lacrosse WCLA D-I and D-II national championships in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

Photo: Andrew Leal

No. 19 Virginia is the only newcomer in this week's D-I ranking. The Cavaliers are one of eight ranked teams competing in Colorado’s Mile High Invitational this week.

As they have done for most of the season, Pittsburgh and Utah State continue to hold the top spots in the new WCLA (Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates) Division I and II coaches polls, released Wednesday. 

Pittsburgh improved to 10-0 overall with home wins over Penn State Club, Notre Dame Club and Delaware Club last weekend. The high-powered Panthers, who have scored 15 or more goals eight times this year, were held to their lowest scoring total of the season in the 8-6 win over No. 10 Delaware.

San Diego State, Michigan Club, BYU, and Cal Poly round out the top five again this week. There were no changes among the top nine teams in the Division I ranking.

No. 19 Virginia, 2-0 overall, is the only newcomer in the D-I ranking. The Cavaliers are one of 12 teams competing in Colorado’s Mile High Invitational this week, with featured games against No. 4 BYU and No. 18 Boston College Club highlighting UVA’s schedule. The strong MHI line-up includes eight ranked teams among the participants.

In Division II, Utah State maintained its hold on number one despite losing for the first time this year. The Aggies dropped an 11-6 decision against Division I BYU before adding wins over Weber State and No. 18 Utah Valley.

Denver Club, Air Force, St. Thomas and Stanford Club complete this week’s Division II top five. 

No. 11 Navy Club was the highest-ranked newcomer. The Mids make their poll debut after improving to 4-0 overall with a 12-7 win over defending champion Loyola Club. The loss dropped the Greyhounds six spots to number eight this week.

No. 19 Binghamton, 3-0 overall, also returns to the poll one week after falling out of the ranking. Gonzaga, which was number 18 last week, dropped out despite improving to 6-0 overall with a win over Idaho. 

The WCLA features 230 Division I and Division II non-varsity teams that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The 2019 season will conclude with the US Lacrosse WCLA D-I and D-II national championships in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.
 

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

Photo: Andrew Leal

Last year's national runner-up, BYU, is one of four remaining undefeated teams in the WCLA's Division I Top 20.

Undefeated Pittsburgh and Utah State retained their spots at the top of the new WCLA (Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates) Division I and II coaches polls, released Wednesday. It’s the fourth straight week at the top for both teams. 

There were no changes among the top six teams in the Division I ranking, with San Diego State, Michigan Club, BYU, Cal Poly and UCLA all maintaining their same positions from last week. The only movement in the Top 10 was a switch in placement between No. 7 Virginia Tech and No. 8 Santa Clara. 

No. 17 Northeastern and No. 19 Boston College Club were newcomers in the D-I ranking, with Colorado State and Alabama dropping out this week.

In Division II, Loyola Club, Denver Club, Air Force, and Stanford Club complete this week’s top five. 

The biggest mover in Division II was No. 15 CSU San Marcos, which jumped two spots and improved to 6-2 on the year with a victory over Pepperdine. 

No. 19 St. Benedict, 5-0 overall, joined the ranking for the first time this season, while Binghamton dropped out. 

The WCLA features 230 Division I and Division II non-varsity teams that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The 2019 season will conclude with the US Lacrosse WCLA D-I and D-II national championships in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.
 

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

With relatively light game schedules over the past week, there were minimal changes in this week’s WCLA (Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates) Division I and II coaches polls. Pittsburgh and Utah State hold the respective No. 1 positions for the third straight week. 

In Division I, San Diego State, Michigan Club, BYU, and Cal Poly round out the top five. Cal Poly was the biggest mover of the week, jumping three spots to join the top five after defeating No. 6 UCLA . The Bruins dropped two spots this week.

Loyola Club, Air Force, Denver Club and Stanford Club complete the top five in the Division II poll. Stanford moved up one spot this week to displace No. 6 St. Thomas.

Top ranked Utah State returns to action this week with games against BYU, Weber State, and No. 15 Utah Valley.

“Our team has been working hard and pushing for a higher level of play. Being number one in the poll is a credit to the work each player and coach has put into creating a new identity. We welcome the challenge to stay on top and are looking forward to our next game,” said Utah State coach Krista Shepherd Call.

The biggest mover in Division II was No. 13 UC Irvine, which climbed six spots following its 11-10 victory over No. 14 UC San Diego.

No. 9 TCU moved up two spots to claim a space in the Top 10. No. 11 Iowa State also jumped two positions this week.

The WCLA features 230 Division I and Division II non-varsity teams that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The 2019 season will conclude with the US Lacrosse WCLA D-I and D-II national championships in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

WCLA Division 1 National Top 20

WCLA Division 2 National Top 20

By: Paul Ohanian

Feb 01, 2019

Last year’s two national champions, Michigan in Division I and Loyola (Md.) in Division II, have been tabbed as the No. 1 teams in the 2019 Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Preseason Top 20 rankings, according to voting conducted by the respective ranking committees. 

Nearly 230 collegiate club teams comprise the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) and compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella.

Michigan finished with a perfect 19-0 record last year, becoming the first undefeated champion since 2013. The Wolverines claimed their second WCLA title by beating BYU, 11-7, in the championship game. Goalie Maddie Collins, last year’s national rookie of the year, and All-American defender Sarah Fried are among the top returnees for the Wolverines in 2019. 

BYU, Virginia, North Carolina, and Georgia round out the top five in the Division I preseason poll. 

Coming off its first Division II championship in 2018, Loyola begins the new season atop the Division II ranking. The Greyhounds dethroned two-time champion Denver by defeating the Pioneers, 14-3, in last year’s final and closed the year with an 11-game winning streak. Loyola’s 11-goal margin of victory was the largest ever in the D-II championship game. The Greyhounds finished 14-2 overall.

Denver, Vermont, Providence, and New Hampshire round out the top five in the 2019 Division II preseason poll.

The 2019 WCLA season begins in earnest on February 15 with over 40 teams competing in the annual Santa Barbara (Calif.) Shootout, and eight others playing in UCLA’s Golden State Invitational. The 2019 season will end with the US Lacrosse WCLA Championship Tournament in Virginia Beach, May 8-11.

Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Division I Preseason Top 20 

1. Michigan Club
2. BYU
3. Virginia Club
4. North Carolina Club
5. Georgia
6. Delaware Club
7. Pittsburgh
8. San Diego State Club
9. Boston College Club
10. Cal Poly
11. UCLA
12. Colorado
13. Penn State Club
14. St. Mary’s (CA)
15. Texas
16. Oregon Club
17. Central Florida
18. Colorado State
19. Virginia Tech Club
20. Ohio State Club 

Nike/US Lacrosse WCLA Division II Preseason Top 20

1. Loyola Club
2. Denver Club
3. Vermont Club
4. Providence
5. New Hampshire Club
6. St. Thomas
7. Grand Valley Club
8. Utah State
9. St. Benedict
10. Air Force
11. Stanford Club
12. Portland State
13. Oakland
14. Dayton
15. Cal State San Marcos
16. Elon Club
17. Iowa State
18. Coastal Carolina Club
19. Chico State
20. High Point Club

     The University of Michigan, the WCLL unbeaten regular season champions, received the number one seed in the Division I bracket of the 2018 US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championships, while the University of Pittsburgh, the WCLL's DI runner-up, received a fourth seed. Grand Valley State University (No. 8) and Oakland University (No. 10) earned a trip to Texas in the DII bracket. The WCLA National Championships, which showcase the nation’s premier non-varsity collegiate teams, will be played May 9-12 at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex in Round Rock, Texas, located about 15 miles north of Austin. 

     The Division I field features 16 teams, while the Division II tournament consists of 12 teams. Both tournament fields are comprised of a combination of teams earning automatic qualifiers as league champions and teams earning at-large berths.

     Michigan, 15-0, is making its 16th overall and eighth straight appearance in the WCLA championship tournament. The Wolverines won their only WCLA title in 2015, and enter this year’s tournament as the automatic qualifier and champion from the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL). Georgia (14-3) received the number two seed after winning the Southeastern Women’s Lacrosse League (SWLL) title. The Bulldogs, champions in 2016, are making their 12th overall and sixth straight tournament appearance. BYU (13-2) is seeded third and Pittsburgh (13-3) is the number four seed. 

     In the Division II bracket, two-time defending champion University of Denver Club earned the top seed for the third straight year and brings an 11-4 overall record into the tournament. The Pioneers are making their fifth straight and sixth overall appearance in the championship. Loyola University Maryland Club, last year’s runner-up, is the number two seed, with St. Thomas, the only undefeated D-II team, receiving the number three seed. 

     The WCLA features 82 Division I teams and 149 Division II teams that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The WCLA National Championship began in 2001 with a Division I tournament. The Division II championship was added in 2010. More information about the 2018 US Lacrosse WCLA National Championships, including game schedules and competition brackets, can be found online at uslacrosse.org/wcla.  Both the D-I and D-II national semifinal and championship games on May 11 & 12 will be available for viewing via free streaming from www.ASBN.tv. 

The Division I and II seeds are listed below, with their season records noted:

Division I
No. 1 University of Michigan Club (15-0)
No. 2 University of Georgia (14-3)
No. 3 Brigham Young University (13-2)
No. 4 University of Pittsburgh (13-3)
No. 5 University of North Carolina Club (9-2)
No. 6 Boston College Club (13-2)
No. 7 University of Virginia Club (8-3)
No. 8 University of Delaware Club (8-1)
No. 9 California Polytechnic State University (9-4)
No. 10 University of California, Los Angeles (9-5)
No. 11 San Diego State University Club (10-4)
No. 12 University of Colorado Club (14-6)
No. 13 St. Mary’s (Ca.) College (10-3)
No. 14 Penn State University Club (6-4)
No. 15 University of Texas (9-5)
No. 16 University of Oregon Club (6-5)

Division II
No. 1 University of Denver Club (11-4)
No. 2 Loyola University Maryland Club (10-3)
No. 3 St. Thomas University (8-0)
No. 4 Southern Methodist University (10-2)
No. 5 Utah State University (7-3)
No. 6 Providence College (13-4)
No. 7 University of New Hampshire Club (10-1)
No. 8 Grand Valley State University Club (11-1)
No. 9 University of Vermont Club (5-3)
No. 10 Oakland University (9-3)
No. 11 St. Benedict's  (6-2)
No. 12 Portland State University (9-2) 

Wednesday, May 10, 2017
No. 3 UCLA (12-3) vs. No. 14 North Carolina (9-3)
               Final: UNC 14, UCLA 13 
No. 6 Boston College (13-2) vs. No. 11 Michigan (10-4)
               Final: Michigan 8, BC 7
No. 7 Delaware (10-2) vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech (8-4)
               Final: Delaware 12, Va Tech 5
No. 2 Santa Clara (12-2) vs. No. 15 Texas A&M (7-4)
               Final: SC 14, Texas A&M 5
No. 1 Pittsburgh (15-1) vs. No. 16 Western Washington (13-2)
               Final: Pittsburgh 20, W. Wash 4
No. 8 Brigham Young (10-1) vs. No. 9 Virginia (11-4)
               Final: BYU 17, UVA 12
No. 5 Colorado State (13-4) vs. No. 12 Cal Poly (7-8) 
               Final: CSU 19, Cal Poly 11
No. 4 Georgia (14-3) vs. No. 13 San Diego State (11-5)
               Final: Georgia 11, SDSU 6 

WCLA Division I Quarterfinal Games – Thursday, May 11
11 a.m. - No. 1 Pittsburgh vs. No. 8 BYU
11 a.m. - No. 4 Georgia vs. No. 5 Colorado State 
 1 p.m. - No. 11 Michigan vs. No. 14 North Carolina
 1 p.m. - No. 2 Santa Clara vs. No. 7 Delaware

WCLA Division I Consolation Bracket Games – Thursday, May 11
4 p.m. - Western Washington vs. Virginia
4 p.m. - Cal Poly vs. San Diego State
4 p.m. - UCLA vs. Boston College
4 p.m. - Va.Tech vs. Texas A&M

WCLA Division II Pool Play Groupings – Thursday, May 11
Pool A – No. 1 Denver (10-2), No. 8 Grand Valley State (11-2), No.12 Washington State (9-2)
Pool B – No. 2 Grand Canyon (12-0), No. 7 Providence (10-3), No. 11 Utah State (6-5)
Pool C – No. 3 Loyola (9-2), No. 6 Utah (7-2), No. 10 St. Benedict (9-3)
Pool D – No. 4 Concordia (12-2), No. 5 Vermont (7-0), No. 9 St. Thomas (10-2) 

In Division II, the teams are arranged into four pods of three teams each. A round-robin within each pod determines the qualifier that advances into the semifinal round. Single-elimination is utilized in the semifinals and final.

Video Streaming
Both the D-I and D-II championship games on Saturday, May 13 will be available for viewing via free streaming from www.CoachesAid.com. 

Interested in watching the national tournament but not about to make the trip to Texas? Check out this article for information on how to stream the event and cheer on your favorite team from home. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

For the third straight year, fans of the US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championship will be able to follow the action via video streaming. US Lacrosse has partnered with ASBN (Amateur Sports Broadcasting Network) to provide free live streaming, with expanded coverage this year to include all the semifinal games in addition to the WCLA Division I and Division II championship games. 

The live streaming will be split across two different sites this year as ASBN also utilizes its partner site, Eleven Sports. The live streaming access links will follow this breakdown:

• Friday, May 11 – All four semifinal games: www.asbn.tv.  
• Saturday, May 12 – Two championship games: www.twitch.tv/elevensportsprime.  

This year’s semifinal games in Round Rock, Texas will be played back-to-back on Friday, May 11, with the D-II semifinals scheduled for 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., followed by the D-I semifinals at 5 p.m. and 8 p.m. 

On Saturday, May 12, the D-II championship is scheduled for 12-noon, with the D-I final to follow at 2:30 p.m.  All game times are local, Central Daylight Time (CDT).

ASBN and Eleven Sports will begin each broadcast with a short pregame show prior to game time. 

In addition to the live stream, the broadcasts will also be available for on-demand viewing following the completion of the games, and for purchase on DVD as well. 

Nearly 230 non-varsity collegiate teams comprise the WCLA and compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. Started in 2001, the annual WCLA National Championship showcases the WCLA’s premier teams, featuring a Division I field of 16 teams and a Division II tournament of 12 qualifying teams.

This year’s Division I tournament begins on Wednesday, May 9, with the Division II tournament starting Thursday, May 10. The event concludes with the two championship games on Saturday. Fans are welcome to attend all games. Admission at the Round Rock Multipurpose Complex is free throughout the event. 

Full coverage of the championships will be provided each day on uslacrosse.org/wcla2018 and USLaxmagazine.com, the official websites of US Lacrosse, including blogs, stories, scores, updated game schedules, brackets and photo galleries. 

ASBN is a broadcast media services organization dedicated to all sports and events. Starting in 2010, the ASBN team has been pioneering the broadcasting of sports. Since that start, ASBN has added numerous capabilities, services and packages to better serve clients, partners and viewers.  

Harrow Sports, Guardian, and Chipotle are the official event partners for the 2018 US Lacrosse WCLA National Championships, while US Lacrosse’s national partners, Greenfields and Nationwide, provide additional event support. 

By Paul Ohanian

   SALT LAKE CITY - A dominating second half performance carried Delaware Club to its first national championship with a come-from-behind victory over No. 1 seed Pittsburgh in the US Lacrosse WCLA Division I Championship Tournament in Salt Lake City. 

   No. 7 seed Delaware upset the favored Panthers, 13-11, on Saturday, two days after delivering a similar blow to No. 2 seed Santa Clara. The Blue Hens had registered just one victory in five previous national tournament appearances, but claimed four wins in four days to win the 2017 title.

   “This feels amazing,” said senior Olivia Gannon, who tallied three goals and an assist and was named the D-I tournament’s most outstanding attacker. “We’ve wanted this and worked for it since being at the nationals last year.”

   Trailing by two goals at halftime, Delaware faced its biggest deficit of the game when Pittsburgh scored less than 90 seconds into the second half to extend its lead to 8-5. But that’s when the tide turned.

   Delaware’s defense, led by junior Olivia Townsend and anchored in the second half by senior goalie Caroline Keller (5 saves), held Pitt scoreless for 18 minutes as the offense began to chip away at the lead.

   “We stress communication and being focused on the second slide,” said Townsend, selected as the tournament’s most outstanding defender. “We play so well when we’re having fun.”

   Two goals by freshman Jillian Leonard less than a minute apart sparked a 5-0 run that moved Delaware in front, 10-8. When Pitt ended its long scoring drought with Allison Hawkins’ goal at 10:43 and cut the lead to one, Delaware quickly answered with another three-goal run in a span of four minutes. 

   By the time Leonard scored her third of the day, this time on a free-position at 4:56, Delaware had pushed its lead to four goals at 13-9 and was beginning to anticipate a celebration. All told, the Blue Hens outscored Pitt 8-1 during a pivotal 21-minute stretch of the second half.

“We started to realize that the dream of winning was realistic,” said sophomore Sarah Tappan, who finished with a team-high four goals for Delaware. 

   Two late goals provided some hope for the Panthers, but two free-position saves by UD’s Keller in the closing minutes prevented Pitt from completing its own comeback bid. The afternoon belonged to the self-coaching upstarts from the First State who closed the year with six straight wins and a final 13-2 record.

   “We definitely have great chemistry on this team, on and off the field,” Gannon said. “We know what to look for when we’re on the field and we hold each other accountable.” Pittsburgh had its 11-game winning streak snapped and finished the year with a 17-2 final record.

By Paul Ohanian

   SALT LAKE CITY - Denver Club’s senior goalie Jammie Dumolt, who was selected as a first team All-American earlier in the week, did not play one second in Saturday’s US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) Division II Championship Game. She was not injured, and she certainly didn’t do anything that merited punitive time on the sideline. 

   The reason Dumolt didn’t see action in the biggest game of the year was, simply, that she is right handed. 

   Denver’s coach Mindy Stone watched 120 minutes of Loyola (Md.) games in the previous two days and came to the conclusion that one of the best strategic decisions she could make for the championship game was to start her left-handed goalie, Kallie Feldhaus. It presented Loyola with a look that Stone felt worked against their strength. 

   The plan worked like a charm. Feldhaus, who normally splits time with Dumolt but played the entire game Saturday, recorded eight saves and probably altered at least that many more Loyola shots as Denver quieted the high-scoring Greyhounds’ offense, posting a 9-6 win to claim their second straight D-II national championship. 

   “Kallie and Jammie are close friends and support each other regardless of who is in the game,” Stone said. “Seeing a different look in goal can be hard to adjust to and judging by how many of their shots missed the target, I think that playing Kallie was the right choice.”

   It didn’t hurt that Feldhaus also had a solid defense in front of her, led by three-time attacker of the year Kelley Dingens, and that she played incredibly well when tested, making several key saves in the second half to protect UD’s lead and keep the momentum from turning. 

   Having closed the first half with a four-goal run to seize the lead, Denver allowed Loyola to score on its first possession of the second half and cut the lead to 7-5 with 27:42 remaining. Not many might have guessed that the Greyhounds, who tallied 49 goals in their first three tournament games, would only muster one more goal the rest of the way.

   “Kallie was incredible today. When she is ‘on’ it makes us great,” said All-American sophomore midfielder Sophie Smith, who paced the UD offense with three goals. “It’s always a team effort.”

   Smith’s second goal of the game at 10:52 of the first half tied the score at 4-4 and jump started Denver’s four-goal run. Smith added her third midway through the second half to extend the lead to 8-5, and freshman Sophie Vernon sealed the win by adding her second of the game with 1:21 to go. 

   Vernon and sophomore attacker Kaitlin Ball directed the Pioneer’s offense for much of the day, with Smith benefitting from the increased attention those two were getting from the Loyola defenders. Vernon (2g-1a) was selected as the D-II tournament’s most outstanding midfielder, and Ball (1g-1a) was named the most outstanding attacker.

   “When we get a lead we get more hyped,” Smith said.

   Denver (14-2) becomes the first back-to-back champion in the eight-year history of the WCLA Division II championship, and finished the year with a 13-game winning streak.

   Loyola was led its sophomore All-American Michaela Smith, who finished with three goals, and freshman Kelly O’Krepkie, who added two goals and two assists. The Hounds (12-3) had their seven-game winning streak snapped by the loss and finished as the national runner-up for the second time in team history.

By Paul Ohanian
   SPARKS, Md. — After a three-year run on the East Coast, the US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championship, now in its 17th year, has moved back across the Mississippi River and landed in Salt Lake City, with games beginning Wednesday at the Regional Athletic Complex (RAC).
   The WCLA is comprised of 230 college club teams from coast-to-coast that compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. From these, the most deserving Division I and Division II club teams qualify for the season-ending national championships, conducted by US Lacrosse each spring.  The 16-team Division I tournament begins on Wednesday, May 10, while the 12-team Division II tournament starts Thursday, May 11. The event concludes with championship games for both divisions on Saturday afternoon.
   Harrow Sports and Guardian, maker of The Pearl lacrosse ball, are the official event partners for the 2017 US Lacrosse WCLA National Championships. Fans are welcome to attend all games. Admission and parking at the multi-field RAC is free. 
   “We are thrilled to have the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates Championship here in Salt Lake City. We welcome all the lacrosse players, coaches, and fans to Utah,” said Jeff Robbins, president and CEO of the Utah Sports Commission.

   The University of Pittsburgh earned the No. 1 seed in the Division I championship following a 14-1 regular season. The Panthers, who were national champions in 2014, are making their 11th overall appearance in the championship tournament and punched their ticket to SLC by winning the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) title for the fourth time in five years. Pitt brings an eight-game winning streak into Wednesday’s opening round game against No. 16 seed Western Washington.
   Santa Clara (11-2) received the number two seed after winning the Western Women’s Lacrosse League (WWLL) title. The Broncos are making their 13th overall and 10th straight tournament appearance, the longest active streak for appearances among this year’s participants. Santa Clara faces No. 15 Texas A&M in the opening round.
   “We think our well rounded schedule has prepared us for the national tournament,” said Santa Clara coach Jessica Paige. “We have seen a mix of everything, both offensively and defensively.”
   Santa Clara’s league rival, UCLA (12-2), is seeded third, and defending champion Georgia (13-3) is the number four seed. Georgia’s coach, Adam Weinstein, serves as chair of the tournament’s selection committee and indicated that the number of quality teams for nationals grows each year.
   “This was, by far, the toughest call we've had in years to determine the seeding, but we strongly believe we have the most competitive field of teams at nationals to date,” he said.
   Ten of the 16 teams in this year’s Division I field are returnees from last year’s championship. The field also includes the past four national champions in No. 5 seed Colorado State (2013 champion), No. 1 seed Pittsburgh (2014), No. 11 seed Michigan (2015) and No. 4 Georgia (2016).
   “I think anything is possible with this field. Everyone steps it up a few levels at the nationals and the team that wants it more will get it done,” said David McKinnon, coach at Michigan. 

WCLA DII BEGINS CHAMPIONSHIP HUNT

   In the 12-team Division II bracket, defending champion University of Denver earned the top seed for the second straight year and brings a 10-2 overall record into the tournament. The Pioneers are making their fourth straight and fifth overall appearance in the championship.
   Grand Canyon (12-0), one of just two undefeated teams, is the number two seed, with Loyola (Md.) University receiving the number three seed.
   Three schools are first-timer qualifiers for the Division II championship, which began in 2010. They are No. 7 seed Providence, No. 8 Grand Valley State, and No. 12 Washington State.
   Three local teams qualified for this year’s championship event. BYU (9-1) is the number eight seed in the Division I field and faces No. 9 Virginia (8-3) in Wednesday’s opening round. Utah and Utah State both earned berths in the Division II tournament and begin play on Thursday.
   “We had high hopes that this would be a good season for us after coming off a few rebuilding years and it has not disappointed,” said BYU coach Nikki Dabrowski. “We pride ourselves in being part of a very difficult region.”   

   The Division I and Division II formats are slightly different due to the variance in the number of teams. The Division I format calls for a traditional single-elimination bracket to determine the champion. Following each team’s first loss, it moves into the consolation bracket to determine its final placement.
WCLA Division I First Round Games – Wednesday, May 10

11 am – No. 1 Pittsburgh (14-1) vs. No. 16 Western Washington (13-1)

11 am – No. 8 Brigham Young (9-1) vs. No. 9 Virginia (11-3)

11 am – No. 5 Colorado State (12-4) vs. No. 12 Cal Poly (7-7) 

11 am – No. 4 Georgia (13-3) vs. No. 13 San Diego State (11-4)

  2 pm – No. 3 UCLA (12-2) vs. No. 14 North Carolina (8-3)

  2 pm – No. 6 Boston College (13-1) vs. No. 11 Michigan (9-4)

  2 pm – No. 7 Delaware (9-2) vs. No. 10 Virginia Tech (8-3)

  2 pm – No. 2 Santa Clara (11-2) vs. No. 15 Texas A&M (7-3)
   In Division II, the teams are arranged into four pods of three teams each. A round-robin within each pod determines the qualifier that advances into the semifinal round. Single-elimination is utilized in the semifinals and final.
WCLA Division II Pool Play Groupings – Thursday, May 11

Pool A – No. 1 Denver (10-2), No. 8 Grand Valley State (11-2), No.12 Washington State (9-2)

Pool B – No. 2 Grand Canyon (12-0), No. 7 Providence (10-3), No. 11 Utah State (6-5)

Pool C – No. 3 Loyola (9-2), No. 6 Utah (7-2), No. 10 St. Benedict (9-3)

Pool D – No. 4 Concordia (12-2), No. 5 Vermont (7-0), No. 9 St. Thomas (10-2)
   Both the D-I and D-II championship games on Saturday, May 13 will be available for viewing via free streaming from www.CoachesAid.com.

LaxMagazine.com, an official website of US Lacrosse,  and www.WCLA.US will have complete coverage of the championships – including live blogs, stories and scores, updated game schedules, brackets and photo galleries. 

By Paul Ohanian

   SPARKS, Md. — The University of Pittsburgh has received the number one seed in the Division I bracket of the 2017 US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championship, which showcases the nation’s premier non-varsity collegiate teams. The championship tournament will be played May 10-13 at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah.  The Division I field features 16 teams, and is comprised of a combination of teams earning automatic qualifiers as league champions and teams earning at-large berths. The full Division I field is listed below.
   Pittsburgh brings a 14-1 overall record into the WCLA championship tournament, including an eight-game winning streak. The Panthers, national champions in 2014, enter the tournament as an automatic qualifier after winning the Women's Collegiate Lacrosse League (WCLL) title for the fourth time in five years. Pitt is making its 11th overall appearance in the championship tournament. 
   Santa Clara (11-2) received the number two seed after winning the Western Women’s Lacrosse League (WWLL) title. The Broncos are making their 13th overall and 10th straight tournament appearance. UCLA (12-2) is seeded third and defending champion Georgia (13-3) is the number four seed. 
   The US Lacrosse WCLA structure consists of over 230 college programs from across the country. The WCLA National Championship began in 2001 with a Division I tournament. A Division II championship was added in 2010.
   Selections for the championship field are based on a variety of criteria, including: overall record, record versus ranked teams, results versus common opponents, record versus WCLA teams, quality wins/quality losses, head-to-head results, conference playoff performance, final conference standings, and more.
   Both the D-I and D-II championship games on Saturday, May 13 will be available for viewing via free streaming from www.CoachesAid.com. Harrow Sports and Guardian are the official event partners for the 2017 US Lacrosse WCLA National Championships.
The complete 2017 Division I field, with records included:
No. 1 University of Pittsburgh (14-1)
No. 2 Santa Clara University (11-2)
No. 3 University of California, Los Angeles (12-2)
No. 4 University of Georgia (13-3)
No. 5 Colorado State University (12-4)
No. 6 Boston College Club (13-1)
No. 7 University of Delaware Club (9-2)
No. 8 Brigham Young University (9-1)
No. 9 University of Virginia Club (11-3)
No. 10 Virginia Tech University Club (8-3)
No. 11 University of Michigan Club (9-4)
No. 12 California Polytechnic State University (7-7)
No. 13 San Diego State University (11-4)
No. 14 University of North Carolina Club (8-3)
No. 15 Texas A&M University (7-3)
No. 16 Western Washington University (13-1)

By Paul Ohanian 

   SPARKS, Md. — The University of Denver Club has received the number one seed in the Division II bracket of the 2017 US Lacrosse Women’s Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA) National Championship, to be played May 10-13 at the Regional Athletic Complex in Salt Lake City, Utah. 

   The WCLA National Championship, which showcases the nation’s premier non-varsity collegiate teams, features a 12-team field for Division II. The field is comprised of a combination of teams earning automatic qualifiers as league champions and teams earning at-large berths. The Division II seeds are listed below.
   Denver is the defending Division II champion and earned the top seed for the second straight year. The Pioneers bring a 10-2 overall record into the tournament, and are making their fourth straight and fifth overall appearance in the championship. 
   Grand Canyon, one of just two undefeated teams, is the number two seed, with Loyola University Maryland Club receiving the number three seed, and Concordia (Ca.) awarded the fourth seed.
   In the Division II format, the teams are arranged into four pods of three teams each. A round-robin within each pod determines the qualifier that advances into the semifinal round. Single-elimination is utilized in the semifinals and final.
   The US Lacrosse WCLA structure consists of over 230 college programs from across the country. The WCLA National Championship began in 2001 with a Division I tournament. A Division II championship was added in 2010.
   Selections for the championship field are based on a variety of criteria, including: overall record, record versus ranked teams, results versus common opponents, record versus WCLA teams, quality wins/quality losses, head-to-head results, conference playoff performance, final conference standings, and more.
   Both the D-I and D-II championship games on Saturday, May 13 will be available for viewing via free streaming from www.CoachesAid.com. Harrow Sports and Guardian are the official event partners for the 2017 US Lacrosse WCLA National Championships.
The complete 2017 Division II field, with records included:
No. 1 University of Denver Club (10-2)
No. 2 Grand Canyon University (12-0)
No. 3 Loyola University Maryland Club (9-2)
No. 4 Concordia (Ca.) University (12-2)
No. 5 University of Vermont Club (7-0)
No. 6 University of Utah (7-2)
No. 7 Providence College (10-3)
No. 8 Grand Valley University Club (11-2)
No. 9 St. Thomas University (10-2)
No. 10 College of St. Benedict (9-3)
No. 11 Utah State University (6-5)
No. 12 Washington State University (9-2)
Opening Round Groupings
Pool A – Denver, Grand Valley State, Washington State
Pool B – Grand Canyon, Providence, Utah State
Pool C – Loyola, Utah, St. Benedict
Pool D – Concordia, Vermont, St. Thomas 

by Paul Ohanian | LaxMagazine.com | Twitter.com

Winston-Salem, N.C. (May 7, 2016) – The Georgia Bulldogs have been one of the most frequent participants in the WCLA Division I National Championship through the tournament’s 16-year history, making their 10th appearance this spring. But in the first nine, the Bulldogs had never been able to break into the national semifinals, let alone the championship game.

That barrier finally came crashing down on Saturday. Less than 24 hours after registering their first semifinal win Friday night, the No. 1 seed Bulldogs completed their run through the postseason gauntlet by posting an 8-7 win over No. 11 Minnesota in the national championship game. A lot of demons were laid to rest.

“Our goal, as seniors, was to get past the quarterfinal round this year,” said Arden Birdwell. “We realized that we could do this if we executed.”

“It’s pure elation,” said Georgia coach Adam Weinstein. “This is so rewarding for all the time that we commit to the program, all the road trips, all the practices.”

It was those very practices, which the Bulldogs do three nights per week during the season, that paid dividends on Saturday. Wanting to avoid the type of up-and-down game that plays into the Gophers’ strength as a transition team, Georgia had worked on its stall game in recent practices. The execution was championship caliber on Saturday as the Bulldogs utilized long possessions to control the tempo and the clock.

“We did not want to get into a shootout with Minnesota,” Weinstein said. “They are great in transition, so we wanted to force them to beat our settled defense."

That defense, anchored by All-American goalie Caroline Youngs and the tournament’s most outstanding defender Meredith Butler, did its job for most of the afternoon by keeping the Gophers in check.

The Dawgs also used an efficient offense to build a 7-3 lead as the game headed into the final 15 minutes. Georgia had rebounded from an early 3-0 deficit by scoring seven straight over a span of 24 minutes that bridged the two halves. Birdwell, named the tournament’s most outstanding attacker, fueled the run with two goals and two assists.

But Minnesota found its groove and answered with its own four-goal run, capped by sophomore Abby Sauer’s goal with 5:35 to play that knotted the score at 7-7.

At that point, for one of the few times all day, Georgia decided to forego its stall game. The Bulldogs responded by scoring the game-winner less than a minute after Minnesota’s game-tying tally, with Mady Katz netting her second goal of the day on an assist from Katherine Vocelka with 4:46 remaining.

One more big save from Youngs on a shot by Sauer with 90 secs to go helped close the door, and Georgia was able to once again execute its stall in the final minute to clinch the title.

Georgia finished the year with an eight-game winning streak and a final record of 20-2.

“We knew we could do it by putting our heart and soul into this,” Birdwell said. “It’s a surreal feeling.”

Minnesota, which had scored in double-figures in all but one game this year and eclipsed the 20-goal mark five times, was held to its lowest point total of the year. Sophomore Sheila Hirsch led the Gophers (12-6) with two goals and one assist. All-American Allie Thalhuber, who had six goals and two assists in Friday’s semifinal game and was selected as the tournament’s most outstanding midfielder, finished with one goal.

In the consolation bracket, Colorado defeated league-rival Colorado State, 14-9, in the third place game by outscoring the Rams 11-3 in the second half. Five goals by sophomore Victoria Salmon led the Buffaloes.

Saturday – Division I Game Scores
3rd Place: Colorado 14, Colorado State 9
5th Place: Delaware 11, Texas 5
7th Place: Pittsburgh 12, Michigan 8
9th Place:  Santa Clara 10, UCLA 8
11th Place: Cal Poly 8, UC Santa Barbara 5
13th Place: Virginia Tech 14, Washington 10
15th Place: Boston College 12, James Madison 8
Division I All-Tournament Team
Cassidy Sauvageau - University of Georgia
Rachel Garber - University of Georgia
Katherine Vocelka - University of Georgia
Sheila Hirsch  - University of Minnesota
Allie Thalhuber - University of Minnesota
Hannah Segar - University of Minnesota
Sarah Joyce  - University of Colorado
Jessica Tobey - University of Colorado
Bailey Boese - University of Colorado
Mary Prevedel - Colorado State University
Lindsay Fleischer - University of Michigan
Anna Studenmund - University of Pittsburgh
Jackie Adesberg - UCLA
Anna Flach – Virginia Tech
Olivia Gannon - University of Delaware
Natalie Royle - Cal Poly
Ina Prevalsky  - University of Texas
Alexa Robinson - Santa Clara University
Andie Bonner - James Madison University
Marina Guigli - Boston College
Meghana Vijayraghavan  - UC Santa Barbara
Cam Anderson  - University of Washington
Division I Individual Awards
Most Outstanding Attacker – Arden Birdwell, Georgia
Most Outstanding Midfielder -  Allie Thalhuber, Minnesota
Most Outstanding Defender – Meredith Butler, Georgia
Most Outstanding Goalie – Hannah Gilbert, Minnesota

by Paul Ohanian | LaxMagazine.com | Twitter

Winston-Salem, N.C. – Perhaps number seven is indeed lucky.

In a tightly contested game where neither team led by more than two goals, it was the seventh lead change of the afternoon that sealed the WCLA (Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates) Division II National Championship for Denver Club with an 11-10 victory over Utah in sudden-death overtime. The Pioneers entered the tournament as the No. 1 seed and claimed their first national title.

Freshman Kaitlin Ball was the overtime hero as she scored the championship-winning goal 1:09 into the extra session, catching a pass from Courtney Place while running towards the goal and firing the winner past Utah's All-American goalie Sasha McKee. The goal was the third of the game for Ball, who was named the tournament's most outstanding attacker.

"We were trying to get to the goal as quick as we could," Ball said. "I didn't really try to find a spot to shoot at, I just shot. There was lots of adrenaline."

Leading 10-8 with 3:47 remaining in regulation following midfielder Francoise Demanche's third goal of the game, the Pioneers were trying to run the clock in the closing minutes. But two Denver yellow cards opened the door for Utah, which used Audrey Burn's unassisted goal and McKenna Tychsen's third of the game to knot the score with 50 seconds to go.

Denver coach Mindy Stone said that she tried to impart an attitude of aggressiveness to her players during the break prior to the overtime session.

"I told them that it only takes a few seconds to end this game and that we wanted to go to goal right away," Stone said. Fortunately for Stone and Denver, Ball always tries to do as her coach asks.

"She has to be one of the best players in the country to coach because she listens to everything we tell her," Stone said. "She's extremely coachable."

Ball and Demanche finished with three goals each for the Pioneers, with freshman Sophie Smith adding two goals and an assist, and goalie Jammie Dumolt finishing with nine saves. Denver followed a season-opening loss to Division I Colorado Club by winning 14 of its final 15 games of the season and finished 14-2 overall.

"Hopefully, this championship might bring some more recognition to our program and raise awareness about our club," Stone said. "This is an awesome feeling for our program."

Burns led Utah (14-3) with three goals and was named the tournament's most outstanding midfielder. McKee recorded 13 saves for the Utes and was named most outstanding goalie.

In the consolation bracket, Loyola Maryland (14-3) withstood a second half comeback from Grand Canyon (13-2) to win the third place game, 9-8. Michaela Smith tallied a team-high three goals for the Greyhounds, including the game-winner.

Saturday – Division II Game Scores

3rd Place: Loyola 9, Grand Canyon 8
5th Place: Salisbury 8, Utah State 5
7th Place: St. Thomas 1, Montana 0 (forfeit)
9th Place: Bethel 9, Oakland 3
11th Place: CS San Marcos 10, Iowa State 3

Division II All-Tournament Team

Amy Franks - University of Denver
Marigrace Scrivanich - University of Denver
Kelley Dingens - University of Denver
Regina Farley - University of Utah
Aleisha Matsuura - University of Utah
Alexa Pappas - University of Utah
Jehan Slavin - Loyola University Maryland
Elizabeth Clarkin - Loyola University Maryland
Paulina Marino - Loyola University Maryland
Briana Healy – Grand Canyon University
Lindsay Barrett – Oakland University
Andria Warner - University of Saint Thomas
Annie Brown – Salisbury University
Jess Koeger – Iowa State University
Rachel Quigley – Utah State University
Emma Kirker – Cal State San Marcos
Madeline Johnson – Bethel University
Tara Cleveland – University of Montana

Division II Individual Awards

Most Outstanding Attacker – Kaitlin Ball, Denver
Most Outstanding Midfielder - Audrey Burns, Utah
Most Outstanding Defender – Nicole Cosmany, Denver
Most Outstanding Goalie – Sasha McKee, Utah

WINSTON-SALEM, N.C. – Gretchen Kiep of UCLA and Lindsay Barrett of Oakland University were named as the Division I and Division II winners, respectively, of the 2016 Amtahcha Award as the players of the year in the US Lacrosse Women's Collegiate Lacrosse Associates (WCLA). Both players were honored during ceremonies held on Wednesday evening. The Amtahcha Awards were established in 2012 through a gift from Dr. Larry Feldman, founder of LaxPower.com, to the US Lacrosse Foundation. Kiep, a junior midfielder, is a three-time, first team All-American and led UCLA to a 12-4 record in the regular season. The Bruins secured the No. 6 seed for the Division I national championship taking place in Winston-Salem this week. Barrett, a senior attacker, is also a three-time All-American and led Oakland to a 14-3 record this season. The Golden Grizzlies are the No. 4 seed in the Division II championship tournament. In addition to the Amtahcha Award winners, the 2016 WCLA All-Americans and major award winners in each division were named. The honorees are:

PITTSBURGH RANKED NO. 1 IN NIKE/USL WCLA DIVISION I PRESEASON TOP 20

Paul Ohanian         Jan 15, 2020           Coaches, Players, Press Release

Defending Division I national champion Pittsburgh and Division II national runner-up Navy Club are tabbed as the No. 1 teams in the Nike/US Lacrosse 2020 WCLA Preseason Top 20 rankings. The rankings are published in the January edition of US Lacrosse Magazine. 

Pittsburgh, which features US Lacrosse Magazine’s WCLA D-I Preseason Player of the Year Julia Lynch, enjoyed a dominant 19-0 campaign in 2019 that culminated in a 15-11 win over Delaware for the WCLA championship. 

On the strength of a defense that allowed fewer than five goals per game last season, Pittsburgh again looks stingy. Lynch, a defender, is joined by fellow seniors Emily Nutter and Liz Maisch to form a dominant defensive trio.

Michigan Club is second in the Division I ranking, followed by Brigham Young, Delaware Club and UCLA, respectively. 

In Division II, Navy Club returned to the WCLA ranks in 2019 after a 10-year hiatus and made its impact felt immediately, advancing to the title game while finishing the year with a final 9-4 record. The Mids lost to Loyola Maryland Club, 13-6, in the WCLA Division II final.

Two-time defending D-II champion Loyola begins the year at No. 2 in the preseason. The Greyhounds finished 14-1 overall with a season-ending 10-game winning streak in 2019. Senior attacker Kelly O’Krepkie, the US Lacrosse Magazine WCLA D-II Preseason Player of the Year, is among the top returnees for Loyola. 

Denver Club, St. Thomas, and New Hampshire round out the top five in Division II.

Nearly 230 non-varsity collegiate teams comprise the WCLA and compete under the US Lacrosse umbrella. The 2020 season will conclude with the annual Division I and Division II National Championship Tournaments, May 6-9, in Round Rock, Texas.

Preseason rankings were compiled by the WCLA rankings committee and will be updated weekly during the 2020 season. The full list of teams appears below.

WCLA Division 1 Preseason Top 20

WCLA Division 2 Preseason Top 20