Everything You Need to Know About the 2025 NCAA Division I Women's Championship Game

And then there were two.

Top-seeded North Carolina looks like the team of destiny, especially after a 20-4 drubbing of Florida in the national semifinals on Friday. But Northwestern might have fate on its side, too, especially after downing Boston College — effectively the home team playing in front of the biggest crowd at the women's semifinals since 2002.

Here’s everything you need to know about the 2025 Division I women’s championship game.

NCAA DIVISION I WOMEN’S
CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Who: (1) North Carolina vs. (3) Northwestern
When: Sunday, May 25, 12 p.m. Eastern
Where: Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Mass.
Watch: ESPN

ABOUT GILLETTE STADIUM

Home of the NFL's New England Patriots, Gillette Stadium opened May 11, 2002. Since 2006, it has featured a FieldTurf surface, which is artificial turf but is meant to accurately replicate real grass. Championship weekend has a long history at Gillette Stadium. This is the sixth time the men's final four is in Foxborough (2008, 2009, 2012, 2017, 2018, 2025) and the second time the women's final four is held in Foxborough (2017, 2025).

EXPECTED FORECAST

According to forecast.weather.gov, the gloomy, rainy weather from Friday and Saturday will clear for Sunday. It is expected to reach 64 degrees and be mostly sunny with a gentle northwest wind.

SERIES HISTORY

North Carolina holds a 14-8 series edge and won 15-12 on March 27. Northwestern won the head-to-head in 2023 and 2024, snapping a nine-game losing streak between 2015-22.

PREVIEWING NORTH CAROLINA

2025 record: 21-0
NCAA championships: 3 (2013, 2016, 2022)
Last championship: 2022

PROJECTED STARTERS

A: Chloe Humphrey
A: Ashley Humphrey
A: Marissa White
M: Kiley Mottice
M: Eliza Osburn
M: Kaleigh Harden
M: Avery Roberts
M: Sophie Student
D: Sam Forrest
D: Brooklyn Walker-Welch
D: Ellie Traggio
G: Betty Nelson

SEMIFINAL SUMMARY

Things looked to be in flux for the first 15 minutes against Florida, which led 4-2 after the first quarter. Then North Carolina held the Gators scoreless for the final 48-plus minutes and closed the game on an 18-0 run.

Read the full game story by Kenny DeJohn.

ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME

Round 1: Bye
Round 2: 18-9 over Clemson
Quarterfinals: 19-10 over Princeton
Semifinals: 20-4 over Florida

BY THE NUMBERS

.583 • Draw control winning percentage by the Tar Heels, an effort led by graduate student Sophie Student.

60 • Minutes played by goalie Betty Nelson in each of the last five games.

86 • Goals by Chloe Humphrey, a new single-season program record.

117 • Points by Ashley Humphrey, a new single-season program record.

+230 • Scoring margin for North Carolina this season, aka an average margin of victory of 10.95 goals per game.

372 • Goals scored by the Tar Heels, a single-season program record.

JENNY’S QUOTES

From North Carolina head coach Jenny Levy on Friday, May 23.

• “We knew the potential of [our offense] when you look at it on paper. … We knew how great they would be and their potential, we just didn’t know when it would be realized.”

• “When you have really talented players with great sticks and you give them the freedom to create, those make some really magic moments for not only them, but also the people watching.”

PREVIEWING NORTHWESTERN

2025 record: 19-2
NCAA championships: 8 (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2023)
Last championship: 2023

PROJECTED STARTERS

A: Niki Miles
A: Riley Campbell
A: Madison Taylor
A: Lucy Munro
M: Jaylen Rosga
M: Sam Smith
M: Emerson Bohlig
D: Jane Hansen
D: Sammy White
D: Mary Carroll
D: Grace Fujinaga
G: Delaney Sweitzer

SEMIFINAL SUMMARY

Nobody will call Friday's win over Boston College the prettiest game of Northwestern's season, but it might have been one of the grittiest. Sam Smith buried the go-ahead goal of an inside feed from Madison Taylor, and Delaney Sweitzer stonewalled BC's Mia Mascone with four seconds left to secure a 12-11 win.

Read the full game story by Kenny DeJohn.

ROAD TO THE TITLE GAME

Round 1: Bye
Round 2: 15-7 over Michigan
Quarterfinals: 17-12 over Penn
Semifinals: 12-11 over Boston College

BY THE NUMBERS

.646 • Draw control winning percentage by the Wildcats, which ranks fourth nationally is an effort led largely by Smith, who has corralled 184 draws this spring.

3 • Straight trips to the NCAA championship game for Northwestern, which won the title in 2023 and lost a heartbreaker in 2024 to Boston College.

8 • Points for Aditi Foster in her last four games, adding another layer to the Northwestern offense. She had eight points in her previous 11 games combined.

10.38 • Caused turnovers per game by the Wildcats defense, which ranks 18th nationally but first among the final four teams.

29 • Points for Taylor in the NCAA tournament over three games.

154 • Points for Taylor this season, passing Jen Adams (Maryland, 2001) for third-most in a single-season.

KELLY’S QUOTES

From Northwestern head coach Kelly Amonte Hiller on Friday, May 23.

• “I think the message was, ‘Compete. Compete with heart.’ I think sometimes, throughout a game, you can get in your head. You have to get out of your head and into your heart.”

• “We’re never out of a game because of Sam Smith and our draw team. They fight hard. Sam is the ultimate competitor. She probably doesn’t get a lot of credit, but she has done a lot for us over her career.”

NOTABLE

Storylines to watch during the championship game.

COACHING CLINIC

Two of the most successful coaches in the history of the sport will go toe-to-toe. Jenny Levy owns 442 career wins, all at North Carolina, while Kelly Amonte Hiller has 368 wins, all at Northwestern.

IVY COVERS EVERYTHING

Following the graduations of all-time greats Izzy Scane and Erin Coykendall, Northwestern reloaded by leaning on a trio of Ivy League transfers — Niki Miles (Penn), Grace Fujinaga (Penn) and Riley Campbell (Harvard). Miles is second on the team with 69 points and 42 goals. Campbell ranks third with 54 points and 37 goals. Fujinaga has started all 21 games on defense with 20 ground balls, 13 caused turnovers and 45 draw controls.

SISTER, SISTER ... SISTER

The final goal of North Carolina's 20-4 win Friday was essentially a meaningless one in terms of its impact on the game — but it was possibly the most celebrated tally of the afternoon. Nicole Humphrey, often injured during her NCAA career, scored to cap the rout and received a raucous ovation from her teammates — including her younger sisters, Ashley and Chloe. The Humphrey sisters are largely responsible for the success of this year's Tar Heel team.

ALL ALONE

The single-season goals record belongs to Taylor after her teammates helped thwart her nearest challenger. Clark broke the previous record (Abby Hormes, 103) herself, but the player who advanced to the championship game would likely stake claim to the new record all for herself. It will be Taylor, though, atop the record book after Sunday.

UNBLEMISHED

North Carolina can join Maryland (five times) and Northwestern (two times) as the only teams to complete multiple undefeated NCAA championship seasons. The Tar Heels went 22-0 en route to the 2022 national title.

HOMECOMING

Born in Massachusetts and a high school graduate of Thayer Academy (Braintree, Mass.), which is 21 miles away from Gillette Stadium, Amonte Hiller seemed in awe of taking questions after Friday's game in the New England Patriots' press conference room. She called it surreal to not only be in the championship game, but to effectively be doing it close to home.

HARNESSING HOKIES

North Carolina has harnessed (and tapped into) the full potential of former Virginia Tech stars Sophie Student, Olivia Vergano and Sarah Gresham. Student is the draw ace, Vergano is the lefty that Levy said she so desperately coveted in the transfer portal, and Gresham has also been a key draw contributor.