Madison Taylor bookended her historic college career with NCAA championships, leading Northwestern to the 2026 title and the No. 1 spot in the final USA Lacrosse Division I Women’s Top 20, presented by CWENCH Hydration.
Taylor had one goal and six assists in the title game, a 14-11 win over defending champion North Carolina, tying Izzy Scane for Northwestern’s all-time points record. The Tar Heels lost just twice in 2026 — both to Northwestern — and check in at No. 2 in the final ranking.
Nos. 3 and 4 are Maryland and Johns Hopkins, respectively, while Stony Brook earns its highest ranking of the season at No. 5.
USA LACROSSE DIVISION I
WOMEN’S TOP 20
1. Northwestern
2. North Carolina
3. Maryland
4. Johns Hopkins
5. Stony Brook
6. Colorado
7. Navy
8. Stanford
9. Michigan
10. Syracuse
11. Boston College
12. Army
13. Denver
14. Clemson
15. Rutgers
16. Florida
17. James Madison
18. Notre Dame
19. Penn State
20. Yale
Also considered (alphabetical order): Duke, Georgetown, Loyola, Princeton, Virginia
