Way-Early 2026 Division I Women's Rankings: 5-1

USA Lacrosse Magazine’s way-early look at the 2026 women’s season finishes Friday with no surprises in store. Today’s segment: Nos. 5-1.

Previously: Nos. 25-21 | Nos. 20-16 | Nos. 15-11 | Nos. 10-6

3. Boston College

2025 Record: 19-3 (8-1 ACC)

Last seen: Boston College held a five-goal lead entering the fourth quarter in the NCAA semifinals. But the Eagles’ bid for an eighth-straight NCAA championship game appearance ended improbably when Northwestern erased that deficit and employed a maddening ride in the final 90 seconds. Graduate transfer goalie Delaney Sweitzer sealed the win when she stopped Mia Mascone’s last-second shot.

Notable departures: Rachel Clark, A; Mckenna Davis, A; Emma LoPinto, A; Mia Mascone, A

Notable additions: Caroline Chisholm, M; Casey Colbert, A (Stony Brook); Grace Holland, G; Lily Kondas, A; Jordan Krafchick, D;  Quinn Whitaker, M; Marissa White, A (North Carolina)

Initial forecast: It’s hard to lose your three leading scorers — who combined for 346 points and 212 goals — and get projected at No. 3 in any ranking (even Way-Early ones). At least not by straight-faced prognosticators, which we like to fancy ourselves here.

However, Boston College deserves it. In fact, the Eagles might look at what they have coming back — star defender Shea Baker (43CT, 37GB) and a first-team All-American goalie in rising senior Shea Dolce (7.85GAA, .550SV%) — and feel a tad slighted. Typically, they rank either No. 1 or No. 2 in preseason rankings, a product of making seven straight national championship games — a streak that ended in a loss to Northwestern in May’s semifinal tilt.

Either way, don’t take the loss to Northwestern or the offensive overhaul as a sign that the Eagles are losing their luster. Just look at the talent coming in, headlined by Marissa White. White was the second-leading scorer for BC rival UNC in 2024 with 49 goals. Casey Colbert, who tallied 22 goals and a team-high 57 assists for Stony Brook last season, is also heading to Chestnut Hill, where her sister, Kylie (23G), already plays.

Then there are returners, like Molly Driscoll (39G), Abby Herod (104DC) and Lydia Colasante (53DC, 20CT, 23GB), who played in 15 games before sustaining a season-ending injury.

We’ll also see how a touted freshman class ranked sixth by Inside Lacrosse fares. It includes attacker Lily Kondas, midfielders Caroline Chisholm and Quinn Whitaker, defender Jordan Krafchick and goalie Grace Holland.

As we’ll get into, North Carolina and Northwestern also deserve their projected spots. But you won’t catch us batting eyelashes if the Eagles sit at No. 1 or No. 2 in the 2026 ranking that doesn’t require any prognosticating: The final one.

2. Northwestern

2025 Record: 19-3 (8-0 Big Ten)

Last seen: Northwestern advanced to the national title game for the third consecutive season, but it finished in the runner-up spot for the second-straight year following a 12-8 loss to North Carolina.

Notable departures: Riley Campbell, A; Niki Miles, A; Emma Bohlig, M; Grace Fujinaga, D; Jane Hansen, D; Sam Smith, D; Delaney Sweitzer, G; Sammy White, M

Notable additions: Olivia Adamson, A (Syracuse); Mckenzie Brown, D; Annabel Child, D (Harvard); Sienna Connolly, D; Jenika Cuocco, G (Drexel); Maddie Epke, A/Draw (James Madison); Kyle Finnell, A; Mackenzie Matter, D

Initial forecast: Northwestern’s roster has gone through a high-profile overhaul in less than two months. To start, the Wildcats bid farewell to significant members of their Big Ten championship team from last year. All of the notable departures listed above were starters.

But it’s easy to forget all of that given the number of coveted transfers who chose to head to Evanston. Rising senior Maddie Epke (65G, 23A, 235DC), James Madison’s record-setter on the draw, went first. Epke leaves James Madison as the all-time leader in draws (485). Drexel’s Jenika Cuocco, who posted 18 saves in a CAA championship game loss to Stony Brook, is the heir apparent to replace Delaney Sweitzer in net. If that comes to fruition, the Wildcats have started a transfer for four consecutive years (Molly Laliberty from 2023-24 and Sweitzer in 2025).

All this, and the Wildcats already had one of the most heralded recruiting classes. All of the above incoming freshmen? Inside Lacrosse gives them four or five stars. And lest we forget the people returning, notably Madison Taylor, a two-time Tewaaraton Award finalist who finished with a single-season record 109 goals in 2025. She also posted 49 assists and 53 draws.

There may be a lot of new coming to Northwestern ahead of the 2026 season, but the winning results should remain the same.

1. North Carolina

2025 Record: 22-0 (9-0 ACC)

Last seen: Cashing one last receipt and beating Northwestern 12-8 for a national championship.

Notable departures: Claudia Kelly, D; Ashley Humphrey, A; Nicole Humphrey, A/M; Sophie Student, M; Olivia Vergano, A; Marissa White, A (Boston College)

Notable additions: Emma Connerty, M; Mairyn Dwyer, M; Reese King, A; Gabby Laurenti, M; Payton Magday, M; Charlotte Rathjorn, M; Sophie Stotz, M; Grace Winkler, A

Initial forecast: Was last year’s championship run a one-year-only revenge tour or the dawning of a new dynasty in women’s lacrosse (or something in between)? We’ll get a glimpse of that by 2026, but barring a barrage of injuries, more titles are likely in the cards for this UNC group. (And yes, UNC knows that injuries are possible after 2024.)

Even with the graduation of playmaker Ashley Humphrey (31G, 90A) and Marissa White’s (49G) departure to Boston College, the Tar Heels have an uncanny amount of talent on its way back to Chapel Hill, headlined by Tewaaraton winner Chloe Humphrey. The first freshman to take college lacrosse’s highest individual honor poured in 90 goals to go along with 28 assists and has quickly become a phenom. She’ll no longer have Ashley or her eldest sister, Nicole, to celebrate with, but there’s plenty of essentially untapped talent returning on UNC’s offense. We’ve likely only scratched the surface of what rising sophomores Eliza Osborn (35G, 9A, 56DC) and Addison Pattillo (31G) can do. Rising seniors Caroline Godine (22G, 20A) and Kiley Mottice (31G) also provide consistency. And Katy Levy has do-it-all potential.

Turning to the defense, Brooklyn Walker-Welch (28GB, 18CT) and Sam Forrest (23GB, 18CT) are back, as is All-American goalie Betty Nelson (.496SV%, 7.37GAA).

Saying the champs are set up for a 2026 repeat is an understatement.