CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The 2026 Atlantic Coast Conference Women's Lacrosse season opens this weekend, with 14 games on the slate from Friday through Sunday, February 6-8.
This marks the 30th season of ACC women's lacrosse. The league expands to 13 teams this year, as Florida State competes in its inaugural season. The Seminoles open play on Saturday at home against Stetson.
Coming off the league's fourth national championship in the last five seasons, the ACC figures to once again figures to be strong and deep. Eight ACC teams are ranked in the preseason IWLCA Top 25. North Carolina is the preseason No. 1 team in the IWLCA rankings and is followed by Boston College (3), Stanford (5), Virginia (10), Clemson (12), Syracuse (13), Duke (14) and Notre Dame (25). The ACC’s eight representatives in the poll are the most of any conference.
In the opening weekend, ACC teams will match up with four nationally ranked opponents, highlighted by No. 3 Boston College playing host to No. 2 Northwestern at 5 p.m. ET on Friday in a rematch of the 2025 national semifinals. Also on Friday, No. 13 Syracuse entertains No. 7 Maryland and No. 25 Notre Dame takes on No. 15 Michigan.
On Saturday, reigning ACC and national champion North Carolina, winners of 22 consecutive games, travels to No. 20 James Madison.
Upcoming Schedule
Friday, February 6
Virginia Tech at Mercer | 3 p.m.
Navy at No. 10 Virginia | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
No. 14 Duke at High Point | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
No. 2 Northwestern at No. 3 Boston College | 5 p.m. | ACCNX
No. 7 Maryland at No. 13 Syracuse | 5 p.m. | ACCNX
No. 15 Michigan at No. 25 Notre Dame | 7 p.m. | ACCNX
California at San Diego State | 9 p.m. | YouTube
Saturday, February 7
Vanderbilt at No. 12 Clemson | Noon | ACCNX
Pitt at Ohio State | Noon | BTN+
No. 1 North Carolina at No. 20 James Madison | Noon | ESPN+
Stetson at Florida State | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
No. 5 Stanford at UC Davis | 4 p.m. | YouTube
Sunday, February 8
Central Michigan at No. 25 Notre Dame | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
California at USC | 3 p.m. | BTN+
Monday, February 9
Kennesaw State at Florida State | 1 p.m. | ACCNX
Tuesday, February 10
Ohio State at Louisville | Noon | ACCNX
Furman at Clemson | 6 p.m. | ACCNX
Wednesday, February 11
Richmond at Virginia | 4 p.m. | ACCNX
Virginia Tech at James Madison | 4 p.m. | ESPN+
All times Eastern. Rankings: IWLCA
Noting ACC Women's Lacrosse
• The 30th season of ACC women's lacrosse begins Friday. The league expands to 13 teams this year, as Florida State competes in its inaugural season.
• Eight ACC teams are ranked in the IWLCA Top 25. North Carolina is the preseason No. 1 team in the IWLCA rankings and is followed by Boston College (3), Stanford (5), Virginia (10), Clemson (12), Syracuse (13), Duke (14) and Notre Dame (25).
• Reigning ACC and NCAA champion North Carolina is the preseason favorite to win the 2026 ACC Championship, following a vote of the ACC’s head coaches. The Tar Heels also put a league-best four players on the Preseason All-ACC Team.
• The Preseason All-ACC Team is highlighted by the reigning Tewaaraton Trophy winner, Chloe Humphrey of North Carolina. In her freshman season, Humphrey also won the 2025 IWLCA National Player and Attacker of the Year honors.
• UNC’s Sam Forrest (IWLCA National Defender of the Year) and Boston College’s Shea Dolce (IWLCA National Goalkeeper of the Year) also return this season.
• 32 ACC players were named 2026 Preseason All-Americans by USA Lacrosse Magazine, including six first-teamers, most of any conference. North Carolina led all ACC programs with six preseason All-Americans.
• 21 ACC women's lacrosse games are scheduled for linear television, including 18 on ACC Network and three on ESPNU. All seven games of the ACC Championship will air on ACC Network.
• Sixteen current or former ACC players are part of the 22-woman roster for the 2026 U.S. World Lacrosse Championship Team, announced Thursday. The championship will be contested July 24-August 2 in Tokyo. The team will be coached by current Boston College head coach Acacia Walker-Weinstein.
• For the first time, ACC teams will play a 10-game conference schedule this season. The conference tournament features the top eight teams in the final standings, competing April 22-26 at American Legion Memorial Stadium in Charlotte.
• North Carolina won its fourth national championship in program history in 2025, completing an undefeated season with a 12-8 victory over Northwestern in the title game.
• Since the ACC began sponsoring women's lacrosse in 1997, ACC teams have won 14 NCAA titles, including four of the last five.
• With Boston College and North Carolina in 2025, the ACC had at least two teams competing in the NCAA's Championship Weekend for the 20th time in league history, including the seventh straight.