University of North Carolina Athletics
University of North Carolina Athletics • • sports
Key Points:
- Northwestern defeated North Carolina 14-11 to win the 2026 NCAA women's lacrosse championship, outscoring the Tar Heels 5-0 in the fourth quarter and securing their ninth NCAA title.
- The Wildcats snapped Carolina's 10-game winning streak and won their 14th consecutive game, handing the Tar Heels their second loss in two seasons to Northwestern.
- Key players included Northwestern’s Gabriella McCollester with four goals and Madison Taylor with one goal and six assists, while UNC’s Chloe Humphrey tied the NCAA single-season goal record with 109 goals.
- The game featured multiple lead changes, with UNC leading 11-9 entering the fourth quarter before Northwestern rallied to score five unanswered goals to clinch the victory.
- This marked the ninth NCAA Tournament meeting between the two teams, with Northwestern now leading the series in tournament finals 5-4.