It’s conference tournament time!!!
Postseason play has officially arrived, and with it, the final bits of jockeying for position in the rankings. The final stretch of the regular season didn’t bring too many surprises or shifts — only one team moved more than two spots in the most recent IWLCA poll. The top ten was basically stagnant, with only Virginia and Johns Hopkins swapping spots. However, with the power conferences beginning their tournaments this week, there are lots of titanic clashes on the horizon. Without further ado, let’s dive right in!
1. North Carolina (16-0, 10-0 ACC)
Movement: none
Last Week: W at No. 10 Duke 18-6, W vs. Virginia Tech 19-9 (ACC Quarterfinal)
This Week: ACC Semifinal (No. 16 Clemson), ACC Final
Pray for mercy, because the Tar Heels are showing none. In the final game of the regular season, North Carolina walked into Durham and made No. 10 Duke look like a high school squad. The score was 6-0 before the Blue Devils realized they’d been run over by a steamroller, and the clock was running before halftime. Duke scored the final three goals in this one, and this game was still their worst loss since last April. And then yesterday, the Tar Heels ran the clock for their fourth straight game. The only reason this team only has eight all-ACC players is because you’re literally not allowed to have more.
2. Boston College (16-1, 8-1 ACC)
Movement: none
Last Week: W at No. 14 Syracuse 17-2, W vs. No. 8 Virginia 17-7 (ACC Quarterfinal)
This Week: ACC Semifinal (No. 13 Stanford), ACC Final
I think it’s safe to say the North Carolina loss lit a fire under the Eagles. BC scored 41 goals in the two regular season games after that loss, including a 24-11 drubbing of Virginia, its first-round opponent in the ACC tournament. But the Eagles’ shredding of Syracuse was even worse — the Orange didn’t score for the first 42 minutes of the game. Boston College put SEVEN players on the All-ACC First Team (notably, three more than North Carolina), and this squad is certainly playing like a defending champion as the postseason begins.
3. Northwestern (14-2, 8-0 B1G)
Movement: none
Last Week: W vs. No. 13 Michigan 15-6, W at Ohio State 20-12
This Week: Big Ten Semifinal (No. 9 Johns Hopkins), Big Ten Final
The last time Northwestern didn’t win the Big Ten’s regular season title, I was a senior in high school. The last time Northwestern lost a conference game was March 22 of 2024. Kelly Amonte Hiller’s squad is back to dominating the Big Ten, and the Wildcats have crushed every foe with conference title aspirations. The most terrifying part about this recent run of dominance is that I don’t think this team is playing at full capacity. Northwestern basically took the first quarter off against Michigan and still ran the clock, and the Wildcats’ defense played like a team that had already clinched the conference title against Ohio State. If this team can get into playoff mode, look out.
4. Florida (14-2, 4-0 Big 12)
Movement: none
Last Week: W vs. Cincinnati 20-2
This Week: vs. Arizona State
I know the quality of competition hasn’t been great, but at what point do we start talking about the Florida defense as a juggernaut? The Gators have given up double digit goals only once in the month of April (and with a sample size of five games now, that’s nothing to sneeze at). No one else in the Big 12 has been able to run with Florida all season long, and Colorado’s 15-10 defeat is the closest any team has gotten. If the Gators run through the Big 12 Tournament as they should, they’ll be on a 14-game winning streak. That does not sound like a team that would be fun to play in the postseason.
5. Princeton (12-2, 5-1 Ivy)
Movement: none
Last Week: W vs. No. 18 Brown 15-13
This Week: at Dartmouth
The Brown victory was a much-needed bounce-back win for the Tigers after their loss to Penn, which snapped an 11-game winning streak. Against Brown, Princeton used a five-goal run early in the second quarter to take the lead, and then held on from there. The victory ensured at least a share of the Ivy League title, which is the 17th in program history. If the Tigers defeat Dartmouth this weekend, they seal not only the outright title but also the role of host for the Ivy League Tournament. With Yale, Brown and Penn all in the top 20 in the IWLCA rankings, hosting would be a massive boost for Princeton’s title hopes.
6. Yale (11-3, 4-2 Ivy)
Movement: none
Last Week: W at No. 22 Harvard 14-9
This Week: vs. Cornell
And speaking of the Ivy League…Yale might be back to full form. The three consecutive losses to close out March seemed like the death blow for the Bulldogs’ hopes of contention, but they’ve rebounded nicely and have now won four straight games. The defense is still lights out, and the offense has risen into the top 30 nationally. Of course, Tewaaraton nominee Fallon Vaughn is a big reason why. She scored four goals and chipped in six assists in the victory over Harvard, and also snared five draw controls. But Yale isn’t a one-woman show — Sky Carrasquillo had four goals, three ground balls and 13 draw controls. The Bulldogs are back — which is a little bit frightening for everyone else on this list.
7. Maryland (13-4, 7-1 B1G)
Movement: none
Last Week: W vs. No. 8 Johns Hopkins 13-11, W vs. Rutgers 17-11 (Big Ten Quarterfinal)
This Week: Big Ten Semifinal (No. 12 Michigan), Big Ten Final
Maryland keeps finding ways to win. The Terrapins were able to hold off a furious rally from Johns Hopkins to end the regular season on a three-game winning streak, and then continued their winning ways with a relatively easy victory over Rutgers. The game was 8-7 with under 10 minutes to play in the third quarter, but then Maryland erupted on a 5-1 run to fully seize control. Three different Terps, led by Kori Edmondson, recorded hat tricks, bringing the team’s total on the year to 30. This offense remains a forced to be reckoned with, and Michigan might struggle with that reckoning this weekend.
8. Virginia (11-5, 5-4 ACC)
Movement: up one spot
Last Week: L vs. No. 2 Boston College 7-17 (ACC Quarterfinal)
This Week: none
Well, on the bright side, Virginia’s place in the ACC has been fully confirmed. The Cavaliers are probably the third best team in the conference — and they lost to the top two by a combined score of 44-19 in the regular season. The Cavaliers’ second attempt to take down Boston College in the ACC Tournament was almost as bad as the regular season matchup. Despite having the 25th best scoring offense in the nation, Virginia just couldn’t crack the Boston College defense in a consistent manner. Luckily, they’ll have one final opportunity to make a run in the NCAA Tournament.
9. Johns Hopkins (12-5, 5-3 B1G)
Movement: down one spot
Last Week: L at No. 7 Maryland 11-13, W vs. Penn State 13-8 (Big Ten Quarterfinal)
This Week: Big Ten Semifinal (No. 3 Northwestern), Big Ten Final
The Blue Jays did not have a strong close to the regular season. After starting the season 9-2, Johns Hopkins dropped three of its last five regular season games — including two losses by double digits. Ashley Mackin still hasn’t played since April 10, and without her, this team’s ceiling has a hard cap. Luckily for the Blue Jays, Reagan O’Brien is still playing. The First-Team All-Big Ten defender tallied eight ground balls and 10 caused turnovers BY HERSELF against Penn State. That’s the twelfth game this season in which she’s tallied at least two of each. Northwestern’s offense will have its hands full trying to deal with O’Brien.
10. Duke (12-5, 6-3 ACC)
Movement: none
Last Week: L vs. No. 1 North Carolina 6-18, L vs. No. 16 Clemson 7-15 (ACC Quarterfinal)
This Week: none
Well, that’s certainly not how you want to close a season. After carrying a six-game winning streak into their clash with North Carolina, the Blue Devils have now lost two games in a row. Duke should still be an NCAA Tournament team, but a losing streak when postseason play rolls around is not an encouraging sign. The offense reverted back to its early-season form at the worst possible time, and the defense couldn’t pick up the slack all by itself. The six All-ACC Blue Devils (notably, none of the six made the First Team) will have one last chance to redeem themselves in the NCAA Tournament.
Just missed the cut: James Madison (winners of five straight), Michigan (plays Maryland Friday), Stanford (beat Syracuse yesterday, plays Boston College Friday)