Story perspectives

Notre Dame Meets Princeton in NCAA Lacrosse Final

5/25/2026

Summary

Notre Dame Secures Final

Notre Dame will face Princeton in the NCAA men’s lacrosse final on May 25 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Notre Dame earned the berth by beating Syracuse 15-7, holding the Orange to seven goals.
Princeton reaches its first title game since 2002, after six championships including a 1996-1998 three-peat.
FanDuel lists Princeton as a 1.5-point favorite, with goalie Thomas Ricciardelli, defender Shawn Lyght (2026 Tewaaraton finalist) and Josh Yago (31 goals, 23 assists).

Summary

NCAA Lacrosse Preview

The 2026 NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse championship is an 18-team, single-elimination tournament.
Ten conference champions receive automatic bids, eight at-large teams fill the remaining spots.
The four lowest-seeded automatic qualifiers contest an opening round for two bracket spots while Princeton and Notre Dame earned first-round byes to start in the round of sixteen.
The title game will be played at 1 p.m. ET on May 25, 2026 at Scott Stadium in Charlottesville.

History

Historical Context

The NCAA Division I men’s lacrosse tournament has been held annually since 1971, with Syracuse emerging as the most successful program, amassing ten titles by the early 2000s. Princeton, after a 25-year gap since its last championship, claimed its seventh title in 2026, echoing past upsets that have reshaped tournament brackets.

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Notre Dame Secures Final

Notre Dame will face Princeton in the NCAA men’s lacrosse final on May 25 in Charlottesville, Virginia.
Notre Dame earned the berth by beating Syracuse 15-7, holding the Orange to seven goals.
Princeton reaches its first title game since 2002, after six championships including a 1996-1998 three-peat.
FanDuel lists Princeton as a 1.5-point favorite, with goalie Thomas Ricciardelli, defender Shawn Lyght (2026 Tewaaraton finalist) and Josh Yago (31 goals, 23 assists).

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