Revised schedule for preliminary rounds will go in effect in 2027
The NCAA Division I Women’s Lacrosse Oversight Committee has approved changes to the championship schedule beginning in 2027, shifting preliminary-round dates to create more viewing opportunities and maintain recovery time for participating teams.
Under the revised date formula, first- and second-round games will be played Thursday and Saturday instead of Friday and Sunday. Quarterfinal games will move from all on Thursday to split between Wednesday and Thursday evenings.
Spreading the quarterfinals across two nights is intended to expand viewership opportunities to primetime coverage and promote fan attendance. Moving those games up one day also required the first and second rounds to shift earlier, preserving the existing recovery period between the second round and the quarterfinals.
“This is a great opportunity to increase women’s lacrosse viewership,” said Lindsey Thomas, chair of the committee and senior associate athletics director of operations at Florida. “Increasing the fan base and viewership is a priority for the committee, and the new date formula also will provide additional rest for teams.”
