Colorado and Denver Set for NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament Games in Boulder

Colorado lacrosse fans will not have to look far to catch NCAA Tournament action this weekend.

The opening weekend of the NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Tournament comes to Boulder on Friday, May 8, with two first-round matchups at Prentup Field. Colorado will host Jacksonville at 4 p.m. MT, followed by Denver against Florida at 7 p.m. MT.

Both games will stream on ESPN+.

For Colorado, this tournament run marks a major moment in program history.

The Buffs enter the NCAA Tournament at 14-3 after one of the best seasons in program history. Colorado won the Big 12 Tournament last week, giving the program its first conference tournament championship. The Buffs also earned the No. 8 national seed, the first time CU has been seeded in the NCAA Tournament and the first time the program will host the opening two rounds.

Colorado is making its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance and its first since a three-year run from 2017 to 2019. The Buffs are 2-3 all-time in NCAA Tournament play, with wins in each of their last two appearances.

Friday’s matchup with Jacksonville brings plenty of history.

The Buffs earned their first NCAA Tournament win against the Dolphins in 2018, winning 23-18 in Gainesville, Florida. The teams met again earlier this season, with Colorado beating Jacksonville 10-9 in overtime on the road on April 6.

Jacksonville enters the tournament at 13-5 after winning the Atlantic Sun Conference Tournament with a 16-11 win over Delaware. The Dolphins have been one of the top offensive teams in the country, averaging 14.83 goals per game, which ranks 11th nationally. The Buffs held Jacksonville under 10 goals in their earlier meeting, the only time this season the Dolphins failed to reach double digits.

Jacksonville is also strong on the draw, led by senior Abby Moran, who averages 10.44 draw controls per game. That leads the ASUN and ranks fifth nationally.

Colorado has been tough to beat at home. The Buffs finished the regular season unbeaten at Prentup Field, going 7-0 at home after closing the regular season with a 19-5 Senior Day win over Arizona State on April 25.

Denver also heads to Boulder with momentum.

The Pioneers secured their NCAA Tournament spot by winning the Big East Tournament championship, beating Georgetown 12-4 at Peter Barton Stadium. Denver is making its eighth straight NCAA Tournament appearance and the 10th in program history.

DU has become one of the most consistent postseason programs in the country. The Pioneers have advanced to the second round in eight of their previous nine NCAA Tournament appearances. They reached the quarterfinals in 2019 and made their first Championship Weekend appearance in 2023.

Denver owns an 11-9 all-time record in NCAA Tournament play.

The Pioneers will face Florida in the first round, a program they know well. DU is 0-7 all-time against the Gators, including NCAA Tournament meetings in 2013 and 2014. The two programs were also conference opponents in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation in 2014 and later in the Big East from 2017 to 2018.

The winner of Colorado vs. Jacksonville will face the winner of Denver vs. Florida in the second round on Sunday in Boulder.

With CU hosting, Denver making the short trip north, and two NCAA Tournament games set for Friday, this is a huge weekend for lacrosse in Colorado.

Game Schedule

Friday, May 8
Colorado vs. Jacksonville, 4 p.m. MT, Prentup Field, ESPN+
Denver vs. Florida, 7 p.m. MT, Prentup Field, ESPN+

Sunday, May 10
Second Round, winner of Colorado/Jacksonville vs. winner of Denver/Florida, time TBD