The University of Colorado women’s lacrosse team is on the verge of its fourth NCAA Division I Championship appearance as the Buffs play at Florida on Saturday in the finals of the Big XII playoffs.
While the Buffs are in Gainesville, the University of Denver hosts Georgetown on Saturday at the Peter Barton Lacrosse Stadium on the Pioneer campus for the Big East Conference title. DU is seeking its 10th trip to the NCAA Championships.
BUFF BOOK – Colorado (13-3, 4-1 Big XII) advanced to the league finale with a 13-7 win on Thursday over Arizona State in Gainesville. It will be the Buffs’ seventh conference championship appearance, and the first since 2014, as CU is looking for its first-ever conference tournament championship.
Florida (15-2, 5-0), which advanced to the title match with a 22-7 win over UC Davis, will be seeking its second victory over CU this season after posting a 9-7 win over the Buffs on April 4 in Gainesville.
The Florida setback was the Buffs’ last loss this year, as CU has won its last six matches. The Gators have won 12-straight matches, with the CU victory the sixth in the streak.
PIONEER POINTS – DU (14-3, 6-0 Big East) scored a 17-6 win over Marquette on Thursday at the Barton to advance to the Big East finale. The Pioneers will be meeting Georgetown for the second time seven days as DU posted an 11-5 victory over the Hoyas on April 25 in the nation’s capital.
The NCAA selection show is Sunday at 7 p.m. on ESPNU. First round of play begins on Friday (May 8) with the championship on May 24 at Northwestern University’s Martin Stadium in Evanston, Ill. The 44th championship is a 29-team, single-elimination tournament.
CU, which posted a 9-6 win at Denver on April 15, appeared three straight seasons (2017-2019) for its only trips to NCAA Division I championships. It would be only appropriate for the Buffs to make the national finals as CU is coached by 2007 Northwestern graduate Ann Elliott Whidden. In her 13th season in Boulder, Elliott Whidden has a 143-78 record (64.7 percent).
DU is seeking its eighth-straight NCAA berth ((2013-2014-2018-2019-2021-2022-2023-2024-2025) under Liza Kelly, who is in her 20th season with the Pioneers. With 280-90 record in the Mile High City, Kelly coached the Pioneers to the 2023 “final four” where DU lost to Northwestern 15-7 in the national semifinals.
