WEST CHESTER, PA – West Chester University is all set to host Shippensburg University on Saturday afternoon at what will most likely be a soggy and wet Vonnie Gros Field for a 1 p.m. conference match that will end the 2026 regular season slate. It will also serve as West Chester's Senior Day as the Golden Rams pay tribute to the Class of 2026 that is playing its final regular-season home game.
West Chester (13-3, 9-2 PSAC East) has already locked up the two-seed out of the Eastern Division in next week's Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Tournament. Shippensburg (7-9, 4-7) has secured the fourth seed in the East and will be making its first playoff appearance since 2007.
West Chester University and the women's lacrosse program will take a moment before the game to recognize its nine seniors who have continued the strong tradition of women's lacrosse at the school. This group has helped West Chester University reach a national championship game as well as win three consecutive PSAC Championships over the last four years. Next week, they begin their quest to make it a clean four-year sweep over their illustrious careers.
2026 PSAC TOURNAMENT
The 2026 PSAC Tournament is an eight-team single-elimination format. The top four teams in the East and the top four teams in the West qualify for the tournament. The quarterfinal round is a cross-over match between the two divisions and will be played on Tuesday, April 28. There is no more first-round bye for anybody. All eight teams play in the quarterfinals with the East 1 seed hosting the West 4 seed; E2 hosting W3; W2 hosting E3 and W1 hosting E4. Slippery Rock has clinched the top seed in the Western Division. The conference semifinals will be played on the campus of the top remaining seed from the West on Friday, May 1 with the championship game slated for Sunday, May 3. If all four Western Division teams lose in the quarterfinals, then the host will be East Stroudsburg, who won the Eastern Division.
The PSAC Women's Lacrosse Tournament is a CASHLESS event. No complimentary tickets will be available. Only PSAC passes will be honored. Tickets will go on sale next week and can only be purchased via HUDL TICKETS. All Sales are Final – No Refunds. It is advised to purchase tickets the night before, or day of, after reviewing the weather forecast. Championship Admission Fees: Adults: $10; Student K-12: $5; Free admission for students from member institutions with a valid school ID.
WEST CHESTER IN THE NCAA RANKINGS
West Chester University came in ranked third in the NCAA Atlantic Regional Rankings announced Wednesday afternoon. It is the second of three regional rankings that will decide who qualifies for the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse Championships next month.
West Chester (13-3) dropped a heart-breaking overtime decision to the Atlantic Region's top-ranked East Stroudsburg Warriors (17-0) last Wednesday afternoon at Vonnie Gros Field. Slippery Rock (16-0) is ranked second in the region. There will be one more regular-season poll next Wednesday, before the NCAA Tournament field is announced on NCAA.com on Sunday, May 3.
The Division II Women's Lacrosse Championship provides for a 24-team, single-elimination tournament. Twelve conferences have been granted Automatic Qualification (AQ) privileges. Three AQs will be administered in each region with the remaining three spots filled with at-large teams selected by the NCAA Division II Women's Lacrosse national committee. The committee will select teams for the championship Sunday, May 3. The brackets will be on the NCAA's official website, ncaa.com.
The top six teams in each region will qualify for the NCAA Tournament and be seeded. Teams will be paired by regions. Following the completion of the first-, second- and quarterfinal-round games, the four advancing teams will be reseeded based on the selection criteria.
CHAMPIONSHIP DATES
First and second rounds: Thursday, May 7 and Saturday, May 9 - on campus.
Quarterfinal rounds: Saturday, May 16 – on campus.
Semifinals and Final: Thursday, May 21 and Saturday, May 23 – Tiger Stadium, Rochester, New York.
NEXT UP FOR WCU …
West Chester enters the postseason next week and will host a team from the Western Division in the quarterfinals of the 2026 PSAC Tournament. Tickets will go on sale Saturday night when the seedings have been finalized. The Golden Rams' opponent has not yet been determined.
