The 2025 DI Men's Lacrosse Championship field is nearing completion as conference tournaments conclude and the selection committee prepares to reveal the 18-team bracket. The selection show is scheduled for Sunday, May 4 at 9:30 p.m. ET, airing live on ESPNU.
Ten automatic qualification bids will be awarded to conference tournament champions. The remaining eight spots in the NCAA Lacrosse Tournament will be filled by at-large selections chosen by the DI Men's Lacrosse Committee.
Several teams secured automatic bids over the weekend, including Ohio State from the Big Ten, Richmond from the Atlantic 10, and Towson from the CAA. Other teams like Robert Morris (NEC), UAlbany (America East), and Siena (MAAC) also earned spots by winning their league tournaments.
The at-large picture relies heavily on metrics like the RPI and strength of schedule. Teams such as Maryland, Cornell, Princeton, Penn State, Duke, Syracuse, North Carolina, and Notre Dame are considered strong contenders for seeded positions or at-large berths. The committee weighs win-loss records, quality wins, and losses to determine the seeding and the final teams included.
Discussions among analysts prior to the selection show often focus on the bubble teams and seeding complexities, particularly regarding travel constraints and avoiding conference rematches in the first round. The final at-large spot is a subject of debate, with Harvard and Army frequently mentioned as the primary teams vying for the position.
Sunday's conference championship games, including the Patriot League, ACC, ASUN, and Ivy League finals, will finalize some automatic bids and influence the final RPI rankings and committee decisions.
The single-elimination tournament culminates with the semifinal and final rounds at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, MA, scheduled for May 24-26. Notre Dame enters the postseason seeking a third consecutive national title, having won the championship in 2023 and 2024.
