- Duke (+400) and Notre Dame (+400) are favored to win the Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championship
- Syracuse (+750) has the most all-time titles with 10 while Johns Hopkins (+1200) has nine
- The quarterfinals are set to begin on May 19 with the championship taking place at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA from May 25 to 27
With just over a month left in the regular season, the field of 17 teams that will compete in the NCAA men’s lacrosse tournament is still unclear. However, Duke, Notre Dame and Virginia are viewed as the favorites to capture this year’s championship.
Before we look at the NCAA lacrosse futures, check out all the Sports & Competitions to bet on in 2024. Here’s also where you can see the latest Sports Betting Odds & Picks.
2024 NCAA Lacrosse Championship
Three favorites emerge
Notre Dame (+400) and Virginia (+450) rank No. 1 and No. 2 in the USILA Coaches Poll. The Irish squeaked out a 14-12 victory over No. 3 Syracuse (+750) on Saturday. Notre Dame is leading the nation in scoring offense (17 goals), points (27.83) and assists (10.83) per game.
Meanwhile, the Cavaliers rallied from a four-goal fourth-quarter deficit to defeat No. 16 Harvard. Virginia scored seven unanswered goals to improve their record to 9-1. At 10-2, Duke (+400) is also in the mix. The Blue Devils fell to the Fighting Irish 13-9 in last year’s final and haven’t won the championship since winning back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014. Over the next two weeks, they’ll face both the top-ranked Irish and No. 2 Virginia.
This week’s @Inside_Lacrosse Men’s Rankings! #NCAAMLAX pic.twitter.com/NxTLYB2Ivu
— NCAA Lacrosse (@NCAALAX) April 1, 2024
Other top contenders
Syracuse (+750) has 10 Division I Men’s Lacrosse Championships – more than any other program. However, the Orange’s title drought goes back to 2009. Syracuse was on a five game winning streak before falling to Notre Dame on the weekend. They have a 9-3 record and handed the Blue Devils one of their two losses this year.
Maryland (+1000) was on a three-game losing streak before rallying to a 13-11 road victory over Penn State on Sunday. While the Terrapins went 18-0 back in 2022 before claiming the championship, this year’s team is a mediocre 6-3 with a month left in the season.
Still in the mix
Army (+1200) climbed to No. 1 for the first time in school history after getting off to a 6-0 start that included an OT triumph over Syracuse. Now ranked sixth in the country, the Black Knights have an 8-1 record after narrowly defeating North Carolina over the weekend.
Johns Hopkins (+1200) picked up a 15-11 victory over Michigan on Saturday to improve to 7-3 on the campaign. The Blue Jays also downed No. 19 Rutgers the week prior, flexing its muscle in the Big Ten. With nine championships, Johns Hopkins trails only Syracuse (10) on the all-time list, winning their last one in 2007.
🎻 Poetry in motion @matthewnunes11 #GoHoos🔸⚔️🔹 pic.twitter.com/Omg24pzpbC
— Virginia Men’s Lacrosse (@UVAMensLax) March 30, 2024
Best Longshot
Denver (+2000) ranks top 10 in both the USILA Coaches’ Poll and the Inside Lacrosse Media Poll. While the Pioneers were outclassed by Duke 11-7 this season, they came away with a 13-12 overtime win against Johns Hopkins and a 17-16 victory over No. 12 Cornell.
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