2026 NCAA Women's Lacrosse Final Four Preview

By Andrew Barbieri

5/21/2026 3:00:00 PM

The Rundown

The undefeated and second-ranked Salisbury University women's lacrosse team heads to The Empire State as one of the final four teams in the 2026 NCAA DIII Women's Lacrosse Championship. The Sea Gulls will do battle with No. 3 Wesleyan (Conn.) on Friday at 3 p.m. inside the newly renovated Judson Stadium on the campus of RIT in Rochester, NY. The winner of Friday's contest will head to the Final against the victor of No. 1 Middlebury and No. 4 Tufts.

How We Got Here

Salisbury enters its 15th Memorial Day Weekend with a 20-0 record, standing as one of the last two unbeaten teams in DIII women's lacrosse. The Sea Gulls amassed nine wins against ranked opponents, including three against top-10 squads. The Gulls rattled off triumphs against No. 14 York (Pa.), 10-5, and No. 19 Christopher Newport, 17-4, to reach their third Final Four in six years.

Second Round Recap

The Sea Gulls silenced the 14th-ranked York (Pa.) Spartans, 10-5, in a rematch of a March regular-season clash. A 6-0 run in the first half, combined with eight saves from Paige Ellis, gave the Sea Gulls plenty of cushion to advance to the Regional Final. On Sunday, Salisbury bolted out to a 6-0 advantage on Sunday against the 19th-ranked Captains of Christopher Newport and never looked back, allowing a mere nine shots all afternoon en route to a 17-4 drubbing and third win over CNU in four weeks.

Live Video (All Games)

Live Stats (All Games)

Tournament Webpage (Schedule, Parking Info)

Players to Watch

Miranda Mears | Sr. | A

Audrey Harrington | Sr. | A

Abby Fleishell | Sr. | D

Offense
Midfield
Defense

Audrey Harrington - Harrington has carried along the tradition of prolific "X" attackers for SU after being named the conference's Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 and 2026. Harrington has distributed a conference-leading 2.05 assists per game and stands at 45 markers and 41 helpers, which is the most points from a Sea Gull since 2021. The Mount Hebron High School product tied the program's single-game goal record with seven goals in a top-ten battle against William Smith on March 16 and is second in the NCAA Tournament in assists (10).
Miranda Mears - Mears has fired in 59 goals and has picked up one helper. The former Parkside Ram compiled her third First Team selection and leads the C2C in shot percentage (57.8%). Mears posted back-to-back five-goal outings against Shenandoah and No. 6 Gettysburg on March 7 and March 11, respectively, and netted six tallies on the road at Mary Washington on April 4 and against Union in the second round of tournament play on May 10.
Avery Dunbar - Dunbar has elevated her production from her freshman campaign, logging 18 goals and 28 assists in 17 games. The Shawnee High School product sits at 1.65 assists per game. Dunbar has reeled in two C2C Offensive Player of the Week laurels and has put up four or more points in five contests.
Lauren Hackett - Hackett has produced career-highs with 55 points on 28 goals and 27 helpers. The senior has logged four points in six straight contests.

Regan McDonnell - McDonnell reeled in her second straight IWLCA All-Cheaspeake Region selection and has been a lethal two-way threat for the Maroon and Gold in her second year, regularly patrolling the midfield. McDonnell has scored in 15 of 17 affairs, tallying 33 goals and four helpers, while collecting 26 ground balls, 24 caused turnovers and 63 draw controls. McDonnell filled up the stat sheet in SU's come-from-behind victory against No. 7 York (Pa.) in the regular season, going for three goals, an assist, three grounders, three caused miscues and three draw controls.
Leah Doy - The sophomore from New Market, Md., posted her first career hat-trick in the first bout against CNU and has recorded a modest 25 points on 21 tallies and four helpers.
Grace Doyle - Doyle was a 2025 All-Chesapeake member and has proven to be a formidable force on both sides of the field and has recorded 64 goals, seven assists, 40 ground balls, 49 caused turnovers and 111 draw controls in her career.
Grace Milliron - Milliron has paced the offensive midfield with two hat-tricks against No. 6 Gettysburg and No. 12 Franklin and Marshall throughout on the way to 12 goals and seven assists in her senior campaign.

Abby Fleishell - Fleishell has proved again to be one of the top shutdown defenders in the nation. Fleishell was named the USA Lacrosse Preseason Defender of the Year in January and was tabbed the IWLCA Defender of the Week on April 14 for a six-ground ball, five-caused turnover afternoon in a 6-4 dub over No. 18 TCNJ. The Century High School product has totaled 50 ground balls, 35 caused turnovers and 65 draw controls on the season and registered her first career assist this past weekend against York (Pa.) while collecting three grounders and causing five turnovers.
Reagan Davis - Davis has helped anchor the Sea Gulls defensively. Starting in 60-straight contests, Davis garnered a C2C Defensive Player of the Week nod for a four-caused turnover game against No. 6 Gettysburg on March 11. The Westminster High School tallied 23 ground balls and 17 forced turnovers on the year.
Sydney Block - Block made 143 appearances last season and has carved out a role on the Salisbury backline. The former Parkside Ram has started in 18 of 19 games played and has chased down 20 ground balls and caused 10 errors.
Paige Ellis - Ellis has solidified the crease for Salisbury a second straight season. The two-time IWLCA All-Chesapeake Region choice stands 20th in the country in goals against average (7.33) and is second in the conference with a 46.2 percent save percentage. Ellis boasts a 19-0 record so far this season and denied No. 21 CNU 11 times in a 15-9 Gull victory three weekends ago.

All-Region Honors

18-3 (8-2 NESCAC) in 2026
Second appearance in program history.
Muscled past No. 10 Trinity, 7-5, in Regional Final.
Ranked Wins: No. 2 Tufts, No. 5 Amherst, No. 7 William Smith, No. 7 Colby, No. 9 F&M, No. 10 Trinity (Conn.) (twice), No. 16 Stevens, No. 19 Williams (twice), #21 Chicago.
T-9th in scoring defense (6.00).
Offensive Player to Watch - #3 Addie Cummings: Cummings leads the Cardinals with 45 goals and 62 points on the season. The senior reached 100 points in Sunday's win, tucking two goals to help defeat Trinity (Conn.).
Defensive Player to Watch - #5 Lindsay Diomede: Diomede earned NESCAC Defender of the Year and the past two IWLCA Defensive Player of the Week awards as the cornerstone piece of one of the most potent defenses in the country. The senior from Westwood, Mass., leads the NESCAC with 62 ground balls and 77 caused turnovers, while adding in eight goals and four assists.
Goalkeeper - #33 Izzy Weintraub: Weintraub, a 2025 IWLCA First Team All-American, has made 78 career appearances and carries a 5.97 GAA this season with a 51.8 percent save percentage.

21-0 (10-0 NESCAC) in 2026
Four-time defending champions, 135-3 since 2019 (did not participate in 2021 season).
135-3 since 2019 (did not participate in 2021 season).
1st in scoring defense (4.95)
Offensive Player to Watch - #6 Caroline Adams: The NESCAC Offensive Player of the Year leads the conference in goals (68), points (109) and draw controls (120). Adams ranks 14th nationally in points and has played in 84 contests.
Defensive Player to Watch - #7 Caroline Messer: Messer leads the top-scoring defense in the nation with 54 rollers and 42 forced errors. In 89 games played, Messer has totaled 148 GBs and 87 CTs.
Goalkeeper - #34 Elizabeth Savage: The junior keeper flexes the best goals against average in the country (5.02) and stands in the top-20 in save percentage (49.4%).

17-3 (8-2 NESCAC) in 2026
Making fifth Final Four appearance (all since 2019)
Fell to No. 13 Amherst, No. 3 Wesleyan (Conn.) and No. 1 Middlebury all by one goal.
Bested Wesleyan in overtime, 11-10 in regular season meeting.
Features six players with 20 or more goals.
Offensive Players to Watch - #27 Eleanor Helm: Helm set the single-season points record at Tufts by posting 11 points in Sunday's dub against Williams. The Freshman is averaging 7.33 points per game in the NCAA Tournament.
Defensive Player to Watch - #23 Sophie Haas: Haas, another freshman, leads the Jumbos with 37 rollers and 26 caused miscues.
Goalkeeper - #32 Devon Chipman: Chipman boasts a 7.85 goals against average and 46.9 percent save percentage.

Division III Tournament Bracket