NEW HAVEN, Conn. (January 30, 2026) – Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Commissioner Dan Mara has announced the results of the balloting of the 2026 CACC Women’s Lacrosse Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Dominican University New York has been chosen for first place.
Dominican (19-2, 9-0 CACC in 2025) has won the last three CACC championships and is 27-1 in conference regular-season play during that time. Last year, the Chargers became the first CACC women’s lacrosse team to ever play in the NCAA Division II Championship tournament. DUNY is ranked No. 15 in the 2026 national D-II preseason coaches’ poll.
Dominican received eight of 10 first-place votes and 80 total points in the CACC poll. The Chargers were followed by Thomas Jefferson University, in second place with 72 points, and third-place Wilmington University, which collected 66 points. Jefferson and Wilmington each garnered one first-place vote. Georgian Court University finished fourth in the balloting with 56 points.
The final two projected playoff spots went to Holy Family University and the University of Bridgeport. Holy Family was picked to finish fifth, earning 48 points, followed by Bridgeport in sixth with 43. Rounding out the coaches’ choices were Chestnut Hill College (7th, 29 points), Caldwell University (8th, 24), Felician University (9th, 17) and Post University (10th, 15).
The regular season begins on February 15, when Felician faces the University of Lynchburg in Sparks, Md. Most league teams are scheduled to open their season by March 9, with conference action slated to begin on Saturday, March 21.
At season’s end, the top six teams in the standings will qualify for the CACC Championship tournament. The opening round and the semifinals will take place on April 28 and April 30, respectively, at campus sites. Wilmington will host the championship final on Saturday, May 2, at its athletics complex in Newark, Del. The CACC champion will automatically qualify for the 2026 NCAA Division II Women’s Lacrosse Championship tournament.
2026 CACC WOMEN'S LACROSSE PRESEASON COACHES POLL
(First-Place Votes in Parentheses)
| Rank |
School |
Points |
| 1. |
Dominican University New York (8) |
80 |
| 2. |
Thomas Jefferson University (1) |
72 |
| 3. |
Wilmington University (1) |
66 |
| 4. |
Georgian Court University |
56 |
| 5. |
Holy Family University |
48 |
| 6. |
University of Bridgeport |
43 |
| 7. |
Chestnut Hill College |
29 |
| 8. |
Caldwell University |
24 |
| 9. |
Felician University |
17 |
| 10. |
Post University |
15 |
Founded in 1961, the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference has been affiliated with NCAA Division II for 20 years. Conference institutions compete for championships in 17 sports – seven for men, nine for women, and one co-ed. The CACC contains 11 full members in Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, New York, and Pennsylvania. Membership includes the University of Bridgeport, Caldwell University, Chestnut Hill College, Dominican University New York, Felician University, Georgian Court University, Goldey-Beacom College, Holy Family University, Post University, Thomas Jefferson University, and Wilmington University.