Brown Athletics Sends Off Women’s Lacrosse Team To NCAA Tournament

Brown University Press Release

NEW HAVEN, Conn. – The No. 21 Brown women’s lacrosse team (10-6, 4-3 Ivy) will battle No. 19 Syracuse (9-8, 5-4 ACC) in its NCAA Tournament debut at Yale on Friday at 4 p.m.

History Made
Brown saw its name called on Selection Sunday for the first time in program history, after receiving an at-large bid. The Bears also qualified for the Ivy League Tournament for the first time in program history.

With 10 victories this season, Brown has tied a program record for most wins in a season, the fifth time they have hit that mark joining the 1978, 1996, 1997, and 2024 squads.

Regular Season Recap
Brown opened the 2025 season 4-0 for the first time since 2014. The Bears outscored their opponents 80-17 through their first four games of the season.

Overall, Brown went 6-2 in non-conference action with both losses coming against ranked opponents.

The Bears won four consecutive Ivy League games earlier in the season, with two of those wins coming against nationally ranked opponents in then-No. 24 Harvard (12-10) and then-No. 7 Yale (14-11). The team also put together strong, down-to-the-wire showings against highly ranked opponents in then-No. 11 Duke (14-13 loss), a 15-13 defeat at then-No. 5 Princeton, and a 17-16 Ivy League Tournament Semifinal defeat against then-No. 5 Princeton last weekend. Brown has also consistently ranked around the top 25 in RPI this season, currently slotting in at No. 27.

Brown has been nationally ranked in seven-straight weeks after its win over Yale.

Scouting Brown (10-6, 4-3)
The Bears’ 8.56 assists per game ranks fifth nationally, with their 23.25 points per game ranking 10th. Brown’s assists and points per game totals rank them first in the Ivy League.
As a team, the Bears have the sixth-fewest turnovers per game nationally with 11.63.

Annie Burton ranks in the top 10 nationally in assists per game (3.31) and total assists (53).

Brown has a 1-5 record against teams in the NCAA Tournament, and a 2-5 record against ranked opponents this season.

Scouting Syracuse (9-8, 5-4)
The Orange received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament after posting a 9-8 overall record this season. Syracuse had the top strength of schedule in the nation, when they took on seven of the eight top seeds in the NCAA Tournament, including the top three. Overall, Syracuse played 12 games against tournament teams this season, posting a 5-7 record in those contests.

Syracuse is making its 22nd appearance in the NCAA Tournament. The Orange have a 28-21 record in tournament play.

History
Brown is 0-1 all-time against Syracuse. The Orange picked up a 19-6 victory on March 30, 2005 in the JMA Wireless Dome.

What’s Next
The winner of Friday’s game will take on either Albany or Yale in the second round on Sunday, May 11 at 2 p.m. at Reese Stadium.