TAMPA, Fla., May 2, 2026 – The University of South Florida Women's Lacrosse program competed in the American Conference Championship game on Saturday, for the second consecutive season. A feat no program in NCAA D1 has ever accomplished.
 
While the Bulls fell to JMU, 17-7, the resume they built across the 2026 season speaks for itself. USF's case for an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament is not diminished by one game — it is defined by an entire body of work that places them among the most accomplished second-year programs in the history of college lacrosse.
 
USF's RPI Is No. 14

• No team, since the expansion to 29 teams, has ranked this high in RPI and not been selected.
• Every team ranked inside the top 21 by RPI has received a tournament bid — USF would be the first exception.
• This is the highest RPI ranking for any first- or second-year program in NCAA D1 women's lacrosse history.
• No program in NCAA D1 history has competed for the conference tournament title in each of its first two seasons — except USF.

Strength of Schedule — Top-10 & Top-25 RPI Opponents
South Florida faced three Top-10 RPI opponents this season (Michigan, Florida, Navy) and six Top-25 RPI opponents (JMU twice and Richmond).
vs. Top-10 RPI Michigan

• USF twice held a four-goal lead and was tied or leading for 38 minutes and 50 seconds of the 60-minute contest.
• Several yellow cards in the second half gave Michigan the advantage they needed.

at Top-10 RPI Florida

• South Florida outshot the Gators 39-23 — only Navy generated more shots against UF all season.
• USF forced Florida into a 2:1 turnover ratio (14 to 7).
• The Bulls were tied or within one goal for most of the third quarter.
• The margin and flow of this game closely mirrored Florida's win over Colorado (9-7).

Strength of Record (Per LacrosseReference.com)
As of May 1, 2026, South Florida ranked ahead of multiple likely NCAA tournament selections in strength of record:
USF — No. 17 in NCAA D1
Penn State — No. 21 in NCAA D1
Georgetown — No. 23 in NCAA D1
Loyola — No. 32 in NCAA D1
Rutgers — No. 36 in NCAA D1
Penn — No. 41 in NCAA D1

Advantages in At-Large Considerations

• USF beat Temple twice — a team that beat Penn at Penn by five goals.
• USF beat Brown (13-10) — a team that also beat Penn.
• USF beat JMU (9-7) — a team that beat UVA, Georgetown, and Richmond.

Recent Form — Last Seven Games (4-2)
L, 11-4 — South Florida vs. JMU (AAC Championship)
W, 13-7 — South Florida vs. Temple
W, 12-9 — South Florida at Vanderbilt
W, 17-4 — South Florida vs. ECU
W, 22-11 — South Florida vs. Charlotte
L, 14-8 — South Florida vs. Florida (Top-10 RPI)
 
National Statistical Rankings
South Florida ranks among the nation's elite programs across 10 major statistical categories (as of April 30, 2026):

• 3rd in NCAA in Shots Per Game (35.81)
• 8th in NCAA in Shots on Goal Per Game (24.56)
• 11th in NCAA in Ground Balls Per Game (18.63)
• 18th in NCAA in Win Percentage (.750)
• 19th in NCAA in Scoring Margin (+4.69)
• 19th in NCAA in Scoring Offense (14.19 GPG)
• 21st in NCAA in Draw Controls Per Game (14.69)
• 22nd in NCAA in Points Per Game (20.69)
• 25th in NCAA in Draw Control Percentage (58.2%)
• 28th in NCAA in Caused Turnovers Per Game (10.38)

 
In Her Own Words — Head Coach Mindy McCord
Coach McCord has led two programs to the NCAA Sweet 16, both at Jacksonville University. As a coach who has been to the tournament and knows what tournament-caliber lacrosse looks like, her assessment carries weight:
 
"This USF team is my most complete team from top to bottom that I've ever coached. The improvement we have made this season alone, along with our overall growth in just two years, is incredible. Despite health impacts to the majority of the team over two weeks this season — including a two-game, three-day trip at ODU and Richmond — we fought super hard. With the team 100% healthy now, this is a team that can compete with anyone in the top 10 and push them to their limit. This group is more than deserving of an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament."
 
Tickets
Fans can purchase women's lacrosse tickets by calling 1-800-GoBulls or at USFBullsTix.com.
 
Follow USF Women's Lacrosse
To stay up-to-date on the latest USF Women's Lacrosse news, follow the Bulls on social media (Twitter | Facebook | Instagram).
 
About USF Women's Lacrosse
Amidst its second season, the University of South Florida women's lacrosse program builds on a historic inaugural year that quickly established the Bulls as a contender in the American Athletic Conference. South Florida opened its first-ever season on Feb. 7, 2025, with a 19–6 win over Kennesaw State, setting the State of Florida regular-season attendance record as 2,386 fans filled Corbett Stadium. The Bulls went on to finish the 2025 season with a 13–5 record and earned a place in the American Conference Championship in their inaugural season, ultimately finishing as the league's runner-up. South Florida also drew more than 10,000 total fans to Corbett Stadium during the season. USF named Mindy McCord, an eight-time conference coach of the year, as the program's first head coach in May 2022. McCord arrived in Tampa with 240 career wins and a proven record of building successful programs after launching and leading Jacksonville University's women's lacrosse team for its first 13 seasons. During her tenure at JU, she guided the Dolphins to 21 regular-season and conference tournament titles, eight NCAA Tournament appearances, and back-to-back Sweet Sixteen berths while developing 13 All-Americans, 81 all-conference selections, and 13 conference Player of the Year honorees. South Florida plays a fast-paced, high-scoring style influenced by the early 1990s Loyola Marymount men's basketball fast break. That approach ranked among the national leaders in shots, points per game, and scoring margin during McCord's tenure at Jacksonville and continues to shape the Bulls' offensive identity heading into year two.
 
– #GoBulls –