by our College Data Analytics Team
For student athletes, the right college balances academics with athletics. This list ranks 9 colleges for Women’s Lacrosse (Division II) by academic-athletic quality, using our 2026 methodology.
To help you decide, College Factual weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and aid per athlete from the EADA survey), and overall school quality, drawing on NCAA, U.S. Department of Education EADA, and IPEDS data. Learn more about our ranking methodology.
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Explore the leading programs below:
Our analysis found Catawba College to be the best college for Women's Lacrosse (Division II) in North Carolina. Based in Salisbury, NC, Catawba College is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $14,826 in revenue per athlete, compared with $15,557 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $9,164 per athlete.
Lenoir-Rhyne University is one of the top schools for Women's Lacrosse (Division II), at #2. Lenoir-Rhyne University is a private not-for-profit school based in Hickory, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $18,392, against $18,392 in expenses. The school awards about $7,094 in athletic aid per athlete.
Barton College earned the #3 place for student athletes. This private not-for-profit school is set in Wilson, NC. The program generates about $15,446 in revenue per athlete, with expenses of about $15,446 per participant. Athletic aid averages $6,654 per athlete.
Wingate University landed the #4 spot for Women's Lacrosse (Division II). Wingate University is a private not-for-profit school based in Wingate, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $21,553, against $21,137 in expenses. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,748.
University of Mount Olive landed the #5 spot for Women's Lacrosse (Division II). Located in Mount Olive, NC, University of Mount Olive is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $14,083 in revenue per athlete, compared with $14,364 spent per athlete. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $7,775.
Lees-McRae College ranked #6 on our 2026 list for Women's Lacrosse (Division II). Located in Banner Elk, NC, Lees-McRae College is a private not-for-profit institution. Team revenue averages $11,543 per participant, with expenses of about $11,543 per participant. Per-athlete athletic aid is roughly $6,547.
Belmont Abbey College placed #7 among the best colleges for Women's Lacrosse (Division II). This private not-for-profit school is set in Belmont, NC. Team revenue averages $11,761 per participant, compared with $11,761 spent per athlete. The school awards about $2,908 in athletic aid per athlete.
Mars Hill University placed #8 among the best colleges for Women's Lacrosse (Division II). Mars Hill University is a private not-for-profit school based in Mars Hill, NC. Per-participant team revenue is roughly $10,032, against $10,032 in expenses. Athletic aid averages $6,311 per athlete.
Chowan University came in at #9 in this year's ranking. Based in Murfreesboro, NC, Chowan University is a private not-for-profit institution. The program generates about $10,217 in revenue per athlete, compared with $10,217 spent per athlete. Athletic aid averages $5,571 per athlete.
*These averages are for the top 25 ranked colleges only.
This ranking is produced by College Factual, 2026 edition. The methodology weighs a blend of academic-athletic outcomes (NCAA Academic Progress Rate and Graduation Success Rate), athletic financial resources (team revenue, expenses, and athletic aid from the federal EADA survey), and overall school quality. The current methodology measures academic-athletic quality and does not include team win/loss performance.
References
More about our data sources and methodologies.