The 2026 NAIA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship Field Is Set, Eight Teams, One Red Banner

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – [Selection Show | Bracket]The 2026 NAIA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship field is set. Eight teams are beginning to pack their gear for the second annual men’s lacrosse championship to be played in Decatur, Ala., starting on Tuesday, May 12, with the quarterfinals. Four games will be played on May 12, starting at 10 a.m. CT at Jack Allen Sports Complex. The men’s lacrosse tournament will continue on Thursday, May 14, with the semifinals at 4 and 7 p.m. CT, then on Saturday, May 16, the biggest game of the season, the national championship game at 5 p.m. CT. Be sure to grab your tickets before you arrive at the venue here for quicker entry into the stands to watch your favorite teams and student-athletes.

Let’s dive into the eight teams arriving in Decatur next weekend.

The path to championship Saturday in 2026 is going to be a tough one. Six of the eight teams qualified for the first-ever national championship last year; the two teams playing for a national championship for the first time were Aquinas (Mich.) and SCAD Savannah (Ga.). Not only do the field’s teams know what it takes to reach the national tournament, but the eight teams have been playing great lacrosse all season long. Compiling a total combined record of 100-30, that’s a 76.9 combined winning percentage, further proving how tough this year’s field is going to be.

The Appalachian Athletic Conference is represented by half the field in 2026 with Cumberlands (Ky.), Keiser (Fla.), Reinhardt (Ga.), and SCAD Savannah. The Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference sends three teams to Decatur, Ala., and the Jack Allen Sports Complex, including Aquinas, Indiana Tech, and top-seeded Madonna (Mich.). William Penn (Iowa), winner of the Heart of America Athletic Conference Tournament, is the lone Heart team to make up our national championship field this year. 

Action in the second annual Men’s Lacrosse National Championship will get underway on Tuesday, May 12 at 10 a.m. CT with the top-seeded Crusaders of Madonna and the No. 8-seeded Patriots of Cumberlands. The No. 4 Reinhardt Eagles and No. 5 Statesmen of William Penn take the field in the second of four quarterfinal games, while No. 2 Keiser and No. 7 Indiana Tech will play at 4 p.m. CT; then the nightcap, No. 3 Aquinas Saints against No. 6 SCAD Savannah Bees.

All the action of the 2026 NAIA Men’s Lacrosse National Championship can be watched live and for free on the Urban Edge Network and on demand through the NAIA Network.