University of Minnesota Women's Lacrosse started in 2002 as a club team. After a few years, the team was able to earn sports club status which would provide them with the benefits of being recognized as an official club sport at the univeristy. In the early days, the team stayed local and competed against schools such as Bethel, Carleton, UMD, and Moorehead. In 2005, the U of M participated in the first Upper Midwest Womens Lacrosse League (UMWLL) play-off tournament, placing 2nd by 3 goals. The following year, the U of M came in second in a very close game ending in a 1 goal differential. In 2007 and 2008 the U of M earned first place in the newly formed North Central Womens Lacrosse League (NCWLL) securing them a spot at the WDIA National Tournament where they placed 15th and 14th respectively. Gopher Women's Lacrosse currently competes with about 80 other teams at the WCLA Division I level. Since 2007, the Gophers have won NCWLL every and have earned a bid to the WCLA (formerly the WDIA) National Tournament. Each year the team grows stronger and more competitive on the national scene. The sport of lacrosse and recoginition of the team has increased exponentially in the past years and the U has been able to compete with some of the best teams in the country. In 2013, the Gophers finished the season ranked 10th in the WCLA, the highest ranking ever achieved by the club. In 2015, the Gophers won an at-large bid to the national tournament and finished the season ranked 15th and the WCLA and were awarded the Sportsman Ship award for the national tournament. In 2016, the Gophers entered the tournament seeded 15th and shocked their opponents in the first three rounds of the national tournament, making their first showing at the national championship. The Gophers put up a tough fight against #1 seeded Georgia but couldn't come out with the win. This season was the best a Minnesota team has ever placed on the national scale, and showed that Minnesota is a national competitor!
