On April 18, lacrosse beat No.19 nationally ranked Regis to become the RMAC regular season co-champions, a title given to the team in the conference with the best record, move up to 8-2.
They share this honor with Regis, as that final game allowed them to tie them in conference record. Because of tiebreakers, Regis ended up with the No.1 seed in the conference and will host the postseason tournament beginning on April 23.
With the postseason path set and UCCS as the No.2 seed, who stands in the way between them and their first ever RMAC title?
Semifinals vs. Westminster
The first match for the Mountain Lions is the No.3 seed Westminster Griffins. This game will be the rubber match as these teams split the series in the regular season.
When UCCS traveled to Salt Lake City on March 13, they were defeated 12-11 but got their revenge on senior day when Westminster came to town with a statement 20-9 win.
With this game taking place on a neutral field, it looks like a toss-up, but we have to look at the momentum each team has headed into the tournament.
When Westminster beat UCCS, it was the third straight loss for the Mountain Lions, who were still figuring themselves out as the team featured 14 freshmen.
Fast forward to their second match, Westminster looked outmatched as they only had 12 shots on goal and allowed 20 goals.
This impressive performance by the Mountain Lions was the fourth game in a five-game win streak they went on to end their season.
As the end of the season got closer and UCCS looked like a contender, all eyes were on their last two games as they would have to play the No.1 and No.2 seeds in the conference. Not only did they run circles around Westminster, but the next week the team traveled to Denver and beat nationally ranked Regis in their own stadium.
This should tell you that the team is hot going into the RMAC Tournament, which is an important factor for any team playing single-elimination games.
On paper, the match looks good for UCCS. Their 152 goals allowed on the season and 19.47 goals per game were both conference leading marks.
On a hot streak and featuring a potent offense and defense, the game looks to be for UCCS’ taking.
Final vs. Regis or Colorado Mesa
The other semifinal match is No.1 Regis vs. No.4 Colorado Mesa. If the regular season is a sign of things to come, then UCCS should be well-prepared for either matchup if they can win their semifinal match.
The Mountain Lions won both games against Colorado Mesa this season which is the first time this has happened in the program’s history. Both games were nailbiters that ended in an 8-7 result so for what it’s worth, a few adjustments could turn the tide for Colorado Mesa so they should not be underestimated.
The more likely opponents are the hosts of the tournament, Regis. The regular season matchups do not provide much clarity as the first game was a 13-8 Regis victory but the second game saw UCCS pull off the upset with a narrow 12-11 win.
Regis leads the conference in goals per game and goals against average, so it’s clear that they have an offense and defense that stacks up with UCCS.
If anything can be the x-factor for Regis, it’s their prestige. Since 2014 which is the first year women’s lacrosse began being played in the RMAC, Regis has finished in first or second place in the conference every year.
If UCCS makes it to the final and Regis is there waiting for them, they would need to overcome their lack of experience to beat the powerhouse that is Regis lacrosse.
Key Players
As mentioned previously, UCCS is a young team and while that may seem a weakness, it actually has been the team’s strength this season.
When last year’s leading scorer Junior attacker Sarah Urbanic decided to redshirt at the beginning of this season, there were questions about the effect that decision would have on the UCCS offense who led the conference in points per game in 2025.
Turns out, it would be underclassmen who would step up and keep the Mountain Lions offense humming this year.
The top four scorers this season for UCCS have been underclassmen with freshman attacker Ella Mills, freshman midfielder Allison Hoffman, sophomore midfielder Sofia Watts, and freshman attacker Charlotte Fannin have led the way toward a regular season championship this season.
Right now, the question will be if this young team can handle the pressure of postseason play. But if the team can keep their cool this postseason could be the beginning of a golden age for UCCS lacrosse as these young players develop.
Keep up with the team’s postseason run on the UCCS Athletics page and watch the games on the RMAC Network through their pay-per-view or subscription options.
Midfield #78 Allison Hoffman. Photo via the Scribe archive.