NCAA Division I women's lacrosse tournament

Lacrosse was one of twelve women's sports added to the NCAA championship program for the 1981–82 school year, as the NCAA engaged in battle with the AIAW for sole governance of women's collegiate sports. The AIAW continued to conduct its established championship program in the same twelve (and other) sports; however, after a year of dual women's championships, the AIAW held its last championship in 1982 and ceased operation.

Separate championships are held for Division II, founded in 2001, and Division III, founded in 1985.

See Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women Champions for the women's lacrosse champions from 1978 to 1982. NOTE: In 1982 there were both NCAA and AIAW Division I champions.

•  CH  National Champion
•  RU  National Runner-up
•  SF  Semifinals
•  QF  Quarterfinals
•  12   16  Round of 12 (1983 through 1984, 1998 through 2000); Round of 16 (2001 through present)
•  •  First Round (2013 to present)
•  ◦  Opening Round (2018 through 2019)
•  P  Play-in Game (2004 through 2012. Unlike the Opening Round game of 2018 and 2019, the losers of these Play-in Games are not considered by the NCAA to have been NCAA participants. They appear in the table below, but not counted as having an appearance in the total column.)

The NCAA began seeding the top 4 teams in 1998. The No. 1 seed is marked with double underline, and teams seeded between No. 2 and No. 4 are shown with single underline. Starting in 2005, the top 8 teams were seeded. Teams seeded between No. 5 and No. 8 are shown with dotted underline.

• Note: As of end of 2023 championship
• school indicates schools belong to Division II and school indicates a school belongs to Division III.