A way-too-early look at the 2026 girls lacrosse season

The seacoast was the place to be for New Hampshire girls lacrosse this spring, with all three division champions calling the area home.

Portsmouth ran the table to capture its second Division I championship in a row, while Winnacunnet (D2) and St. Thomas (D3) did the same in their respective divisions. For both, their only loss of the season came against the Clippers.

All three should have a returning core that would require them to be penciled in as favorites heading into next season. But there will certainly be plenty of challengers for all three.

Repeat champions have been most common in D1, with Portsmouth’s win this season the sixth time a program has won at least two titles in a row. Concord (2000-02), Londonderry (2009-11) and Bishop Guertin (2018-22) are the only programs to win more than two straight D1 titles.

Only one program has won back-to-back titles in D2, with Portsmouth doing it for the five seasons (2017-22) before it moved up to D1. Meanwhile, St. Thomas is the first repeat champion in D3 since Laconia (2015-16); no program has won three D3 titles in a row.

This is the second year of the NHIAA’s two-year cycle, meaning there are no expected changes to the divisions or teams that in co-ops.

Division I

Portsmouth slows no signs of slowing down, as the Clippers have reached the final in their first three years in D1, winning the last two. They graduated just two seniors, and barring anything unforeseen, return a solid core of players who were sophomores and juniors this season.

After years of the same four programs in the final four every year, this season saw Exeter get there for the first time since 2015, while Pinkerton made its first trip to the semis since 2022. Souhegan, meanwhile, was in the final for the first time since 2017.

All three should return rosters that can make another run in 2026, but programs like Bishop Guertin and Bedford could bounce back from uncharacteristic seasons. The Cardinals and the Bulldogs failed to advance to the final four for the first time since 2014 and 2015, respectively.

Nashua South has enough back to be in the playoff mix again and Londonderry, which just missed out on a playoff berth this year with a young roster, should take the next step. Windham, Dover and Salem could also compete for a playoff spot.

Too-early playoff predictions (9 teams): Bedford, Bishop Guertin, Exeter, Londonderry, Nashua South, Pinkerton, Portsmouth, Souhegan, Windham.

Division II

Winnacunnet dominated the division during the regular season and carried that into the postseason, winning its first title since 2006. The Warriors had played in the final three other times since 2017, as the top seed each time, and come up short.

There’s enough experience and talent expected to return on the Warriors’ roster that they should be the team to beat again. Merrimack, which ended up as the No. 2 seed in its first year in D2, will lose a talented senior class, but should have enough back to be considered a favorite.

Merrimack Valley got to the title game for the first time, but the loss of seven seniors will be tough to overcome. Hanover loses just four seniors and had no juniors this year, meaning the Bears should have a solid, experience core for the next two seasons. Oyster River-Newmarket and Timberlane lose seven and eight seniors, respectively, but expect to have a lot back to improve on this spring.

Kennett and Kingswood will look to build on playoff appearances while Goffstown, Hollis Brookline and Keene-Monadnock should also compete for a playoff spot.

Too-early playoff predictions (9 teams): Goffstown, Hanover, Kennett, Kingswood, Merrimack, Merrimack Valley, Oyster River-Newmarket, Timberlane, Winnacunnet.

Division III

St. Thomas has ruled the division the last two seasons, but Gilford, which was the runner-up in 2024 and 2025, wasn’t too far behind. The Saints should return enough to be the favorite going into next year, while the Golden Eagles will have to overcome the graduation of nine key seniors. Don’t be surprised if they do.

Hopkinton and Bow have both been in the final four in six of the last seven seasons, with the Hawks winning two titles and the Falcons one. Hopkinton (four) and Bow (nine) each lose some key seniors, but have been consistent enough programs that a deep playoff run isn’t out of the question.

Derryfield and Coe-Brown both graduated seniors who filled important roles, but both should have plenty returning to be in contention, while John Stark and Laconia have key players returning as well. Trinity has taken steps forward in each of the last two seasons while Campbell will return a lot from a young team.

Pelham, Kearsarge, Lebanon, Bishop Brady, ConVal and Plymouth should all compete for a playoff spot next year as  well.

Too-early playoff predictions (14 teams): Bishop Brady, Bow, Campbell, Coe-Brown, Derryfield, Gilford, Hopkinton, John Stark, Kearsarge, Laconia, Lebanon, Pelham, St. Thomas, Trinity.

Only 37 weeks until the start of the 2026 preseason.