Virginia, the fourth seed in the 2026 Allstate Atlantic Coast Conference Men’s Lacrosse Championship, will face top-seeded Notre Dame on May 1 in Charlotte, North Carolina. The game is scheduled to begin at 5 p.m. and will be broadcast on ACC Network and WINA radio.
This matchup holds significance as Virginia is the only team this season to defeat Notre Dame, which currently holds the number one ranking in both the USILA coaches poll and Inside Lacrosse media poll. A win would mark Virginia’s first ACC Tournament victory since defeating Notre Dame for the championship in 2019 and improve their all-time tournament record to 24-21.
The two teams have a balanced history, with their series tied at 12 wins each following Virginia’s earlier victory this season. That March meeting saw unranked Virginia beat top-ranked Notre Dame by holding them scoreless for nearly twenty minutes late in the game. Brendan Millon scored twice and assisted twice, including delivering the game-winning goal with just over three minutes remaining.
Notre Dame enters this semifinal as one of only two Division I teams with a single loss this year. Led by head coach Kevin Corrigan—recently named ACC Coach of the Year—the Irish are recognized for their strong defense and standout players such as goalie Thomas Ricciardelli and defender Shawn Lyght.
Virginia boasts a history of success in conference play, having claimed at least a share of nineteen ACC championships overall—including seven tournament titles—and leads all schools with fourteen regular-season crowns from 1989 to 2019. Brothers Brendan and McCabe Millon have been key contributors; Brendan leads all Division I freshmen nationally in assists and points per game while McCabe is among national leaders in assists.
The winner of Friday’s match will advance to face either Syracuse or North Carolina for the conference title on Sunday.
