By: Karlie Genevive, ’26 Summer Intern

The New York State Public High School Athletic Association (NYSPHSAA) has proudly used the fields at SUNY Cortland to host the Girls Lacrosse Championships since the tournament’s inception in 1995. This year, sixteen of the best lacrosse teams in New York will compete in the two-day tournament, where four teams will be crowned 2026 NYSPHSAA Girls Lacrosse State Champions.
 
“I am looking forward to championship weekend.” Said Elizabeth Parry, NYSPHSAA Girls Lacrosse State Coordinator. “Catch the spirit that lacrosse brings and witness camaraderie amongst each team as they play for the title.”
 
The defending Class A champions, Penfield (Section V), will return to SUNY Cortland in pursuit of their second state title. They will face Shaker (Section 2), which is making its first appearance in a NYSPHSAA championship tournament since 2012. The matchup is scheduled for 9:00 AM on June 12.
 
Also in the field is Suffern (Section I), which is advancing to its second consecutive state championship tournament. Suffern will look to capture the Class A title after falling to Penfield in the 2025 championship game.
 
Rounding out the bracket is Huntington (Section XI), which enters with an opportunity for redemption after a narrow 11–9 loss to Suffern in last year’s 2025 regional round.
 
In Class B, the reigning State Champions, Victor High School (Section V) also return to SUNY Cortland this year to capture their fourth straight title. They are matched up against Queensbury (Section 2) who moved up a class from last year in the semifinal round on June 12 at 11:30 AM.
 
The 2025 runner-up, Garden City (Section VIII), returns to this year’s tournament and will face Nyack (Section I) in the semifinal round. Garden City will look to advance to the championship game once again this season.
 
Class C field will be Jamesville-DeWitt (Section III) against Burnt Hills Ballston Lake (Section 2) in the semifinal matchup June 12 at 2:00 PM. Alongside them will be Rye (Section I) facing Sayville (Section XI) that same day at 2:00 PM.
 
Class D features a highly experienced field, as all four semifinalists return from last year's state tournament and bring valuable championship-level experience.
 
In the first semifinal on June 12 at 4:30 PM, Penn Yan Academy (Section V) will take on 2025 runner-up Canton (Section X). Canton will look to build on last year's appearance in the state championship match, while Penn Yan aims to secure a spot in the finals.
 
The second semifinal, also scheduled for June 12 at 4:30 PM, features defending state champion Cold Spring Harbor (Section VIII) against Pleasantville (Section I). Cold Spring Harbor enters the tournament seeking to defend its title, while Pleasantville looks to earn a championship title in a talented Class D field.
 
Semifinal games will begin on Friday, June 12, starting with Class A at 9:00 AM, followed by Class B at 11:30 AM, Class C at 2:00 PM, and Class D at 4:30 PM. The NYSPHSAA Girls Lacrosse State Finals will be held on Saturday, June 13, with Class A kicking off the day at 9:00 AM, followed by Class B at 11:30 AM, Class C at 2:00 PM, and Class D at 4:30 PM.
 
Tickets for the 2026 NYSPHSAA Girls Lacrosse semifinals and finals are $13.60 and can be purchased only through the GoFan platform. More information can be found at nysphsaa.org