CHAMPIONSHIP CENTRAL
 
TOURNEY TIME
The inaugural American Athletic Conference Women’s Lacrosse Championship kicks off Thursday, with the top-four teams from the regular season vying for the conference’s automatic bid to the 2019 NCAA Women’s Lacrosse Championship. All three games will be held at the Sheakley Athletics Center on the campus of the University of Cincinnati.
 
Florida earned the regular season title last weekend, defeating Cincinnati to close out a perfect 5-0 conference slate. It’s the ninth-consecutive regular season crown for the Gators, who enter the tournament as the top seed. Florida is seeking its seventh conference tournament title and ninth NCAA Tournament appearance in program history.
 
The host Bearcats earned the No. 2 seed, and are in the midst of the best season in program history at 11-6 overall and 4-1 in league play. With nine-straight wins at home, the fourth-longest streak in the nation, Cincinnati is in prime position to defend home turf this weekend.
 
With an 11-6 win over Vanderbilt last weekend, Temple picked up the No. 3 seed while Vanderbilt enters as the No. 4 seed. The Owls are seeking their first NCAA Championship appearance since 2008, and are trending in the right direction with two wins to close out the regular season. Vanderbilt last reached the NCAA Tournament in 2010, and is The American’s top goal-scoring unit this season.
 
SEMIFINALS
#1 Florida (11-6, 5-0) vs. #4 Vanderbilt (10-5, 2-3)
4:30 p.m. ET • American Digital Network
Regular Season: Florida won, 18-9
 
#2 Cincinnati (11-6, 4-1) vs. #3 Temple (6-10, 3-20
45 mins post GM 1 • American Digital Network
Regular Season: Cincinnati won, 12-9