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If you come to this site, you’re more than likely a lacrosse fan. You want to read about news and opinions primary in the college lacrosse realm.
But 99% of lacrosse fans are also fans of other sports. The majority of them are also fans of football, basketball, hockey, and baseball.
But a smaller number of them are fans of boxing. Which is where this post is based on.
Saturday night in Las Vegas, Tyson Fury will defend his lineal heavyweight championship of the world against upstart Swede Otto Wallin on ESPN+ (he won the fight via unanimous decision). Unlike sanctioning bodies such as the WBA and the WBC that award belts to their champions and have the right to strip them for breaching regulations or contracts, a lineal champion is simply a title given to “the man that beat the man.”
The lineal heavyweight championship dates back to John L. Sullivan beating Dominick McCaffrey in August of 1885 when the Queensberry Rules (the modern rules of boxing) were instituted. Since then, there have been 43 lineal champions that include Jack Dempsey, Rocky Marciano, Muhammad Ali, Mike Tyson, Lennox Lewis, and now Fury.
So what is the lineage of the college lacrosse national championship? We’ll make our starting point in 1971 with the first NCAA national championship which saw the Cornell Big Red defeat the Maryland Terrapins. Since then, the lineal title has changed 179 times with reigns as short as two days and as long as over a year. Check out the lineage.
Lineal NCAA Division I Men’s Lacrosse Champions
| Champion | Date They Won | Opponent | Other Notes | Title Reign # | Date They Lost | Dethroned By | Other Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Champion | Date They Won | Opponent | Other Notes | Title Reign # | Date They Lost | Dethroned By | Other Notes |
| Cornell | 6/5/1971 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 1 | 4/1/1972 | Navy | |
| Navy | 4/1/1972 | Cornell | 1 | 4/29/1972 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/29/1972 | Navy | 1 | 5/13/1972 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 5/13/1972 | Johns Hopkins | 1 | 5/27/1972 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/27/1972 | Maryland | NCAA Semifinal | 2 | 6/3/1972 | Virginia | NCAA Championship |
| Virginia | 6/3/1972 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship | 1 | 4/14/1973 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 4/14/1973 | Virginia | 3 | 5/12/1973 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 5/12/1973 | Johns Hopkins | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 2 | 5/11/1974 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/11/1974 | Maryland | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 4 | 5/17/1975 | Maryland | |
| Maryland | 5/17/1975 | Johns Hopkins | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 3 | 5/29/1976 | Cornell | NCAA Championship |
| Cornell | 5/29/1976 | Maryland | NCAA Championship, would win 1977 NCAA Championship | 2 | 5/27/1978 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/27/1978 | Cornell | NCAA Championship, would win 1979 NCAA Championship | 5 | 4/5/1980 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 4/5/1980 | Johns Hopkins | 2 | 5/31/1980 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/31/1980 | Virginia | NCAA Championship | 6 | 5/30/1981 | North Carolina | NCAA Championship |
| North Carolina | 5/30/1981 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship, would win 1982 NCAA Championship | 1 | 3/12/1983 | Hobart | Division III at the time |
| Hobart | 3/12/1983 | North Carolina | Division III at the time | 1 | 4/2/1983 | UMass | |
| UMass | 4/2/1983 | Hobart | 1 | 4/6/1983 | Cornell | ||
| Cornell | 4/6/1983 | UMass | 3 | 4/27/1983 | Syracuse | ||
| Syracuse | 4/27/1983 | Cornell | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 1 | 5/26/1984 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/26/1984 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 7 | 4/6/1985 | North Carolina | |
| North Carolina | 4/6/1985 | Johns Hopkins | 2 | 5/19/1985 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/19/1985 | North Carolina | NCAA Semifinal | 2 | 5/25/1985 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/25/1985 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 8 | 3/8/1986 | Syracuse | |
| Syracuse | 3/8/1986 | Johns Hopkins | 3 | 3/12/1986 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 3/12/1986 | Syracuse | 3 | 3/29/1986 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 3/29/1986 | North Carolina | 4 | 4/6/1986 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/6/1986 | Maryland | 3 | 5/26/1986 | North Carolina | NCAA Championship | |
| North Carolina | 5/26/1986 | Virginia | NCAA Championship | 4 | 3/28/1987 | Maryland | |
| Maryland | 3/28/1987 | North Carolina | 5 | 5/23/1987 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/23/1987 | Maryland | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 9 | 3/5/1988 | Syracuse | |
| Syracuse | 3/5/1988 | Johns Hopkins | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 4 | 3/4/1989 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/4/1989 | Syracuse | 10 | 5/6/1989 | Towson State | ||
| Towson State | 5/6/1989 | Johns Hopkins | 1 | 5/17/1989 | North Carolina | NCAA First Round | |
| North Carolina | 5/17/1989 | Towson State | NCAA First Round | 5 | 5/27/1989 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/27/1989 | North Carolina | NCAA Semifinal | 11 | 5/29/1989 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship |
| Syracuse | 5/29/1989 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship, would win 1990 NCAA Championship | 5 | 3/9/1991 | North Carolina | |
| North Carolina | 3/9/1991 | Syracuse | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 6 | 3/7/1992 | Syracuse | |
| Syracuse | 3/7/1992 | North Carolina | 6 | 3/21/1992 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 3/21/1992 | Syracuse | 12 | 3/28/1992 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 3/28/1992 | Johns Hopkins | 4 | 4/4/1992 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 4/4/1992 | Virginia | 6 | 4/11/1992 | Navy | ||
| Navy | 4/11/1992 | Maryland | 2 | 4/25/1992 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/25/1992 | Navy | 13 | 5/2/1992 | Towson State | ||
| Towson State | 5/2/1992 | Johns Hopkins | 2 | 5/16/1992 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/16/1992 | Towson State | NCAA Quarterfinal | 14 | 5/23/1992 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal |
| Syracuse | 5/23/1992 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal | 7 | 5/25/1992 | Princeton | NCAA Championship |
| Princeton | 5/25/1992 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 1 | 3/20/1993 | North Carolina | |
| North Carolina | 3/20/1993 | Princeton | 7 | 4/10/1993 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/10/1993 | North Carolina | 5 | 4/17/1993 | Hofstra | ||
| Hofstra | 4/17/1993 | Virginia | 1 | 4/28/1993 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/28/1993 | Hofstra | 15 | 5/7/1993 | Syracuse | ||
| Syracuse | 5/7/1993 | Johns Hopkins | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 8 | 3/19/1994 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/19/1994 | Syracuse | 16 | 3/26/1994 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 3/26/1994 | Johns Hopkins | 6 | 4/16/1994 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 4/16/1994 | Virginia | 1 | 4/22/1994 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/22/1994 | Duke | 7 | 4/24/1994 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 4/24/1994 | Virginia | 8 | 5/21/1994 | Virginia | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Virginia | 5/21/1994 | North Carolina | NCAA Quarterfinal | 8 | 5/30/1994 | Princeton | NCAA Championship |
| Princeton | 5/30/1994 | Virginia | NCAA Championship | 2 | 3/4/1995 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/4/1995 | Princeton | 17 | 5/27/1995 | Maryland | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Maryland | 5/27/1995 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal | 7 | 5/29/1995 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship |
| Syracuse | 5/29/1995 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 9 | 3/2/1996 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 3/2/1996 | Syracuse | 9 | 3/30/1996 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 3/30/1996 | Virginia | 8 | 4/19/1996 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/19/1996 | Maryland | 10 | 4/21/1996 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 4/21/1996 | Virginia | 9 | 5/51996 | Hofstra | ||
| Hofstra | 5/51996 | North Carolina | 2 | 5/11/1996 | Harvard | NCAA First Round | |
| Harvard | 5/11/1996 | Hofstra | NCAA First Round | 1 | 5/18/1996 | Virginia | NCAA Quarterfinal |
| Virginia | 5/18/1996 | Harvard | NCAA Quarterfinal | 11 | 5/27/1996 | Princeton | NCAA Championship |
| Princeton | 5/27/1996 | Virginia | NCAA Championship, would win 1997 NCAA Championship | 3 | 3/7/1998 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 3/7/1998 | Princeton | 12 | 3/21/1998 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 3/21/1998 | Virginia | 18 | 5/2/1998 | Loyola | ||
| Loyola | 5/2/1998 | Johns Hopkins | 1 | 5/23/1998 | Maryland | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Maryland | 5/23/1998 | Loyola | NCAA Semifinal | 9 | 5/25/1998 | Princeton | NCAA Championship |
| Princeton | 5/25/1998 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 4 | 3/6/1999 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/6/1999 | Princeton | 19 | 3/12/1999 | Loyola | ||
| Loyola | 3/12/1999 | Johns Hopkins | 2 | 5/22/1999 | Syracuse | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/22/1999 | Loyola | NCAA Quarterfinal | 10 | 5/31/1999 | Virginia | NCAA Championship |
| Virginia | 5/31/1999 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 13 | 3/4/2000 | Syracuse | |
| Syracuse | 3/4/2000 | Virginia | 11 | 4/11/2000 | Cornell | ||
| Cornell | 4/11/2000 | Syracuse | 4 | 4/18/2000 | Hobart | ||
| Hobart | 4/18/2000 | Cornell | 2 | 4/29/2000 | Loyola | ||
| Loyola | 4/29/2000 | Hobart | 3 | 5/6/2000 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 5/6/2000 | Loyola | 20 | 5/27/2000 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/27/2000 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 12 | 3/17/2001 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/17/2001 | Syracuse | 21 | 3/24/2001 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 3/24/2001 | Johns Hopkins | 14 | 4/7/2001 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 4/7/2001 | Virginia | 10 | 4/14/2001 | UMBC | ||
| UMBC | 4/14/2001 | North Carolina | 1 | 4/18/2001 | Towson | ||
| Towson | 4/18/2001 | UMBC | 3 | 4/28/2001 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/28/2001 | Towson | 22 | 5/20/2001 | Notre Dame | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Notre Dame | 5/20/2001 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Quarterfinal | 1 | 5/26/2001 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal |
| Syracuse | 5/26/2001 | Notre Dame | NCAA Semifinal | 13 | 5/28/2001 | Princeton | NCAA Championship |
| Princeton | 5/28/2001 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 5 | 3/2/2002 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/2/2002 | Princeton | 23 | 3/23/2002 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 3/23/2002 | Johns Hopkins | 15 | 4/21/2002 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 4/21/2002 | Virginia | 2 | 4/26/2002 | Hofstra | ||
| Hofstra | 4/26/2002 | Duke | Did not make NCAA Tournament | 3 | 3/1/2003 | Loyola | |
| Loyola | 3/1/2003 | Hofstra | 4 | 3/8/2003 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 3/8/2003 | Loyola | 3 | 3/19/2003 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 3/19/2003 | Duke | 11 | 3/29/2003 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 3/29/2003 | North Carolina | 24 | 5/26/2003 | Virginia | NCAA Championship | |
| Virginia | 5/26/2003 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Championship | 16 | 2/28/2004 | Air Force | |
| Air Force | 2/28/2004 | Virginia | 1 | 3/6/2004 | Army West Point | ||
| Army West Point | 3/6/2004 | Air Force | 1 | 3/27/2004 | Navy | ||
| Navy | 3/27/2004 | Army West Point | 3 | 4/24/2004 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/24/2004 | Navy | 25 | 5/29/2004 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/29/2004 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 14 | 3/5/2005 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 3/5/2005 | Syracuse | 17 | 3/26/2005 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 3/26/2005 | Virginia | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 26 | 3/4/2006 | Princeton | |
| Princeton | 3/4/2006 | Johns Hopkins | 6 | 3/12/2006 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 3/12/2006 | Princeton | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 18 | 2/18/2007 | Drexel | |
| Drexel | 2/18/2007 | Virginia | 1 | 2/24/2007 | Lehigh | ||
| Lehigh | 2/24/2007 | Drexel | 1 | 2/28/2007 | Penn | ||
| Penn | 2/28/2007 | Lehigh | 1 | 3/6/2007 | Bucknell | ||
| Bucknell | 3/6/2007 | Penn | 1 | 3/13/2007 | Fairfield | ||
| Fairfield | 3/13/2007 | Bucknell | 1 | 3/24/2007 | Penn State | ||
| Penn State | 3/24/2007 | Fairfield | 1 | 3/31/2007 | UMass | ||
| UMass | 3/31/2007 | Penn State | 2 | 4/21/2007 | Georgetown | ||
| Georgetown | 4/21/2007 | UMass | 1 | 5/19/2007 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Johns Hopkins | 5/19/2007 | Georgetown | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 27 | 3/8/2008 | Hofstra | |
| Hofstra | 3/8/2008 | Johns Hopkins | 4 | 3/15/2008 | Princeton | ||
| Princeton | 3/15/2008 | Hofstra | 7 | 3/21/2008 | Albany | ||
| Albany | 3/21/2008 | Princeton | 1 | 4/12/2008 | UMBC | ||
| UMBC | 4/12/2008 | Albany | 2 | 5/11/2008 | Virginia | NCAA First Round | |
| Virginia | 5/11/2008 | UMBC | 19 | 5/24/2008 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/24/2008 | Virginia | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 15 | 2/27/2009 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 2/27/2009 | Syracuse | 20 | 4/11/2009 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 4/11/2009 | Virginia | 4 | 5/23/2009 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Syracuse | 5/23/2009 | Duke | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 16 | 3/7/2010 | Virginia | |
| Virginia | 3/7/2010 | Syracuse | 21 | 4/17/2010 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 4/17/2010 | Virginia | 5 | 4/23/2010 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/23/2010 | Duke | 22 | 5/29/2010 | Duke | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Duke | 5/29/2010 | Virginia | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 6 | 2/20/2011 | Notre Dame | |
| Notre Dame | 2/20/2011 | Duke | 2 | 4/30/2011 | Syracuse | ||
| Syracuse | 4/30/2011 | Notre Dame | 17 | 5/22/2011 | Maryland | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Maryland | 5/22/2011 | Syracuse | NCAA Quarterfinal | 10 | 5/30/2011 | Virginia | NCAA Championship |
| Virginia | 5/30/2011 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 23 | 3/24/2012 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 3/24/2012 | Virginia | 28 | 4/1/2012 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 4/1/2012 | Johns Hopkins | 12 | 4/7/2012 | Virginia | ||
| Virginia | 4/7/2012 | North Carolina | 24 | 4/13/2012 | Duke | ||
| Duke | 4/13/2012 | Virginia | 7 | 4/27/2012 | Denver | ||
| Denver | 4/27/2012 | Duke | 1 | 5/2/2012 | Loyola | ||
| Loyola | 5/2/2012 | Denver | Would eventually win NCAA Championship | 5 | 2/23/2013 | Maryland | |
| Maryland | 2/23/2013 | Loyola | 11 | 3/23/2013 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 3/23/2013 | Maryland | 13 | 5/19/2013 | Denver | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Denver | 5/19/2013 | North Carolina | NCAA Quarterfinal | 2 | 5/25/2013 | Syracuse | NCAA Semifinal |
| Syracuse | 5/25/2013 | Denver | NCAA Semifinal | 18 | 5/27/2013 | Duke | NCAA Championship |
| Duke | 5/27/2013 | Syracuse | NCAA Championship | 8 | 3/1/2014 | Maryland | |
| Maryland | 3/1/2014 | Duke | 12 | 3/22/2014 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 3/22/2014 | Maryland | 14 | 4/12/2014 | Syracuse | ||
| Syracuse | 4/12/2014 | North Carolina | 19 | 4/27/2014 | Notre Dame | ||
| Notre Dame | 4/27/2014 | Syracuse | 3 | 5/26/2014 | Duke | NCAA Championship | |
| Duke | 5/26/2014 | Notre Dame | NCAA Championship | 9 | 2/14/2015 | Denver | |
| Denver | 2/14/2015 | Duke | 3 | 2/27/2015 | North Carolina | ||
| North Carolina | 2/27/2015 | Denver | 15 | 3/21/2015 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 3/21/2015 | North Carolina | 13 | 4/25/2015 | Johns Hopkins | ||
| Johns Hopkins | 4/25/2015 | Maryland | 29 | 5/23/2015 | Maryland | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Maryland | 5/23/2015 | Johns Hopkins | NCAA Semifinal | 14 | 5/25/2015 | Denver | NCAA Championship |
| Denver | 5/25/2015 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 4 | 3/26/2016 | Penn State | |
| Penn State | 3/26/2016 | Denver | 2 | 4/10/2016 | Maryland | ||
| Maryland | 4/10/2016 | Penn State | 15 | 5/30/2016 | North Carolina | NCAA Championship | |
| North Carolina | 5/30/2016 | Maryland | NCAA Championship | 16 | 2/25/2017 | Johns Hopkins | |
| Johns Hopkins | 2/25/2017 | North Carolina | 30 | 3/3/2017 | Princeton | ||
| Princeton | 3/3/2017 | Johns Hopkins | 8 | 3/15/2017 | Rutgers | ||
| Rutgers | 3/15/2017 | Princeton | 1 | 3/25/2017 | Delaware | ||
| Delaware | 3/25/2017 | Rutgers | 1 | 4/1/2017 | UMass | ||
| UMass | 4/1/2017 | Delaware | 3 | 4/8/2017 | Towson | ||
| Towson | 4/8/2017 | UMass | 4 | 4/22/2017 | Fairfield | ||
| Fairfield | 4/22/2017 | Towson | Did not make NCAA Tournament | 2 | 2/10/2018 | Vermont | |
| Vermont | 2/10/2018 | Fairfield | 1 | 3/17/2018 | Albany | ||
| Albany | 3/17/2018 | Vermont | 2 | 4/6/2018 | UMBC | ||
| UMBC | 4/6/2018 | Albany | 3 | 4/27/2018 | Vermont | ||
| Vermont | 4/27/2018 | UMBC | 2 | 5/5/2018 | Albany | ||
| Albany | 5/5/2018 | Vermont | 3 | 5/26/2018 | Yale | NCAA Semifinal | |
| Yale | 5/26/2018 | Albany | NCAA Semifinal, would eventually win NCAA Championship | 1 | 2/16/2019 | Villanova | |
| Villanova | 2/16/2019 | Yale | 1 | 3/8/2019 | Penn | ||
| Penn | 3/8/2019 | Villanova | 2 | 5/19/2019 | Yale | NCAA Quarterfinal | |
| Yale | 5/19/2019 | Penn | 2 | 5/27/2019 | Virginia | NCAA Championship | |
| Virginia | 5/27/2019 | Yale | NCAA Championship | 25 | 2/22/2020 | Princeton | |
| Princeton | 2/22/2020 | Virginia | 9 | Present |
Total Reigns
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays (30)
- Virginia Cavaliers (25)
- Syracuse Orange (18)
- North Carolina Tar Heels (16)
- Maryland Terrapins (15)
- Duke Blue Devils (9)
- Princeton Tigers (8)
- Loyola Greyhounds (5)
- Cornell Big Red, Denver Pioneers, Hofstra Pride, and Towson Tigers (4)
- Albany Great Danes, Navy Midshipmen, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, UMass Minutemen, and UMBC Retrievers (3)
- Fairfield Stags, Hobart Statesmen, Penn Quakers, Penn State Nittany Lions, Vermont Catamounts, and Yale Bulldogs (2)
- Air Force Falcons, Army West Point Black Knights, Bucknell Bison, Delaware Blue Hens, Drexel Dragons, Georgetown Hoyas, Harvard Crimson, Lehigh Mountain Hawks, Rutgers Scarlet Knights, and Villanova Wildcats (1)
There have been two times where the national champion was not the lineal champion, Hofstra in 2002 and Fairfield in 2017.