The Washington and Lee Generals are the athletic teams that represent Washington and Lee University, located in Lexington, Virginia, in NCAA Division III intercollegiate sports. The Generals compete as members of the Old Dominion Athletic Conference for all sports except wrestling, which competes in the Centennial Conference. All together, Washington and Lee sponsors 25 sports: 13 for men and 12 for women.
Washington and Lee was one of the founding members of the Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1900, as well as the Division I Southern Conference in 1921. The Generals remained members of the SoCon until 1958. During this time, they played alongside other Virginia universities like Virginia, Virginia Tech, VMI (also located in Lexington), and William & Mary. Generals basketball won the Southern Conference twice: 1934 and 1937. The football team even made an appearance in the 1951 Gator Bowl against Wyoming.
After leaving the Southern Conference, the Generals moved into Division III and joined the College Athletic Conference in 1962. This was followed by a move to the Old Dominion Athletic Conference in 1976, also as a founding member. Washington and Lee's men's lacrosse remained the school's only Division I program until 1987.
Varsity teams
Men's sports Women's sports Baseball Basketball Basketball Cross country Cross country Equestrian Football Field hockey Golf Golf Lacrosse Lacrosse Soccer Soccer Swimming Softball Tennis Swimming Track and field Tennis Wrestling Track and field Volleyball
Men's lacrosse Washington and Lee's first lacrosse team was fielded in 1938 and started the Dixie Lacrosse League along with Virginia, Duke, and North Carolina. The Generals soon were successful winning the Dixie League Championship in 1939 and 1940. No team was fielded from 1943 through 1946. The team resumed play in 1947.
After the school downgraded to Division III in 1958, the men's lacrosse team remained at the Division I level until 1987. Washington and Lee participated in seven NCAA Division I Men's Lacrosse Championship tournaments: 1972, 1973, 1974, 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980. The Generals reached the tournament's semifinals three times: 1973, 1974, and 1975.
Since 1987, Washington and Lee have won thirteen Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) Lacrosse Championships: 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2023, and 2025. Washington and Lee have participated in seventeen NCAA Division III Men's Lacrosse Championship tournaments: 1987, 1991, 1993, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024, & 2025. The Generals reached the quarterfinals five times: 1998, 1999, 2004, 2023, and 2024. The Generals reached the semifinals four times: 1987, 2000, 2002, and 2024.
Washington and Lee Hall of Fame Coach Jack Emmer is known for creating The Armadillo play where five players would surround a player with the ball, facing him and locking arms showing the defense only their backs. Any attempt by the defense to retrieve the ball would result in a penalty. Washington and Lee would then be able to run a man-up offense as a result of the penalty. Washington and Lee successfully used this play during the 1982 game against UNC. Following the game, The Armadillo was outlawed by the NCAA rules committee.
Washington and Lee lacrosse is also known for being on the losing side of one of the greatest upsets in lacrosse history when unranked Morgan State defeated the number 1 ranked Generals in the first game of the season in 1975. W&L had a 28 game regular season winning streak and had not lost at home in three years at the time.
Washington and Lee has played VMI every year since 1986. VMI is W&L's next-door neighbor in Lexington, VA. From 1988 until 2019, the game was known as the “Lee-Jackson Lacrosse Classic”. The Classic was named after Robert E. Lee and Stonewall Jackson. Lee served as W&L's president from 1865-1870 and Jackson was a professor at VMI from 1851-1861. The Lee-Jackson trophy was a plaque featuring crossed swords. The Classic was held every spring as part of the main lacrosse season until 2007 when it moved to the fall as an exhibition game. Since 2022, the game has been held as a scrimmage and has been part of the HEADstrong Fall Events Series hosted by VMI. W&L holds a 33-6-1 lead in the all-time series against VMI.
Washington and Lee competes against Christopher Newport every year for the Virginia LtN Cup and generates support for LtN. LtN or "Lacrosse the Nations" is an organization that uses lacrosse and other physical activities to teach important life skills and help improve education and health while creating opportunity and hope for children in need. W&L holds a 6-5 lead in the all time series against Christopher Newport.
Championships
National Championships Washington and Lee holds two NCAA National Championship titles. In 1988, the men's tennis team won the NCAA Division III National Championship title. In 2007, the women's tennis team claimed the NCAA Division III National Championship title. In 2006, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, and 2021 the Generals football team won the Old Dominion Athletic Conference championship. In 2009, the Generals baseball team won the ODAC championship.
Conference tournament championships Titles indicate Old Dominion Athletic Conference championships unless otherwise noted.
Sport Titles Winning years Baseball 1972, 2009 Basketball (m) 1934, 1938, 1967, 1968, 1970, 1971, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1980 Basketball (w) 2010, 2023, 2024, 2026 Cross Country (m) 1914, 1916, 1917, 1972, 1982, 1984, 1994, 1995, 1997, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2025 Cross Country (w) 1990, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1999, 2000, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2012, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2024, 2025 Equestrian 2006, 2014, 2022 Field hockey 2005, 2017, 2021, 2022 Golf (m) 1934, 1955, 1972, 1973, 1977, 1978, 1983, 1988, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1997, 1999, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2019 Golf (w) 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025 Lacrosse (m) 1939, 1940, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2009, 2016, 2019, 2023, 2025, 2026 Lacrosse (w) 1992, 1993, 1998, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Soccer (m) 1986, 1989, 2000, 2015, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024 Soccer (w) 2002, 2003, 2009, 2016, 2024, 2025 Swimming (m) 1935, 1936, 1937, 1938, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Swimming (w) 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Tennis (m) 1967, 1968, 1969, 1972, 1973, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1983, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2026 Tennis (w) 1989, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024, 2025, 2026 Track and field (m, indoor) 1930, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 Track and field (w, indoor) 2009, 2025, 2026 Track and field (m, outdoor) 1925 (State Champion), 1981, 1984, 1987, 1988, 2017 Track and field (w, outdoor) 1995, 2025, 2026 Volleyball 1995, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2018, 2020, 2021, 2023, 2025 Wrestling 1932, 1933, 1934, 1936, 1941, 1948, 1949, 1950, 1977, 1978, 1979, 2020, 2022, 2023
Notes
NCAA Tournament Appearances
Baseball 2009Southeast RegionalSalisbury, Maryland Division III First RoundSalisbury L 2–3 Elimination Round Washington & Jefferson L 3–8
Men's Basketball 1975 Division III First RoundGlassboro State L 48–66 Regional 3rd Place Game Methodist L 58–71
1977 Division III First RoundWilliam Paterson L 68–92 Regional 3rd Place Game Glassboro State L 87–103
1978 Division III First RoundJersey City State W 66–65 Regional ChampionshipKean L 64–80
1980 Division III First RoundUpsala L 70–78 Regional 3rd Place GameAllegheny L 80–103
Women's Basketball 2010 Division III First RoundChristopher Newport L 51–68
2022 Division III First RoundNYU L 61–71
2023 Division III First RoundWisconsin–Oshkosh L 55–58
2024 Division III First RoundVassar W 68–61 Second RoundCatholic W 80–70 Third RoundRhode Island College W 61–55 QuarterfinalsWartburg L 58–68
2025 Division III First RoundMerchant Marine W 65–53 Second RoundBaldwin Wallace L 71–75
2026 Division III First Round St. Mary's (MD) W 73-44 Second RoundChristopher Newport W 61-55 Third RoundBethel (MN) W 75-67 QuarterfinalsDenison L 64-77
Men's Cross Country Appearances: 1975, 1995, 2016, 2023, 2024, 2025
Women's Cross Country Appearances: 2019, 2024, 2025
Field Hockey 2005 Division III First RoundMontclair State L 0–2
2017 Division III First RoundDenison W 1–0 Second RoundMessiah L 2–3
2021 Division III Second RoundScranton W 2–0 QuarterfinalsRowan L 0–3
2022 Division III First RoundOhio Wesleyan W 3–0 Second RoundWilliams L 0–3
Men's Golf Appearances: 1972, 1977, 1979, 1988, 1990, 1991, 2008, 2009, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2023, 2024
Women's Golf Appearances: 2015, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023
Men's Lacrosse 1972 Division I First RoundJohns Hopkins L 5–11
1973 Division I First RoundNavy W 13–12 SemifinalsMaryland L 7–18
1974 Division I First RoundNavy W 11–9 SemifinalsJohns Hopkins L 10–11
1975 Division I First RoundJohns Hopkins W 11–7 SemifinalsMaryland L 5–15
1976 Division I First RoundCornell L 0–14
1977 Division I First RoundMaryland L 2–14
1978 Division I First RoundCornell L 2–12
1980 Division I First RoundSyracuse L 4–12
1987 Division III First RoundRoanoke W 19–11 SemifinalsOhio Wesleyan L 4–17
1991 Division III First RoundOhio Wesleyan L 10–19
1993 Division III First RoundOhio Wesleyan L 8–9
1998 Division III First RoundDenison W 16–13 QuarterfinalsOhio Wesleyan L 8–17
1999 Division III QuarterfinalsDenison L 7–17
2000 Division III First RoundKenyon W 22–4 QuarterfinalsGettysburg W 12–10 SemifinalsSalisbury L 9–10
2002 Division III First RoundWidener W 13–8 QuarterfinalsWashington (MD) W 11–8 SemifinalsGettysburg L 8–12
2004 Division III First RoundMessiah W 12–8 QuarterfinalsSalisbury L 6–15
2009 Division III First RoundFDU–Florham W 6–5 Second RoundGettysburg L 10–15
2013 Division III First RoundSewanee W 19–6 Second RoundSalisbury L 4–7
2016 Division III First RoundSewanee W 9–5 Second RoundYork (PA) L 5–12
2018 Division III Second RoundTransylvania W 23–5 Third RoundDickinson L 9–10
2019 Division III Second RoundPiedmont W 23–2 Third RoundYork (PA) L 12–14
2022 Division III Second RoundCabrini L 8–14
2023 Division III Second RoundCentre W 21–10 Third RoundGrove City W 13–10 QuarterfinalsSalisbury L 9–12
2024 Division III Second RoundLake Forest W 17–4 Third RoundLynchburg W 16–13 QuarterfinalsSalisbury W 16–15 SemifinalsTufts L 13–19
2025 Division III Second RoundScranton W 20–9 Third RoundGettysburg L 12–14
2026 Division III Second RoundGettysburgW 19-10 Third RoundChristopher NewportL 12-13
Women's Lacrosse 1993 Division III First RoundTrenton State L 4–18
1998 Division III First RoundSt. Mary's (MD) L 8–11
2001 Division III First RoundMary Washington L 6–10
2003 Division III Regional SemifinalsMary Washington L 7–12
2004 Division III Regional SemifinalsGettysburg L 8–13
2005 Division III Regional SemifinalsAmherst W 11–9 Regional ChampionshipSalisbury L 4–15
2006 Division III First RoundChristopher Newport W 19–9 Regional SemifinalsTCNJ L 6–16
2007