This year’s adh Open lacrosse tournament took place in Leipzig on June 27 and 28, 2026. With temperatures reaching a record-breaking 40°C at times, the Karlsruhe women’s team (in a last-minute joint squad with Dresden) and men’s team (in a joint squad with Konstanz) each competed in six games per team for the title of best college lacrosse program.

In the “round-robin” league format, both teams from Karlsruhe wrapped up Saturday on a high note with three victories, some of which were decisive. Particularly noteworthy were the women’s 7–1 win over Munich and the men’s 18–3 rout, also against Munich.

On Saturday evening, everyone headed to the players’ party—an opportunity for experienced lacrosse players to reconnect with old friends from all over Germany, and for newcomers to the sport to experience the strong sense of camaraderie and friendliness within the German lacrosse community.

After a short night (sleep was out of the question after 6 a.m. due to the heat), both teams kicked off the second day of the tournament against the eventual adh Open champions. The women’s team lost 3–5 to SG Frankfurt/Darmstadt/Mainz/Würzburg, and the men’s team lost 7–11 to SG Göttingen/Cologne. The Karlsruhe women, however, quickly recovered from the loss and went on to win their final game 5–3. With five wins out of six games, nothing stood in the way of the runner-up title.

Due to a tight schedule—matches were to be avoided during the midday heat—the men’s team didn’t have much time to regroup, which is why they unfortunately lost their next match by a narrow margin of 6–5. However, an improved performance in the final match led to a 10–8 victory, which was enough to edge out the other teams in a three-way tie for second place based on goal differential.

As a result, all participants from Karlsruhe, Dresden, and Konstanz were able to receive their silver medals at the awards ceremony and look back on a successful 2026 adh Open weekend.

It’s also worth mentioning the excellent tournament organization by the university and ATV Leipzig, which prioritized the athletes’ health by scheduling matches before noon and after 6 p.m. to avoid the afternoon sun, as well as providing pools, drinking water, and electrolytes to ensure the athletes’ well-being (and swimming enjoyment).