<?xml version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII"?>
<!-- Generated by Broadridge Transform (tm) - http://www.broadridge.com -->
<!-- Created: Fri Jun 26 21:07:11 UTC 2026 -->
<xs:schema elementFormDefault="qualified" targetNamespace="http://www.lincoln.com/20260626" xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:us-types="http://xbrl.us/us-types/2009-01-31" xmlns:ck0001093278="http://www.lincoln.com/20260626" xmlns:xs="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xmlns:dtr="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31" xmlns:xbrli="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance">
  <xs:annotation>
    <xs:appinfo>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001093278-20260626_lab.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/labelLinkbaseRef"/>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001093278-20260626_pre.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationLinkbaseRef"/>
      <link:linkbaseRef xlink:type="simple" xlink:href="ck0001093278-20260626_def.xml" xlink:arcrole="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink/properties/linkbase" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/definitionLinkbaseRef"/>
    </xs:appinfo>
  </xs:annotation>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-instance-2003-12-31.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2009/role/negated" schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/lrr/role/negated-2009-12-16.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31" schemaLocation="https://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31/types.xsd"/>
  <xs:import namespace="http://xbrl.sec.gov/vip-n4/2026" schemaLocation="https://xbrl.sec.gov/vip/2026/vip-n4-2026.xsd"/>
<!-- [WMV7][l/lLYUW43LMBB2HqL7T38Np28oI2RkoFJFpvWAe1MeUK7RtMkDV6uBpz73Zhv16tUOx0qls5aDQiwPrFBjy0ga70qTk4EquaUEEVf3l/VTnAi5VMkCgVnhK+JNL6p61kpfJFbiClnJ9RuQiEmiSta1VXGcz5G/cG6g5ZjrBk1gBeHfMB0t/e1/vUp/HqqiYtsDSdVgjhf0AirrGljB/RCopZ7XhyqSlqWkjxX1a7qs7aDVKKV1XkLKQ5mKHnaI2FWaQL00JPtfwo2AIYWVljwxdb58/mlLi0ijd4xP0OBLHFuV5vt5mPniRzAd7ziUDoyqBVyWjGGysh+XxZcKrT+YmzRwXPtel2ZFI0bEaPU9ccSdDm7teFqdiU5E2uMe25yGQC+01iYHKOWI09JrEawqcZJg==] CSR-->
  <xs:element name="PutnamVTUSResearchFundClassIBMember" type="dtr:domainItemType" abstract="true" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" id="ck0001093278_PutnamVTUSResearchFundClassIBMember"/>
</xs:schema>