College lacrosse is back. As perhaps the most anticipated season in NCAA history approaches, we’re featuring every team ranked in the Nike/US Lacrosse Preseason Top 20.

Check back to USLaxMagazine.com each weekday for new previews, scouting reports and rival analysis.

When the 2020 season came to its abrupt end, North Carolina was the best team in the country.

At a perfect 7-0, the Tar Heels owned a top-10 defense and the nation’s second-best scoring offense. They had wins over five ranked teams — including a 20-18 barnburner against No. 9 Northwestern — and were well-positioned to make a run to the final four.

It may seem hard to top that, but they’ll start the 2021 season in an even better place.

North Carolina returns 10 of its 11 starters and 14 of its 17 goal scorers from 2020, but that’s not all. The Tar Heels also welcomed two high-profile transfers — both from top-10 programs in 2020 — and the country’s top recruiting class to Chapel Hill this fall, strengthening their squad as they aim for their first national championship since 2016.

The list of returnees is long, but perhaps its most notable is star attacker Katie Hoeg, who elected to come back to North Carolina for a fifth year. Hoeg has been one of the team’s top creators since her breakout freshman season, and was true to form in 2020, scoring 22 goals and dropping a team-high 30 assists.

Jamie Ortega, the Tar Heels’ leading scorer for the last three seasons and a likely Tewaaraton frontrunner again this year, is also back for her senior campaign. Ortega, Hoeg and senior midfielder Scottie Rose Growney make up a talented core of veteran leadership set to lead North Carolina into 2021.

“My fifth-year class, those guys have been extraordinary. And then my senior class, they anchor our group,” coach Jenny Levy said. “They’re hard-working, and they all know how they want it to look and feel, and it’s really important to them that they know they have to work at it.”

All-American midfielders Katie Bourque and Kerrigan Miller joined North Carolina this offseason from Dartmouth and USC, respectively. Bourque led the Big Green to a top-10 ranking and a perfect record as one of the country’s best scorers in 2020, averaging 4.2 goals per game. She finished her career at Dartmouth with 98 goals and 133 points.

Miller was a two-time Pac-12 Midfielder of the Year with the Trojans, recording 143 points, 157 draw controls and 120 caused turnovers over her four-year career. She has experience playing

for Levy on the U.S. national team, most recently at the 2019 Fall Classic, and is best friends with Hoeg from their travel lacrosse days.

“They want to learn and be the best they can be,” Levy said of the pair. “It’s the combination of their personalities and their own confidence — obviously they wouldn’t pick to come to Carolina without having their own confidence. They came in wanting to be challenged and with an open mind.”

Joining Miller and Bourque among the newcomers to Chapel Hill are the nine rookies in one of the Tar Heels’ most talented freshmen classes of recent years. Attacker Caitlyn Wurzberger, the record-setting high school phenom from Florida and the nation’s top overall prospect, headlines a group that includes four other top-25 recruits.

Now that it’s built arguably the deepest and most dangerous roster in the nation, North Carolina is ready to build on the success it found in its shortened 2020 campaign.

TOP RETURNERS

Katie Hoeg, A, R-Sr.

UNC’s all-time leading scorer (261 points) and feeder (132 assists) returns for a fifth year.

Jamie Ortega, A, Sr.
Last year’s Preseason Player of the Year is 15 goals shy of UNC’s all-time record of 198 (Abby Friend).

Emma Trenchard, D, Sr.

USLM’s Preseason Defender of the Year has 32 caused turnovers in 49 career starts anchoring a perennial top-10 unit.

KEY ADDITION

Caitlyn Wurzburger, A, Fr.

The U.S. U19 star and No. 1 recruit set the national high school record with 1,027 points.

ENEMY LINES

“The overwhelming favorite for this year with their all-star offensive line up is just amazing. I don't think I've ever seen a group assembled that has so many stars on one field at one time. It's going to be amazing and fun to watch those guys play, and see how they come together as a team. They have the potential to be amazing.”

“Jenny’s built a great program. When I look at what she has, they had “it” already, and they enhanced it. The question mark is going to be, have they navigated the chemistry? Can they make everybody happy? Carolina probably has 20 kids who can start on any team in the country.”

“They’re bringing a lot back too, with their fifth years and they have a strong core coming in, pretty athletic, speedy, and so they’re going to definitely be one to watch. They got a few transfers as well, one of the better players in the Ivy and then the girl from USC, those players will give them some additional experience. They’re going to be really strong.”

“They crushed the transfer game with Kerrigan and Katie Bourque. To add that upon what they already had, they’re a superpower. I would say they’re the preseason No. 1 without a doubt.”

“I think North Carolina is attracting talent and taking advantage of the COVID situation, and credit to them. I think they’re going to be a huge challenge. I don’t think it’ll be any different from last year. Last year they were a huge powerhouse. They’re going to be unbelievably dynamic. They have unlimited threats coming at any team that faces them.”

“They’re loaded. They have everybody back and then added two really experienced, really athletic graduate transfers. They’re going to be the team to beat this year because of their depth and experience, no question.”

NUMBERS GAME

52.8

Taylor Moreno’s career save percentage through three seasons. Despite allowing a career-worst 18 goals to Northwestern in what turned out to be the 2020 finale, the All-American made the Tewaaraton Watch List and is considered one of the nation’s best at her position.