NCAA Men's Lacrosse Preview: Important Growth for No. 17 UNC

USA Lacrosse Magazine is beginning its countdown to Feb. 1 — the first day of the 2025 men's lacrosse season — by releasing one team preview per day beginning on Monday, Jan. 13.

We continue the countdown with No. 17 North Carolina, a team that went through an unplanned youth movement but built valuable experience a year ago.

Some rebuilds happen subtly, others with a stick of dynamite.

North Carolina took the latter approach last year. Head coach Joe Breschi brought on a pair of coordinators with championship pedigrees of their own and handed the keys of the offense to two first-year players with no previous collegiate experience.

There were highs (wins over Penn and Duke) and lows (one-goal losses to High Point, Army and Syracuse).

Most importantly, Breschi said, there was growth.

“You can’t teach experience. You just go through it,” Breschi said. “You’ve got to learn to win.”

The youth movement wasn’t planned. It just kind of happened.

Owen Duffy was as good as advertised. The No. 1 overall recruit in the Class of 2023, according to Inside Lacrosse, he led the Tar Heels in scoring (32 goals, 22 assists) as a true freshman and combined with redshirt freshman Dominic Pietramala to take 250 shots — more than one third of North Carolina’s allotment.

Two other freshmen emerged, as Peter Thomann became the Tar Heels’ alpha defenseman and Brady Wambach supplanted Andrew Tyeryar as the top faceoff specialist.

Duffy, Thomann and Wambach all made the 2025 U.S. Men’s U20 Training Team.

“Duffy was definitely carrying the weight,” Breschi said. “He was a leader in high school. When you come into college, all of a sudden you’re back to being a freshman again. But he was different. He doesn’t lack the confidence. He would crawl over glass to represent Team USA.”

North Carolina is still young. The freshman class includes another pair of dynamic playmakers in midfielders Caden Harshbarger and Mason Szewczyk as well as defenseman Chase Cellucci — all projected starters.

But the Tar Heels added veteran leadership with Ivy League grad transfers Michael Gianforcaro and Andrew O’Berry and are banking on position switches to bring out the best in seniors Paul Barton (defense to LSM) and Ty English (SSDM to midfield).

It’s also year two for the new staff, and Breschi feels like defensive coordinator Dave Pietramala, offensive coordinator Jon Thompson and he are finally on the same page.

“We’re just more fluid. We’re more in sync. Although we all knew each other, we hadn’t worked together,” Breschi said. “Everybody brings so much value and talent to the table. The discussions have been tremendous.”

TOP RETURNERS

Owen Duffy, A, So. (32G, 22A)
Brady Wambach, FO, So. (61.1 FO%, 85 GB)
Peter Thomann, D, So. (21 CT, 28 GB)

Duffy missed the end of last season and all of fall ball with a knee injury, but Breschi expects his star player to be healthy and active when North Carolina opens the 2025 campaign Feb. 8 against Michigan in Chapel Hill.

“When Duffy comes back, he brings a completely different element. He can beat you off the dribble,” Breschi said. “Last year, he was against everybody’s No. 1 defenseman. As a freshman. You know he’ll be doing that again.”

KEY ADDITIONS

Michael Gianforcaro, G, Gr. (55.7 SV%, 10.45 GAA at Princeton)
Nick DuPuis, A, Gr. (16G, 50A at Stony Brook)
Caden Harshbarger, M, Fr. (53G, 28A at Lake Mary, Fla.)

Gianforcaro was a two-time captain at Princeton and was voted captain (along with Ty English and Ryan Levy) by his new team in the fall. He will stabilize the young defense.

“A stud individual,” Breschi said. “I couldn’t be more excited for his leadership.”

DuPuis has experience in spades, having previously played at UMBC and Stony Brook, and gives the offense a more prototypical table-setter.

NOTABLE DEPARTURES

Graduations: Logan McGovern, A; Lance Tillman, A/M; Collin Krieg, G

X-FACTOR

Ty English, M, Sr. (29 GB, 13 CT)

The brother of former Princeton and Syracuse two-way dynamo Sam English boasts a similar Swiss Army skillset and will get more opportunities to flash his utility as a true midfielder after serving on the defensive side for most of his career.

“He’s a natural athlete and really explosive off the dodge,” Breschi said.

Moving English and adding Cornell transfer Spencer Wirtheim gives North Carolina midfield depth and experience it previously lacked at the position.

THE NARRATIVE

Can Duffy and Pietramala lead the Tar Heels back into postseason contention? That’s the magic question for North Carolina, which has missed three consecutive NCAA tournaments after making the semifinals in 2021.

The Tar Heels scored 18 goals in a fall scrimmage against Yale without them. Just imagine how good the offense will be with them back for a second year in Thompson’s system.

“We’re thinking more position-less in our approach,” Breschi said, noting how well James Matan, Brevin Wilson and DuPuis did manning the attack while the star duo recovered from their injuries. “Seeing the six that work best together, rather than three and three.”

Breschi also identified three areas of self-examination after a .500 season: leadership, accountability and identity. Regarding the latter, he said, look for a more up-tempo team running 10 deep on offense come Feb. 8.

“It’s a work in progress,” he said. “There’s really good leadership. We’re fine-tuning where everyone fits. It’s all about the chemistry.”