US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Jan. 8. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com throughout January and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition that mails to US Lacrosse members Feb. 1 — opening day of the 2018 college lacrosse season.

No. 3 North Carolina

2017 Record: 17-3 (6-1 ACC)
Coach: Jenny Levy (23rd year)

All-Time Record: 312-109
NCAA Appearances: 19
Final Fours: 9
Championships: 2

Flash back to February 2013. North Carolina was No. 5 in our annual preseason rankings. One rival coach said, “I’m not sure this team has the depth to make a run in May.”

Three months later, the Tar Heels hoisted the NCAA championship trophy for the first time in school history.

Three years later, North Carolina was ranked second in the preseason, but with Maryland returning an all-star cast led by Taylor Cummings, the Terps were the heavy favorite for a national title. Maryland’s regular season win over the Tar Heels only solidified that thinking, and an early season loss to Florida also helped put North Carolina on the back burner.

By the end of May, UNC was a national champion again.

North Carolina teams with more modest expectations are sometimes their best.

These Tar Heels are coming off a disappointing 2017 finish, a stunning 16-14 loss to Navy in the quarterfinals. Four players — Molly Hendrick, Sydney Holman, Carly Reed and Sammy Jo Tracy — that combined for 175 of North Carolina’s school record 318 goals have graduated.

That should temper expectations, but let’s be real, it’s still North Carolina.

The Tar Heels return perhaps the best player in the country in senior midfielder Marie McCool, a two-time All-American who played for the U.S. team last summer.

“She does it all,” coach Jenny Levy said. “She’s in the draw circle. She a great defender 1-on-1, and as a team defender. It’s hard to defend her 1-on-1 because she mandates that you slide to her.”

Ela Hazar is a three-year starter and set a Carolina record with 40 assists last year, but has largely flown under the radar.

“She’s quiet, but she has the intensity of a thousand suns,” Levy said. “She wants to be pushed, she wants to be driven.”

Stud athlete Maggie Bill will be back after missing the second half of last season with an injury. Former U19 defender Erin Kelly is poised for a big season and 5-foot dynamo Gianna Bowe has moved to midfield.

UNC also welcomes a talented freshman class led by Jamie Ortega and Ally Mastroianni. Ortega, from Middle Country High School, is the all-time leading scorer in New York high school history and Mastroianni topped 100 points in each of her four seasons at Bridgewater-Raritan (N.J.) High School.

The Case For North Carolina

There’s not a better one-two midfield punch in the country than Maggie Bill and Marie McCool. Bill jumps off the field when you watch her play, and while UNC will bring her back slowly following surgery last May, she should be on all cylinders by the end of the season. Levy said McCool “makes things look easy” because of her athleticism. She more than held her own last summer as one of two collegians on the U.S. team, scoring 12 goals to help the U.S. to the World Cup. That duo will be a nightmare matchup for opponents all season.

The Case Against North Carolina

Levy isn’t worried about her goaltending situation, but the reality is that the Tar Heels will be inexperienced in the cage for the first time in a long time. Caylee Waters, a two-time national goalie of the year and the No. 1 overall pick in the Women’s Professional Lacrosse League, has graduated. Redshirt sophomore Elise Hennessey had a 45.5 save percentage playing in eight games last year and will be challenged by redshirt freshman Taylor Moreno. Both were All-Americans in high school. “They’re both really good,” Levy said.

Path to the Playoffs

UNC certainly will be tested in 2018. Every opponent on the schedule either played in the NCAA tournament or was nationally ranked last year except one – Liberty. The Tar Heels do get nonconference heavyweights Maryland and Florida at home.

Players To Watch

Marie McCool, M, Sr.
50 G, 19 CT

Fresh off a World Cup summer, McCool is one of the best all-around players in the game and a strong candidate for the Tewaaraton. In addition to offensive influence, she led UNC in ground balls and caused turnovers last year.

Maggie Bill, M, Sr.
19 G, 52.8 SH%

Injuries limited Bill to just 12 games last season, but she’s one of the best athletes in the sport. She was a starter on defense for UNC’s powerhouse soccer program. She was a second-team All-American in 2015 before redshirting in 2016.

Ela Hazar, A, Sr.
32 G, 40 A

With all of North Carolina’s big guns, Hazar quietly put together a 72-point season that had her earn third team All-American honors. Her 40 assists set a UNC single-season record.

National Rankings

Power Ratings (Scale of 1-5)

Offense
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Defense
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Goalkeeping
⭐⭐⭐⭐

Draw
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

1,149

Combined career points in high school by North Carolina’s heralded freshman recruits Jamie Ortega (588) and Ally Mastroianni (561).

5-Year Trend
Draw Controls

Coach Confidential
Jenny Levy

“We set a school record last year for goals, but we lost a lot of points. How quickly can our offense jell as people step into new roles? I’m not concerned, I’m curious.”

Enemy Lines
Rival Coaches

“Such an athletic midfield unit that can now move freely. Add in that this team has something to prove after an early exit in NCAAs last year — this team could be scary. … Question mark in goal but returns Marie McCool, fresh off her World Cup gold. They bring in big classes of talented recruits every year and no doubt they’ll be motivated after their disappointing loss at home in the quarterfinals to end 2017. … Lost a lot of senior leaders. Interested to see how they play together at the beginning of the season. ... Their speed is unrelenting. I love/hate their ride.”