North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse

North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse
Founded	1949 (varsity), 1937 (club)
University	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Conference	Atlantic Coast Conference
Location	Chapel Hill, North Carolina
Coach	Joe Breschi '90 (since 2009)
Stadium	Fetzer Field and Kenan Memorial Stadium (capacity: 6,000 and 63,000)
Nickname	Tar Heels
Colors	Carolina Blue and White[1]
NCAA Tournament Champions
1981, 1982, 1986, 1991, 2016
NCAA Tournament Runner-Up
1993
NCAA Tournament Final Fours
(13) - 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 2016
NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals
(24) - 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013, 2015, 2016
NCAA Tournament Appearances
(31) - 1976, 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998, 2004, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016
Conference Tournament Champions
1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2013
Conference Regular Season Champions
1981, 1982, 1985, 1988, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996

The North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I men's lacrosse. North Carolina currently competes as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) and plays its home games at Fetzer Field and Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Overview

A club team was established at the school in 1937, and elevated to varsity status in 1949. Carolina rose to national prominence in the late 1970s under Hall of Fame coach and former Johns Hopkins Blue Jay Willie Scroggs.^[2] The program's first 1st-team All-American in Division I was defenseman Ralph "Rip" Davy in 1979.^[3] Between 1980 and 1996, the UNC lacrosse team qualified for the NCAA tournament 14 of the 16 years. During that span, Carolina also won 11 ACC titles. In 1981, the Tar Heels began a 26-game winning streak, and won the national championship in 1981, 1982 and 1986.

The UNC lacrosse program won its fifth national title in 2016, beating Maryland 14-13 in an overtime thriller. At 12-6 on the season, UNC entered the NCAA tournament unseeded at 8-6. They became the first unseeded national champion in the last 45 years. This is the first title since 1991, when they won their fourth national title, going undefeated on the season at 16-0.^[4] Since then, UNC won four of five ACC championship games between 1992 and 1996.

History

1937–1954

The first lacrosse team was formed in 1937 at the club level. At the time, they used old equipment from the football team and competed in the Dixie Lacrosse League against Duke, Virginia, Washington & Lee, Loyola, and the Washington Lacrosse Club. In 1949, the university conferred varsity status on the team, and in 1950, North Carolina became a member of the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA). The following season, goalie Nick Sowell became the Tar Heels' first All-American when he was named to the USILA Honorable Mention team.^[5]

Carolina players in action against Duke in the 2009 ACC final.

In 1954, after compiling a combined 14-43-1 record in its first six seasons, the varsity team was disbanded by the administration in order to focus on other sports.

1964–1974

Lacrosse returned as a varsity sport in 1964. In 1974, Paul Doty took over as head coach. That year, the school started awarding scholarships for the sport and was promoted from the small college level (now Division II and Division III) to Division I.^[6]

1991–2000

In 1991, first-year head coach Dave Klarmann replaced Willie Scroggs, and led the Tar Heels through an undefeated regular season. Carolina extended its winning streak throughout the postseason, first winning the ACC tournament, and then defeating Loyola, Syracuse, and Towson in succession to post a perfect 16–0 mark and capture the NCAA national championship. Klarmann's teams repeated as ACC tournament champions in 1992 before advancing to the NCAA Championship semifinal, where they fell to third-seeded Syracuse, 13–12. In 1993 and 1994, Carolina again captured the ACC title, but suffered early exits in the NCAA tournament. In the late 1990s, the Tar Heels struggled, alternately, to qualify for or advance in the NCAA tournament.^[6]

At the end of head coach's Dave Klarmann's time at UNC (10 years, one national championship, five ACC tournament championships) there were a series of the off the field incidences between 1995 and 1999. One player died of a gunshot wound, another from asphyxiation, another was injured from a stabbing in a night club and a fourth had a serious illness.^[7]

2001–2008

John Haus replaced Klarmann as head coach for the 2001 season. John Haus was UNC's head coach from 2001 to 2008. In his fourth year, Carolina advanced to the NCAA quarterfinals before losing to Johns Hopkins, 15–9. They returned to the NCAA tournament and quarterfinals in 2007, where they were defeated by second-seeded Duke, 19–11. In 2008, Carolina was knocked out of the first round by Navy.^[6]

2009

In 2009, alumnus Joe Breschi, a former first-team All-American defenseman in 1990 and USA national team member in 1990 and 1994, became head coach at his alma mater. Breschi and Ryan Wade are the last UNC lacrosse players that made the USA national team roster in 1994. In Breschi's first season in 2009, North Carolina surprised some observers when the team returned to the NCAA quarterfinals, before losing to Duke, 12–11.

2010

In 2010, The Baltimore Sun commented that "it's no longer a question whether Breschi can rebuild North Carolina, but when the Tar Heels will arrive."^[8] In his second season, Carolina again advanced to the quarterfinals before losing to Duke, 17–9. That season, North Carolina swept the ACC postseason awards, with Breschi named ACC Coach of the Year, junior attackman Billy Bitter named ACC Player of the Year, and Marcus Holman named ACC Freshman of the Year.^[9]

2012

UNC finished the 2012 season with an 11-6 record, the sixth season in a row UNC had a winning record. UNC lost to Duke in the ACC Tournament final game. UNC received a #8 seed in the 16-team 2012 NCAA tournament. UNC lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament to Denver 14-16. Denver lost in the next round to eventual champion Loyola (Md.).^[10] It was the second year in a row UNC lost in the first round of the NCAA tournament.

2013

UNC attained a #1 ranking^[11] in the 2013 season and won the ACC tournament. Attackman Marcus Holman was the second player in UNC lacrosse history to be named a finalist for the annual Tewaaraton award given to the best college lacrosse player. Attackman Jed Prossner was UNC's first finalist in 2004.^[12]

2014

Annual Records

*ACC started a championship format in 1989^[13]

First Team All-Americans

*Player of the Year

Former players in Major League Lacrosse (MLL)

Major League Lacrosse (MLL) currently has eight teams. The 2013 season starts at the end of April and ends in August. There are four former UNC players who played for MLL teams in the 2012 season. Billy Bitter (attack, UNC '11) and Ryan Flanagan (defenseman, UNC '11) played for the Charlotte Hounds in the 2012 season. Flanagan is currently on the Charlotte Hounds roster for the 2013 season.^[16] Ben Hunt (midfielder, UNC '09) and Tim Kaiser (defenseman, UNC '08) play for the Chesapeake Bayhawks.^[17]

Only seniors with expiring eligibility are eligible to be drafted by MLL teams in the annual January drafts.^[18] After the NCAA season is complete on Memorial Day, the MLL will allow all undrafted seniors who completeld their eligibility to register for a player pool, giving MLL teams an opportunity to select the undrafted players for one week. The Ohio Machine selected current senior Marcus Hollman in the second round of the last MLL draft.^[19]

References

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Academics	Scholarships Center for Global Initiatives Center for the Study of the American South Kenan–Flagler Business School School of Information and Library Science School of Media and Journalism School of Law School of Medicine School of Pharmacy School of Public Health School of Social Work Southern Observatory for Astrophysical Research
Athletics	Teams Australian Rules Football Baseball Men's Basketball Women's Basketball Field Hockey Football Men's Lacrosse Women's Lacrosse Men's Soccer Women's Soccer Softball Men's Tennis Women's Tennis Facilities Bryson Field at Boshamer Stadium Bynum Gymnasium Carmichael Arena Dean Smith Center Eddie Smith Field House Fetzer Field Finley Golf Course Henry Stadium Kenan Memorial Stadium Tin Can Woollen Gymnasium Other Atlantic Coast Conference Carlyle Cup Carolina Basketball Museum Carolina blue Duke Rivalry The Marching Tar Heels "Hark The Sound" "Here Comes Carolina" "I'm a Tar Heel Born" NC State Rivalry Olympians Rameses The Rams Club South's Oldest Rivalry Tar Heel Tar Heel Sports Network Tobacco Road Victory Bell Wake Rivalry
Campus	Ackland Art Museum Airport Botanical Garden Carolina Inn Coker Arboretum Davie Poplar Franklin Street Hospitals Hunt Arboretum Images Morehead Planetarium Old Chapel Hill Cemetery Old East Old Well Playmakers Theatre Silent Sam Wilson Library Town of Chapel Hill Kessing Pool
Student life	Black Student Movement Carolina Week The Daily Tar Heel Dialectic and Philanthropic Societies Dramatic and Performing Arts Order of Gimghoul Student Television WXYC
History	Alumni Presidents and Chancellors William Richardson Davie UNC system Speaker ban Academics-athletics scandal