US Lacrosse Magazine released the Nike/US Lacrosse Division I Women’s Preseason Top 20 on Dec. 17. Team-by-team previews will be unveiled on uslaxmagazine.com through the end of the month and will also appear as part of the magazine’s NCAA preview edition in February.

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No. 1 North Carolina

2019 Record: 17-4, (5-2, Atlantic Coast Conference)
Coach: Jenny Levy (24th year)
Assistants: Phil Barnes, Katrina Dowd, Grace Gabriel

All-Time Record: 346-117
NCAA Appearances: 21
Final Fours: 11
Championships: 2

2020 Schedule

Save the Date
Feb. 22

North Carolina and Maryland are no longer ACC rivals, but that hasn’t diminished how much Jenny Levy and her players love this annual challenge. The reigning champs suffered heavy graduation losses. This early-season battle will go a long way towards showing where two of the sport’s preeminent programs stand.

Expectations and Track Record Put Target on UNC's Chest

North Carolina enters 2020 with the No. 1 bullseye on its chest. Coach Jenny Levy is fine with that. The two-time NCAA champion Tar Heels have been dying to get back on the field after last year’s 15-14 double-overtime NCAA semifinal loss to Boston College.

“It burns,” Levy said.

UNC begins the year with such high expectations because of its proven track record and an abundance of talent wearing Carolina blue once again — starting with two 100-point scorers.

Senior Katie Hoeg set a school single-season scoring record with 89 points in 2018 and followed that up with 104 points last year — only to see her school record taken away as Jamie Ortega poured in 112 in 2019.

Hoeg and Ortega, a junior, share a lot in common. Chief among those characteristics is no tolerance for complacency. Levy said that the work put in by the duo is why they’re so good.

“[Assistant coach] Katrina [Dowd] loves working with them because of their passion,” Levy said.

The piece that could push Carolina over the top is junior Scottie Rose Growney.

Jenny Levy called Growney “electric.” The budding star had 21 goals, including 10 in the NCAA tournament. If she continues that momentum, it’s tantalizing to think how good the North Carolina offense could become.

There also are bona fide stars on the defensive end of the field in juniors Taylor Moreno and Emma Trenchard. Moreno was a third-team All-American goaltender and Trenchard, a starter in her first two seasons, was a first-team All-American and the ACC Defensive Player of the Year. Trenchard has taken major strides forward since becoming a regular on the U.S. women’s training team.

The one possible vulnerability? The draw. UNC was a so-so 54 percent in 2019.

“We’ve had such a tremendous draw unit going back to Sammy Jo Tracy, and then Marie McCool was just outrageous,” Levy said. “We want to get back to that level. The way the game has evolved, that’s something you have to take care of and do well.”

Key to that improvement will be Ally Mastroianni. The junior had a team-high 75 draw controls last year and the one-time 500-point scorer in high school continues to develop as an offensive threat.

Projected Starters

A – Katie Hoeg – Sr. – 31 G, 73 A
A – Jamie Ortega – Jr. – 81 G, 31 A
A – Tayler Warehime – So. – 34 G, 4 A
M – Scottie Rose Growney – Jr. – 21G, 4 A
M – Livi Lawton – Fr. – (high school)
M – Ally Mastroianni – Jr., 15 G, 75 DC
M – Emily Nalls – Fr. – (high school)
M – Brooklyn Neumen – So. – 23 DC, 7 CT
D – Emma Trenchard – Jr. – 24 GB, 16 CT
D – Caroline Wakefield – Sr. – 20 GB, 13 CT
D – Catie Woodruff – Sr. – 19 GB, 8 CT
G – Taylor Moreno – Jr. – 53.2 SV%, 8.91 GAA

Tewaaraton Watch
Jamie Ortega, A, Jr.

When she stepped on campus, the freshman scoring record was 50 goals. She promptly went out and dropped 70. As a sophomore, she set school records with 81 goals and 112 points. There’s no reason to expect the hard-working Ortega to stop her progression, and that could have her hoisting the Tewaaraton at the end of the season.

X Factor
Julia Dorsey, M, Fr.

Dorsey has already made a name for herself in Chapel Hill, but Levy has yet to see her in lacrosse gear. Recruited as a scholarship lacrosse player, Dorsey also was a recruited walk-on for UNC’s powerhouse soccer program. Expected to compete for a travel roster spot, she ended up earning a starting spot for the national runner-up. Imagine what she can do in her No.1 sport.

National Rankings

4,200

Seating capacity at the UNC Lacrosse & Soccer Stadium, the Tar Heels’ beautiful new on-campus facility constructed on the site of its longtime home, Fetzer Field. The Tar Heels opened the facility beating Northwestern, 21-11, and went 6-1 for the season.

Enemy Lines

“I think that they’re primed for a great year. They’re just so fast. They’re very fast. They’re massive contenders who do well in their system, great coaching staff and great athletes. When they stay healthy they’ll be front runners to make another run for another final four. Jamie Ortega is primed with Katie Hoeg, they have a great 1-2 punch. They’re one of the top 3 teams to beat in the ACC.”