North Carolina Tar Heels men's lacrosse

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.

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]

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 Princeton, 16-14. In 1993 and 1994, Carolina again captured the ACC title, but fell to Syracuse in the NCAA Championship 13-12 in 1993 and suffered an early exit in the 1994 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]

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]

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.

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]

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.

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]

*Player of the Year

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.[15] Ben Hunt (midfielder, UNC '09) and Tim Kaiser (defenseman, UNC '08) play for the Chesapeake Bayhawks.[16]

Only seniors with expiring eligibility are eligible to be drafted by MLL teams in the annual January drafts.[17] After the NCAA season is complete on Memorial Day, the MLL will allow all undrafted seniors who completed 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 Holman in the second round of the last MLL draft.[18]