The North Carolina men’s lacrosse team will open its 2026 season this Sunday with some serious preseason hardware already in hand. Owen Duffy and Brady Wambach have been named Preseason First Team All-Americans by Inside Lacrosse, a nod to just how impactful the Tar Heel duo was last spring - and how much is expected of them this year.
Let’s start with Duffy. The sophomore attackman is coming off a breakout season where he racked up 34 goals and led the team with 27 assists and 61 points.
That kind of production doesn’t just happen - it’s the result of elite vision, quick decision-making, and a knack for finding seams in the defense. Duffy had eight games with at least three goals and eight games with five or more points, showing he wasn’t just consistent - he was explosive.
In a loaded ACC, he finished second in assists per game (2.0) and third in points per game (4.25), putting him right up there with the conference’s best.
Then there’s Wambach, the faceoff machine. His .643 faceoff win percentage last season ranked fourth in the nation - and that’s not just a stat, that’s a game-changer.
Winning possessions at the X means more chances for the offense, more control of tempo, and more pressure on opposing defenses. Wambach hit double-digit faceoff wins in 14 games and scooped up 10 or more ground balls in five.
His 225 faceoff wins were the third-most in a single season in UNC history, and he’s now the first Tar Heel faceoff specialist to earn first team All-America honors since R.G. Keenan back in 2012.
That’s elite company.
But the preseason recognition didn’t stop there. Dominic Pietramala and Ty English also earned honorable mention nods - and both bring plenty of firepower to the table.
Pietramala was a pure scorer last year, leading both UNC and the ACC with 48 goals. That’s not just impressive - it’s historic.
His 48 goals rank third all-time for a single season in Tar Heel history. He posted 10 hat tricks, including monster six-goal outings on the road against top-10 opponents in Johns Hopkins and Syracuse.
Pietramala’s ability to step up in big moments is exactly what this Carolina offense needs heading into a new season.
And don’t overlook English. The versatile midfielder played in all 15 games last year, starting 14, and finished third on the team with 20 goals.
He scored in 12 games and had seven multi-goal performances - the kind of steady, two-way presence that every coach wants anchoring the midfield. He’s also been voted a team captain heading into 2026, a testament to his leadership and the respect he commands in the locker room.
With this quartet leading the way, Carolina enters the new season with a strong foundation and high expectations. The Tar Heels hit the road to face Towson this Sunday, and if last season was any indication, this group is ready to make some noise.