Previewing North Carolina’s 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule

The North Carolina Tar Heels are the 38th team in our 2020 men’s college lacrosse schedule preview series and the first team from the ACC. North Carolina finished 8-7 overall in 2019 and 1-3 in ACC play. The Tar Heels did beat Syracuse in the opening round of the ACC Tournament, but were unable to upend Virginia in the semifinals. They did not qualify for the NCAA Tournament.

Here’s their entire 2020 schedule:

Who’s In?

• Colgate Raiders (2/1)
• Lafayette Leopards (2/15)
• Bryant Bulldogs (3/10)
• Georgetown Hoyas (3/14)
• Dartmouth Big Green (3/17)

Who’s Out?

• Harvard Crimson (16-11 W)
• Marist Red Foxes (17-5 W)
• Bucknell Bison (12-7 W)
• Cleveland State Vikings (15-9 W)

Circle These Dates

• 2/22 at Johns Hopkins: North Carolina’s schedule starts out with Colgate, Mercer, and Lafayette. They shouldn’t give the Tar Heels a lot of concern. But their first big game is, as usual, a late February matchup with Johns Hopkins at Homewood Field. Let’s hope this year’s battle isn’t a dirty as last year’s at Kenan Stadium. The game could favor UNC as the road team has won the past four meetings.
• 3/1 at Denver: The Tar Heels stay on the road for another big nonconference game, this time against Denver out west. Similar to the Hopkins games, the road team has also won the past four meetings, with UNC winning back in 2017 at Peter Barton Stadium. These games have been pretty competitive, with the Pioneers using a 3-0 fourth quarter run to beat the Tar Heels last year.
• 3/14 vs. Georgetown: These programs met only once back in 1952, when North Carolina was a varsity program for the first time before dissolving in 1954. UNC won that game 12-8. They haven’t met since. The Hoyas will arrive to Chapel Hill with talented players on both sides of the field including Jake Carraway at attack. Georgetown head coach Kevin Warne has some familiarity with UNC as an assistant coach at Maryland earlier in the decade.
• 3/21 vs. Maryland: Speaking of Maryland, one of the best programs of the decade will once again close out nonconference play for the Tar Heels. North Carolina hasn’t defeated the Terrapins since winning it all in 2016 and haven’t won in the regular season since 2014, Maryland’s last year in the ACC. The Terps look like a national championship contender once again with players such as Jared Bernhardt, Logan Wisnauskas, and a bunch of other talented guys on both sides of the field.
• 3/26 at Duke: These North Carolina archrivals go at it again as UNC begins ACC play in Durham. The teams have split the last eight meetings dating back to 2013, including last year in Chapel Hill which saw freshman goalie Caton Johnson stop 21 shots in his first ever start while the Tar Heels scored the final four goals in the game.
• 4/18 vs. Notre Dame: As with nearly every conference game across the country in college lacrosse, they will be tough. The regular season finale against Notre Dame could have serious implications for the ACC Tournament. The format changed to the original four team format, with the last place team staying at home. That could mean UNC would be playing for their season if this happens. The home team has won every non-neutral site game since 2015.