University of North Carolina Athletics
Six Tar Heel Women Named USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America
January 10, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Six University of North Carolina women's lacrosse players earned preseason All-America honors from USA Lacrosse Magazine, as announced by the publication Tuesday afternoon.
UNC's six total preseason picks are tied for the second most in the nation, and its two players in Emily Nalls and Caitlyn Wurzburger are tied for the most first-team selections.
Nalls, a senior defender, was named Second-Team All-America by Inside Lacrosse and Third-Team All-America by both USA Lacrosse and IWLCA a season ago. She led Carolina with 49 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers, both which were career highs, and ranked second on the team with 58 draw controls.
A Third-Team All-America selection in 2022, Wurzburger is set to lead UNC's attack as a junior after tallying 34 goals, 42 assists and 76 points during her sophomore campaign. She was second on the roster in both assists and points and recorded at least one point in 21 of the 22 games she played, including a career-high seven on three occasions.
Olivia Dirks, who was Third-Team Preseason All-America last year, found herself on the second team this time around as a senior. She saw action in all 22 games as a key reserve at midfield, capping off the season with 20 goals, five assists, 25 points and 36 draw controls, the latter which ranked third on the team.
Returning to Chapel Hill for a fifth year, midfielder Brooklyn Neumen garnered Third-Team Preseason All-America accolades after recording nine goals, two assists, 11 points and nine ground balls during UNC's undefeated national championship season in 2022, all of which were career highs.
Another Brooklyn in sophomore Brooklyn Walker-Welch secured a Third-Team Preseason All-America nod after being tabbed an honorable mention at the end of last season. A key member of the Tar Heels' stalwart defense, she was the only freshman to start all 22 contests and ranked second on the roster with 19 caused turnovers.
Receiving preseason honorable mention recognition is Lauren Figura, a graduate transfer from Saint Joseph's who set a new program record with 72 goals on the season last year to tie for ninth in the nation. The attacker led the Hawks to their first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship title and first-ever NCAA Tournament berth en route to earning All-America Honorable Mention honors.
The Tar Heels, who begin the season Feb. 11 at Dorrance Field, were tabbed the No. 1 preseason team by USA Lacrosse earlier this month.
Carolina's 2023 USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America Selections:
First-Team
Emily Nalls
Caitlyn Wurzburger
Second-Team
Olivia Dirks
Third-Team
Brooklyn Neumen
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Honorable Mention
Lauren Figura
Stay up to date with UNC women's lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
UNC's six total preseason picks are tied for the second most in the nation, and its two players in Emily Nalls and Caitlyn Wurzburger are tied for the most first-team selections.
Nalls, a senior defender, was named Second-Team All-America by Inside Lacrosse and Third-Team All-America by both USA Lacrosse and IWLCA a season ago. She led Carolina with 49 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers, both which were career highs, and ranked second on the team with 58 draw controls.
A Third-Team All-America selection in 2022, Wurzburger is set to lead UNC's attack as a junior after tallying 34 goals, 42 assists and 76 points during her sophomore campaign. She was second on the roster in both assists and points and recorded at least one point in 21 of the 22 games she played, including a career-high seven on three occasions.
Olivia Dirks, who was Third-Team Preseason All-America last year, found herself on the second team this time around as a senior. She saw action in all 22 games as a key reserve at midfield, capping off the season with 20 goals, five assists, 25 points and 36 draw controls, the latter which ranked third on the team.
Returning to Chapel Hill for a fifth year, midfielder Brooklyn Neumen garnered Third-Team Preseason All-America accolades after recording nine goals, two assists, 11 points and nine ground balls during UNC's undefeated national championship season in 2022, all of which were career highs.
Another Brooklyn in sophomore Brooklyn Walker-Welch secured a Third-Team Preseason All-America nod after being tabbed an honorable mention at the end of last season. A key member of the Tar Heels' stalwart defense, she was the only freshman to start all 22 contests and ranked second on the roster with 19 caused turnovers.
Receiving preseason honorable mention recognition is Lauren Figura, a graduate transfer from Saint Joseph's who set a new program record with 72 goals on the season last year to tie for ninth in the nation. The attacker led the Hawks to their first-ever Atlantic 10 Championship title and first-ever NCAA Tournament berth en route to earning All-America Honorable Mention honors.
The Tar Heels, who begin the season Feb. 11 at Dorrance Field, were tabbed the No. 1 preseason team by USA Lacrosse earlier this month.
Carolina's 2023 USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America Selections:
First-Team
Emily Nalls
Caitlyn Wurzburger
Second-Team
Olivia Dirks
Third-Team
Brooklyn Neumen
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Honorable Mention
Lauren Figura
Stay up to date with UNC women's lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
Players Mentioned
Midfielder
/ Women's Lacrosse
Attacker
/ Women's Lacrosse
Defender
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Midfielder
/ Women's Lacrosse
Defender
/ Women's Lacrosse
Attacker
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