University of North Carolina Athletics
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Inside Lacrosse Tabs Tar Heels As No. 1 Incoming Freshman Class
November 22, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse
By Alyssa Murray Cometti. Originally published for Inside Lacrosse.
North Carolina pulling in top recruits across the country has become commonplace as a program that frequents the Final Four, winning three national championships since claiming their first in 2013.
What's helped maintain Carolina's dominance over the years has been Jenny Levy's ability to collect handfuls of each class's top recruits, and the Class of 2023 is no different.
The group is led by Darien native Chloe Humphrey, the youngest of three sisters currently playing at the Division I level. Humphrey kicked off the slew of talented players committing to becoming future Tar Heels on Sept. 7, 2021, followed by Skaneateles (N.Y.) standout Julia O'Connor just three days later.
The following two pickups were players with plenty of history — both hailing from Long Island and playing for the Long Island Top Guns team that were finalists in ILWomen's Elite Eight. First went Eva Ingrilli, a shifty attacker with a smooth stick out of Wantagh (N.Y.). A few days later, midfielder GraceAnn Leonard also committed.
Levy kept reeling the top players in, adding three more players to her Class of 2023, including standout goalkeeper Betty Nelson, to comprise this year's top incoming class. Aside from the obvious talent, Levy's class brings balance — covering all positions on the field along with a ridiculous amount of speed and athleticism.
And with the Tar Heels missing the Final Four for the first time since the 2017 season, Levy adding these seven players brings a ton of depth to their already young and talented roster that they return for the 2024 season.Â
Chloe Humphrey, A, Darien (Conn.)
Many have regarded Humphrey as a player with the "it" factor, like Charlotte North or Izzy Scane. The attacker has a ridiculous stick — able to beat any player dodging to either hand, with shifty footwork and the ability to change directions more quickly than most. The most underrated part of Humphrey's game is how active she is on the ride — she plays angles in the open field well, forcing her opponents to rush passes and timing takeaway checks well to regain possession.
Eva Ingrilli, A, Wantagh (N.Y.)
Ingrilli missed her senior high school season coming off an injury but has been full-go since the summer. She is poised to be a future star for the Heels as an attacker with quarterbacking capabilities. An extremely smart offensive player who understands how to read defenses, Ingrilli can challenge the cage while maintaining enough composure to get a feed off.
Paige Kelly, M, Red Bank (N.J.)
A high school midfielder who could easily slide into a defensive role, Kelly's footwork is impressive and can match feet with the shiftiest of players. In the midfield, she's a gritty competitor who fights hard for possession both off the draw and during broken plays between the 30s.Â
GraceAnn Leonard, M, Shoreham Wading River (N.Y.)
Leonard fits the criteria of the traditional North Carolina midfielder perfectly. A combination of great speed, strength and finesse, she's able to play both sides of the ball effectively and will likely be one of the best athletes on the field at any given time.
Betty Nelson, G, Columbine (Colo.)
Nelson's been impressive for much of her high school career as she plays with great patience and poise in cage, holding position well to give herself the chance to make the saves she'd be expected to and steal a couple of the ones that are less expected, as well. Nelson's not just a consistent ball stopper, though; she is also comfortable out of the cage, providing an added defender in defensive transition.
Julia O'Connor, M, Skaneateles (N.Y.)
A consistent and reliable player, O'Connor is another midfielder who comes in with experience and ability on both sides of the ball. A smooth player all around, O'Connor makes difficult things look easy.
Avery Roberts, M, Rush Henrietta (N.Y.)
Another elite athlete, Roberts heads to Chapel Hill as a raw talent that may leave as one of the top midfielders in Division I. With great speed and power, Roberts' downhill dodge is lethal and, with her 5-8 frame, she has the combination of length and strength to make her a handful to defend.
See the original article published for Inside Lacrosse here.
North Carolina pulling in top recruits across the country has become commonplace as a program that frequents the Final Four, winning three national championships since claiming their first in 2013.
What's helped maintain Carolina's dominance over the years has been Jenny Levy's ability to collect handfuls of each class's top recruits, and the Class of 2023 is no different.
The group is led by Darien native Chloe Humphrey, the youngest of three sisters currently playing at the Division I level. Humphrey kicked off the slew of talented players committing to becoming future Tar Heels on Sept. 7, 2021, followed by Skaneateles (N.Y.) standout Julia O'Connor just three days later.
The following two pickups were players with plenty of history — both hailing from Long Island and playing for the Long Island Top Guns team that were finalists in ILWomen's Elite Eight. First went Eva Ingrilli, a shifty attacker with a smooth stick out of Wantagh (N.Y.). A few days later, midfielder GraceAnn Leonard also committed.
Levy kept reeling the top players in, adding three more players to her Class of 2023, including standout goalkeeper Betty Nelson, to comprise this year's top incoming class. Aside from the obvious talent, Levy's class brings balance — covering all positions on the field along with a ridiculous amount of speed and athleticism.
And with the Tar Heels missing the Final Four for the first time since the 2017 season, Levy adding these seven players brings a ton of depth to their already young and talented roster that they return for the 2024 season.Â
Chloe Humphrey, A, Darien (Conn.)
Many have regarded Humphrey as a player with the "it" factor, like Charlotte North or Izzy Scane. The attacker has a ridiculous stick — able to beat any player dodging to either hand, with shifty footwork and the ability to change directions more quickly than most. The most underrated part of Humphrey's game is how active she is on the ride — she plays angles in the open field well, forcing her opponents to rush passes and timing takeaway checks well to regain possession.
Eva Ingrilli, A, Wantagh (N.Y.)
Ingrilli missed her senior high school season coming off an injury but has been full-go since the summer. She is poised to be a future star for the Heels as an attacker with quarterbacking capabilities. An extremely smart offensive player who understands how to read defenses, Ingrilli can challenge the cage while maintaining enough composure to get a feed off.
Paige Kelly, M, Red Bank (N.J.)
A high school midfielder who could easily slide into a defensive role, Kelly's footwork is impressive and can match feet with the shiftiest of players. In the midfield, she's a gritty competitor who fights hard for possession both off the draw and during broken plays between the 30s.Â
GraceAnn Leonard, M, Shoreham Wading River (N.Y.)
Leonard fits the criteria of the traditional North Carolina midfielder perfectly. A combination of great speed, strength and finesse, she's able to play both sides of the ball effectively and will likely be one of the best athletes on the field at any given time.
Betty Nelson, G, Columbine (Colo.)
Nelson's been impressive for much of her high school career as she plays with great patience and poise in cage, holding position well to give herself the chance to make the saves she'd be expected to and steal a couple of the ones that are less expected, as well. Nelson's not just a consistent ball stopper, though; she is also comfortable out of the cage, providing an added defender in defensive transition.
Julia O'Connor, M, Skaneateles (N.Y.)
A consistent and reliable player, O'Connor is another midfielder who comes in with experience and ability on both sides of the ball. A smooth player all around, O'Connor makes difficult things look easy.
Avery Roberts, M, Rush Henrietta (N.Y.)
Another elite athlete, Roberts heads to Chapel Hill as a raw talent that may leave as one of the top midfielders in Division I. With great speed and power, Roberts' downhill dodge is lethal and, with her 5-8 frame, she has the combination of length and strength to make her a handful to defend.
See the original article published for Inside Lacrosse here.
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