University of North Carolina Athletics
Nation-Leading Seven Tar Heels Named ILWomen Preseason All-America
February 3, 2023 | Women's Lacrosse
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina has placed seven players on the 2023 Inside Lacrosse Women's Preseason All-America Team, as announced by the organization Friday morning.
UNC's seven total preseason picks are the most in the nation, with Boston College and Maryland both receiving six and Syracuse having five.
The lone Tar Heel on the ILWomen Preseason All-America First Team, junior Caitlyn Wurzburger tallied 34 goals, 42 assists and 76 points during her sophomore campaign. The 2022 Third-Team All-America selection 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.
Emily Nalls, a senior defender, was named Second-Team Preseason All-America for leading UNC with 49 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers – both which were career highs – and ranking second on the team with 58 draw controls in 2022. She was tabbed Second-Team All-America by Inside Lacrosse and Third-Team All-America by both USA Lacrosse and IWLCA as a junior.
Also securing a second-team nod is sophomore Brooklyn Walker-Welch, one of only two underclassmen to land on ILWomen's first, second or third preseason team. 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, earning herself All-America Honorable Mention honors as a rookie.
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.
Olivia Dirks, who was ILWomen's top impact women's transfer for the 2022 season, found herself garnering honorable mention honors this preseason. She saw action in all 22 games as a key reserve at midfield in her first year with the Tar Heels, capping off the season with 20 goals, five assists, 25 points and 36 draw controls, the latter which ranked third on the team.
Also placed on the preseason honorable mention team is redshirt-senior Gabi Hall, who is receiving the first such honor of her career. The defender, who tied for third on the team with 23 ground balls, had a breakout season in 2022 as one of eight Tar Heels to start in all 22 matches and was a key contributor on Carolina's defense.
Returning to Chapel Hill for a fifth year, midfielder Brooklyn Neumen is the fourth Tar Heel to earn preseason honorable mention 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.
Carolina's 2023 ILWomen Preseason All-America Selections:
First-Team
Caitlyn Wurzburger
Second-Team
Emily Nalls
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Honorable Mention
Olivia Dirks
Lauren Figura
Gabi Hall
Brooklyn Neumen
Nalls (first team), Wurzburger (first team), Dirks (second team) Neumen (third team), Walker-Welch (third team) and Figura (honorable mention) were all named to the USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America Team last month.
North Carolina has been selected as the No. 1 preseason team in the nation by both ILWomen/IWLCA and Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine.
Stay up to date with UNC women's lacrosse by following the Tar Heels on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.
UNC's seven total preseason picks are the most in the nation, with Boston College and Maryland both receiving six and Syracuse having five.
The lone Tar Heel on the ILWomen Preseason All-America First Team, junior Caitlyn Wurzburger tallied 34 goals, 42 assists and 76 points during her sophomore campaign. The 2022 Third-Team All-America selection 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.
Emily Nalls, a senior defender, was named Second-Team Preseason All-America for leading UNC with 49 ground balls and 22 caused turnovers – both which were career highs – and ranking second on the team with 58 draw controls in 2022. She was tabbed Second-Team All-America by Inside Lacrosse and Third-Team All-America by both USA Lacrosse and IWLCA as a junior.
Also securing a second-team nod is sophomore Brooklyn Walker-Welch, one of only two underclassmen to land on ILWomen's first, second or third preseason team. 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, earning herself All-America Honorable Mention honors as a rookie.
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.
Olivia Dirks, who was ILWomen's top impact women's transfer for the 2022 season, found herself garnering honorable mention honors this preseason. She saw action in all 22 games as a key reserve at midfield in her first year with the Tar Heels, capping off the season with 20 goals, five assists, 25 points and 36 draw controls, the latter which ranked third on the team.
Also placed on the preseason honorable mention team is redshirt-senior Gabi Hall, who is receiving the first such honor of her career. The defender, who tied for third on the team with 23 ground balls, had a breakout season in 2022 as one of eight Tar Heels to start in all 22 matches and was a key contributor on Carolina's defense.
Returning to Chapel Hill for a fifth year, midfielder Brooklyn Neumen is the fourth Tar Heel to earn preseason honorable mention 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.
Carolina's 2023 ILWomen Preseason All-America Selections:
First-Team
Caitlyn Wurzburger
Second-Team
Emily Nalls
Brooklyn Walker-Welch
Honorable Mention
Olivia Dirks
Lauren Figura
Gabi Hall
Brooklyn Neumen
Nalls (first team), Wurzburger (first team), Dirks (second team) Neumen (third team), Walker-Welch (third team) and Figura (honorable mention) were all named to the USA Lacrosse Magazine Preseason All-America Team last month.
North Carolina has been selected as the No. 1 preseason team in the nation by both ILWomen/IWLCA and Nike/USA Lacrosse Magazine.
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
/ Women's Lacrosse
Midfielder
/ Women's Lacrosse
Defender
/ Women's Lacrosse
Attacker
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