University of North Carolina Athletics
2026 Men's Lacrosse Roster
Jersey Number 22
Brady Wambach
- Position:
- Faceoff
- Height:
- 5-9
- Weight:
- 185
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- Pittsford, N.Y.
- High School:
- Salisbury School
Awards and Accomplishments
UNC Single-Season Faceoff Wins Record (2026)
UNC Single-Season Ground Ball Record (2026)
USA Lacrosse U20 Roster (2025)
Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Co-Outstanding Midfielder (2026)
Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominee (2026)
Tewaaraton Award Watch List (2026)
Two-time All-ACC Team (2025, 2026)
Preseason All-ACC Team (2026)
Two-time USILA First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
USILA Honorable Mention All-America (2024)
Two-time Inside Lacrosse First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
Two-time USA Lacrosse First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America (2024)
Two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll (2024, 2025)
2026 (Junior): Appeared in all 18 games during his third season at Carolina • Named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and Preseason All-ACC Team prior to the year • Posted 291 faceoff wins and 188 ground balls • Offensively, scored 11 goals and dished out four assists • Led the nation in faceoffs won (291), ground balls (188), ground balls per game (10.4), faceoff goals (11), faceoff points (15), while finishing fourth nationally in faceoff win percentage (.657) • Broke the Carolina Single-Season Faceoff Wins Record and UNC's Single-Season Ground Balls Record during the campaign • Posted double-digit faceoff wins in 17 games, with five games of 20-or-more faceoff wins in a contest • Became the first player in program history with five games of 20-plus faceoff wins in their career • Opened the campaign with 12 faceoff wins versus Jacksonville (Feb. 7) • Had 16 faceoff wins against High Point (Feb. 13), followed by an 18-20 (.900) performance at the stripe against Iona (Feb. 15) • Posted 20 faceoff wins in the ranked win versus No. 14 Johns Hopkins (Feb. 20) • Went 16-22 at the X in the ensuing game on the road at No. 19 Penn (Feb. 27) • Posted 21 faceoff wins in 24 attempts versus Brown (March 7) • Collected 20-plus faceoff wins in back-to-back ranked victories versus No. 19 Army (March 21) and No. 3 Harvard (March 29) • In the win over Army, started the game 2-6 at the stripe, responding with 17-straight faceoff wins • Opened ACC play with 16 faceoff wins against No. 3 Syracuse (April 4) • Ended the regular season collecting 23 faceoff wins at No. 11 Virginia (April 18) and 18 faceoff wins against No. 17 Duke (April 25) • Earned double-digit faceoff wins in both ACC Tournament games versus No. 6 Syracuse (May 1) and No. 8 Virginia (May 3) • Had 15 faceoff wins in the NCAA First Round win versus UAlbany (May 9) and 13 faceoff wins against No. 6 Syracuse (May 16) in the NCAA Quarterfinals • Had 10 games with double-digit ground balls • Broke the Carolina Single-Game Ground Ball record with 17 against Iona (Feb. 15) • Posted four-straight games of 10-plus ground balls in wins versus Brown (March 7), No. 9 Penn State (March 14), No. 19 Army (March 21) and No. 3 Harvard (March 29) • Recorded 10-or-more ground balls against No. 11 Virginia (April 18) and No. 17 Duke (April 25), as well as both NCAA Tournament games versus UAlbany (May 9) and No. 6 Syracuse (May 16) • Scored a goal in nine games during the year • Posted multiple goals twice in the campaign, against No. 17 Duke (April 25) and the ACC Tournament Semifinal win over No. 6 Syracuse (May 1) • Dished out an assist in four games • Named to the Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominees list in April • Earned All-ACC honors for the second-straight season • Was named the ACC's Co-Defensive Player of the Year • Recognized as the Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Co-Outstanding Midfielder of the Year, given annually by the USILA to the nation's top midfielder • Became the fifth in program history to win the award, the first since Jason Wade in 1996 • The second faceoff specialist to be named the nation's top midfielder since the award's inception in 1973 • A consensus First Team All-America by the USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse • Became the 13th player in program history with two-or-more First Team All-America honors in their career
2025 (Sophomore): Appeared in all 15 games during the 2025 campaign with the Tar Heel faceoff unit • Won 225 faceoffs on the year, the third-most in a single season in program history • Helped Carolina win the faceoff battle in 14 of 15 games during the season • Won 10-or-more faceoffs in 14 contests in the spring • Had 20-or-more faceoff wins in back-to-back games versus No. 8 Princeton (March 2) and Hofstra (March 8) • Had a combined 36 faceoff wins and 17 ground balls against No. 14 Penn and No. 8 Princeton, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Week recognition • Opened ACC play with 18 faceoff wins in the victory against Virginia (April 5) • Ended the season with seven consecutive games of double-digit faceoff wins • Finished the season with a team best 122 ground balls • Collected 10-or-more ground balls in five games, highlighted by a season best 14 ground balls against Jacksonville (March 16) • Scored lone goal of the season in the victory against Hofstra (March 8) • Earned USA Lacrosse Preseason Honorable Mention All-America honors • Named to Inside Lacrosse's Midseason All-America Team • Collected All-ACC Team honors, the first Tar Heel faceoff specialist to earn the honor since 2016 • Named a First Team All-America by USA Lacrosse, Inside Lacrosse and USILA • Became the first Tar Heel specialist to earn First Team All-America honors since R.G. Keenan in 2012
2024 (Freshman): Appeared in all 14 contests during true freshman campaign in Chapel Hill • Made collegiate and Carolina debut in the season opening win over Mercer (Feb. 10) • Finished the year 146-239 (.611) at the faceoff stripe • His 146 faceoff wins was the third most by a Tar Heel freshman in a single season in program history • Part of a Carolina faceoff group that finished the season with the nation's top faceoff win percentage • His .611 faceoff win percentage finished the regular season in the top-5 nationally • Had eight games with double-digit faceoff wins • Won 14 faceoffs, collected nine ground balls and had an assist in the neutral site win against Fairfield (Feb. 17) • Had 15 faceoff wins, seven ground balls and scored first career goal against Hofstra (March 9) • Won a season best 16 faceoffs against Army (March 30) and Duke (April 27) • Collected 10 ground balls against Army (March 30) and 11 ground balls in the season finale win against Duke (April 27) • Scored a season best two goals against Duke (April 27) • Handed out a a season-high two assists versus Wagner (March 12) • Recorded a caused turnover in the win at Hofstra (March 9) • An Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America selection • Earned USILA Honorable Mention All-America honors • Named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll
Prep: Ranked by Inside Lacrosse as the No. 14 overall recruit and No. 1 faceoff recruit in the Class of 2023 • Attended Salisbury School in Salisbury, Conn. • Earned three varsity letters in lacrosse • Named an Under Armour All-America during prep career • Selected to the 2023 Senior All-America Lacrosse Game • A two-time NEPSAC New England All-League choice • Named the Western England Face-off Specialist of the Year • Also played squash and ice hockey during high school
Personal: Brady Wambach is the son of Peter and Carolyn Wambach • Born Oct. 16 in Rochester, N.Y. • Has two siblings, Mitchell and Connor • Nephew of former US Women’s Soccer National Team player Abby Wambach • Plans to study business at UNC
UNC Single-Season Faceoff Wins Record (2026)
UNC Single-Season Ground Ball Record (2026)
USA Lacrosse U20 Roster (2025)
Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Co-Outstanding Midfielder (2026)
Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominee (2026)
Tewaaraton Award Watch List (2026)
Two-time All-ACC Team (2025, 2026)
Preseason All-ACC Team (2026)
Two-time USILA First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
USILA Honorable Mention All-America (2024)
Two-time Inside Lacrosse First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
Two-time USA Lacrosse First Team All-America (2025, 2026)
Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America (2024)
Two-time ACC Academic Honor Roll (2024, 2025)
2026 (Junior): Appeared in all 18 games during his third season at Carolina • Named to the Tewaaraton Award Watch List and Preseason All-ACC Team prior to the year • Posted 291 faceoff wins and 188 ground balls • Offensively, scored 11 goals and dished out four assists • Led the nation in faceoffs won (291), ground balls (188), ground balls per game (10.4), faceoff goals (11), faceoff points (15), while finishing fourth nationally in faceoff win percentage (.657) • Broke the Carolina Single-Season Faceoff Wins Record and UNC's Single-Season Ground Balls Record during the campaign • Posted double-digit faceoff wins in 17 games, with five games of 20-or-more faceoff wins in a contest • Became the first player in program history with five games of 20-plus faceoff wins in their career • Opened the campaign with 12 faceoff wins versus Jacksonville (Feb. 7) • Had 16 faceoff wins against High Point (Feb. 13), followed by an 18-20 (.900) performance at the stripe against Iona (Feb. 15) • Posted 20 faceoff wins in the ranked win versus No. 14 Johns Hopkins (Feb. 20) • Went 16-22 at the X in the ensuing game on the road at No. 19 Penn (Feb. 27) • Posted 21 faceoff wins in 24 attempts versus Brown (March 7) • Collected 20-plus faceoff wins in back-to-back ranked victories versus No. 19 Army (March 21) and No. 3 Harvard (March 29) • In the win over Army, started the game 2-6 at the stripe, responding with 17-straight faceoff wins • Opened ACC play with 16 faceoff wins against No. 3 Syracuse (April 4) • Ended the regular season collecting 23 faceoff wins at No. 11 Virginia (April 18) and 18 faceoff wins against No. 17 Duke (April 25) • Earned double-digit faceoff wins in both ACC Tournament games versus No. 6 Syracuse (May 1) and No. 8 Virginia (May 3) • Had 15 faceoff wins in the NCAA First Round win versus UAlbany (May 9) and 13 faceoff wins against No. 6 Syracuse (May 16) in the NCAA Quarterfinals • Had 10 games with double-digit ground balls • Broke the Carolina Single-Game Ground Ball record with 17 against Iona (Feb. 15) • Posted four-straight games of 10-plus ground balls in wins versus Brown (March 7), No. 9 Penn State (March 14), No. 19 Army (March 21) and No. 3 Harvard (March 29) • Recorded 10-or-more ground balls against No. 11 Virginia (April 18) and No. 17 Duke (April 25), as well as both NCAA Tournament games versus UAlbany (May 9) and No. 6 Syracuse (May 16) • Scored a goal in nine games during the year • Posted multiple goals twice in the campaign, against No. 17 Duke (April 25) and the ACC Tournament Semifinal win over No. 6 Syracuse (May 1) • Dished out an assist in four games • Named to the Tewaaraton Award Top-25 Nominees list in April • Earned All-ACC honors for the second-straight season • Was named the ACC's Co-Defensive Player of the Year • Recognized as the Lt. j.g. Donald MacLaughlin Jr. Co-Outstanding Midfielder of the Year, given annually by the USILA to the nation's top midfielder • Became the fifth in program history to win the award, the first since Jason Wade in 1996 • The second faceoff specialist to be named the nation's top midfielder since the award's inception in 1973 • A consensus First Team All-America by the USILA, Inside Lacrosse and USA Lacrosse • Became the 13th player in program history with two-or-more First Team All-America honors in their career
2025 (Sophomore): Appeared in all 15 games during the 2025 campaign with the Tar Heel faceoff unit • Won 225 faceoffs on the year, the third-most in a single season in program history • Helped Carolina win the faceoff battle in 14 of 15 games during the season • Won 10-or-more faceoffs in 14 contests in the spring • Had 20-or-more faceoff wins in back-to-back games versus No. 8 Princeton (March 2) and Hofstra (March 8) • Had a combined 36 faceoff wins and 17 ground balls against No. 14 Penn and No. 8 Princeton, earning ACC Defensive Player of the Week recognition • Opened ACC play with 18 faceoff wins in the victory against Virginia (April 5) • Ended the season with seven consecutive games of double-digit faceoff wins • Finished the season with a team best 122 ground balls • Collected 10-or-more ground balls in five games, highlighted by a season best 14 ground balls against Jacksonville (March 16) • Scored lone goal of the season in the victory against Hofstra (March 8) • Earned USA Lacrosse Preseason Honorable Mention All-America honors • Named to Inside Lacrosse's Midseason All-America Team • Collected All-ACC Team honors, the first Tar Heel faceoff specialist to earn the honor since 2016 • Named a First Team All-America by USA Lacrosse, Inside Lacrosse and USILA • Became the first Tar Heel specialist to earn First Team All-America honors since R.G. Keenan in 2012
2024 (Freshman): Appeared in all 14 contests during true freshman campaign in Chapel Hill • Made collegiate and Carolina debut in the season opening win over Mercer (Feb. 10) • Finished the year 146-239 (.611) at the faceoff stripe • His 146 faceoff wins was the third most by a Tar Heel freshman in a single season in program history • Part of a Carolina faceoff group that finished the season with the nation's top faceoff win percentage • His .611 faceoff win percentage finished the regular season in the top-5 nationally • Had eight games with double-digit faceoff wins • Won 14 faceoffs, collected nine ground balls and had an assist in the neutral site win against Fairfield (Feb. 17) • Had 15 faceoff wins, seven ground balls and scored first career goal against Hofstra (March 9) • Won a season best 16 faceoffs against Army (March 30) and Duke (April 27) • Collected 10 ground balls against Army (March 30) and 11 ground balls in the season finale win against Duke (April 27) • Scored a season best two goals against Duke (April 27) • Handed out a a season-high two assists versus Wagner (March 12) • Recorded a caused turnover in the win at Hofstra (March 9) • An Inside Lacrosse Honorable Mention All-America selection • Earned USILA Honorable Mention All-America honors • Named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll
Prep: Ranked by Inside Lacrosse as the No. 14 overall recruit and No. 1 faceoff recruit in the Class of 2023 • Attended Salisbury School in Salisbury, Conn. • Earned three varsity letters in lacrosse • Named an Under Armour All-America during prep career • Selected to the 2023 Senior All-America Lacrosse Game • A two-time NEPSAC New England All-League choice • Named the Western England Face-off Specialist of the Year • Also played squash and ice hockey during high school
Personal: Brady Wambach is the son of Peter and Carolyn Wambach • Born Oct. 16 in Rochester, N.Y. • Has two siblings, Mitchell and Connor • Nephew of former US Women’s Soccer National Team player Abby Wambach • Plans to study business at UNC
Thursday, June 11
Thursday, June 11
Sunday, June 07
Sunday, June 07
