2024-2025 Predictions Top 5

[uncfan1013]

Without any big transfer news, I would like to hear everyone’s top 5 for next season without any big transfers next year.

[uncfan1013]

Without any big transfer news, I would like to hear everyone’s top 5 for next season without any big transfers next year.

I meant like without any big transfers announced yet..

[laxfan2889]

I think this is what the top 5 will look like:
1. UNC (the 3 sisters among other things)
2. BC (returning their top 3 point getters and dolce and i’m sure they will hit the portal)
3. UVA (great young talent already there)
4. Northwestern (Madison Taylor will be the leader, but with less threats on the offense, it will be easier to focus on guarding her)
5. Maybe Cuse? or Michigan? so hard to establish the 5th here maybe florida. Cuse is losing everybody next year but they always find a way.

[Fischer]

Cuse is in trouble after this season Although I think Ward has another year? And maybe Markey? You lose goalie Late Goodale Tyrrell Baxter Smith Dmac? You know better
I missing anyone Not sure who’s coming in Let’s see if they can get over the hump that is BC

[Testudo98]

I think this is what the top 5 will look like:
1. UNC (the 3 sisters among other things)
2. BC (returning their top 3 point getters and dolce and i’m sure they will hit the portal)
3. UVA (great young talent already there)
4. Northwestern (Madison Taylor will be the leader, but with less threats on the offense, it will be easier to focus on guarding her)
5. Maybe Cuse? or Michigan? so hard to establish the 5th here maybe florida. Cuse is losing everybody next year but they always find a way.

Florida loses a ton after this year, and NW loses their game changers.

[LaxDadMax]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

[user1020]

A lot of top teams are losing a lot of players. Just running through the top 8 seeds this year.

NU - loses a ton of talent. I’m sure they will be good but it will be very difficult for them to sustain the success they have been having. I’m not sure who defensively is leaving, but I know most of their defenders are seniors/5th years. This will be Madison Taylor and Sammy White’s team.

BC - big losses in each position, but also return their top 3 attackers & have players that have gotten some experience this year to slide into starting positions. I think they have a good chance at Memorial Day weekend again. Biggest concern is the midfield.

Cuse - again lose a lot of good players, but they also did last year and here they are back in the final 4. Adamson is good and they have some good young defenders. I think they stay a top top 5 team.

Maryland - lots of losses all over the field, which may be a good thing. Maryland can get a fresh start to create a style of offense that works with their players. They need to reinvent the wheel with the players they have. Some key losses on defense but their defense will still be their strongest unit. I think they’ll struggle and have a mediocre year.

UVA - a lot of good young talent that has great potential. Let’s see if LaMonica can develop her players better than Meyers did. They have potential to stay a top 5 team, but could also slip out of the top 10 if the current freshmen can’t take the pressure of stepping up. Their freshmen were great this year, but they had a lot of senior support helping them.

Yale - I don’t know too much about Yale, but I know their leading scorer is returning. Not sure they stay a top 8 team, but I didn’t they would be in the top 8 this year either.

Norte Dame - the big 3 that has ran this team for years is gone. The offense will struggle and the defense will be average.

Penn - again I don’t know too much about Penn. Miles is gone. Brandt is back I believe. Chung is gone. Will probably stay around a top 10 team.

These are just my thoughts without doing research on each team. It it just what I know off of the top of my head. Please feel free to comment and improve any of my thoughts.

[user1020]

A lot of top teams are losing a lot of players. Just running through the top 8 seeds this year.

NU - loses a ton of talent. I’m sure they will be good but it will be very difficult for them to sustain the success they have been having. I’m not sure who defensively is leaving, but I know most of their defenders are seniors/5th years. This will be Madison Taylor and Sammy White’s team.

BC - big losses in each position, but also return their top 3 attackers & have players that have gotten some experience this year to slide into starting positions. I think they have a good chance at Memorial Day weekend again. Biggest concern is the midfield.

Cuse - again lose a lot of good players, but they also did last year and here they are back in the final 4. Adamson is good and they have some good young defenders. I think they stay a top top 5 team.

Maryland - lots of losses all over the field, which may be a good thing. Maryland can get a fresh start to create a style of offense that works with their players. They need to reinvent the wheel with the players they have. Some key losses on defense but their defense will still be their strongest unit. I think they’ll struggle and have a mediocre year.

UVA - a lot of good young talent that has great potential. Let’s see if LaMonica can develop her players better than Meyers did. They have potential to stay a top 5 team, but could also slip out of the top 10 if the current freshmen can’t take the pressure of stepping up. Their freshmen were great this year, but they had a lot of senior support helping them.

Yale - I don’t know too much about Yale, but I know their leading scorer is returning. Not sure they stay a top 8 team, but I didn’t they would be in the top 8 this year either.

Norte Dame - the big 3 that has ran this team for years is gone. The offense will struggle and the defense will be average.

Penn - again I don’t know too much about Penn. Miles is gone. Brandt is back I believe. Chung is gone. Will probably stay around a top 10 team.

These are just my thoughts without doing research on each team. It it just what I know off of the top of my head. Please feel free to comment and improve any of my thoughts.

So my top 5 would be

1. BC
2. Michigan
3. NU
4. UVA
5. Cuse

[uncfan1013]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

[Madlax59]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

[Justalaxdad]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5

UNC arrogance at its finest.

[Madlax59]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. they definitely had enough offensive presence to play well this season. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

[forthelaxofit]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I don’t know how the coaching decisions work at UNC, but I do wonder if too much decision making in lacrosse overall is deferred to assistance coaches. I was watching the Syracuse men’s game yesterday. Critical time out with under 2 minutes left and Gait looked like a kid at a dance looking for a dance partner. He was outside both the offensive and defensive huddle walking back and forth. Maybe the TV cuts caught him at bad moments and if watching in person it was different, but I would think a HC would be key and heavily involved in those critical discussions. I get you need assistant coaches, but there are times and places to be directly involved and insert yourself and over rule assistants, especially when not meeting expectations. After all, you are HC and they are assistants for a reason. Primary goal as a HC is to win, not worry about the assistant coach and overruling them or taking control.

[uncfan1013]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5

UNC arrogance at its finest.

It’s not arrogance to think that UNC will be better than UVA next season.. UVA did not look like a top 10 team playing against UNC, losing by 1 and winning by 1. Is it really arrogant to think a team that has a mid recruiting class & great seniors leaving the problem is not going to be better than a team that has a stacked attack, good midfield is gonna be better?

[uncfan1013]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I agree that we had depth early on, but I think the depth didn’t provide any more than the starters did. Kiley & Darcy definitely stood out but with Eva & Grace picking up injuries, the upper classmen like Casey & Dirks never really stood up at points in the season.

Also, I feel like BWW was a main reason this defense struggled. Brooklyn Walker Welch is such an amazing defender who is probably our best all-around. She was seriously missed this year and it showed

[Relax77]

Gonna be UNC with the runaway and everyone else.

[Justalaxdad]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5

UNC arrogance at its finest.

It’s not arrogance to think that UNC will be better than UVA next season.. UVA did not look like a top 10 team playing against UNC, losing by 1 and winning by 1. Is it really arrogant to think a team that has a mid recruiting class & great seniors leaving the problem is not going to be better than a team that has a stacked attack, good midfield is gonna be better?

You said they would “NEVER be able to fix that even if they are top 5”

So yes, that’s arrogant.

[2004wrongisland]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5

UNC arrogance at its finest.

It’s not arrogance to think that UNC will be better than UVA next season.. UVA did not look like a top 10 team playing against UNC, losing by 1 and winning by 1. Is it really arrogant to think a team that has a mid recruiting class & great seniors leaving the problem is not going to be better than a team that has a stacked attack, good midfield is gonna be better?

You said they would “NEVER be able to fix that even if they are top 5”

So yes, that’s arrogant.

In my opinion, it won't be close in talent between UNC and UVA next year. UVA graduates Schwab (61 assists) , Carnevale ( a team leading 51 goals) and their best middies , Hoeg (77 points) and Shaw ( 33 goals) along with their two best defenders in Bostain and Whitaker. Their best returners will be attackers Dinardo (39 goals) , Miller (28 goals) , Alaimo ( 17 goals) and middie Galica (21 goals) and goalie Josephson. Their next three offensive players scored 3, 3 and 2 goals respectively.

Contrast with UNC. They were missing this year and getting back next year their three best players in Walker Welch ( who will probably be the best defender in college next year) , Marissa White ( who led them in her freshman year with 46 goals) and Chloe Humphrey who , by all accounts will be a star. Throw in Ashley Humphrey who led the country in assists two years ago, Godine (27 goals),Mottice (33 goals), Felter (24 goals), Casey ( 75 points in 2023), Ingrilli, Leonard, Harden and the third Humphrey ( 27 goals in 2023).

Then look at who's arriving in the fall. UVA has one recruit in the top 50 (LaVerghatta #46). UNC has Osburn (#1),Levy (#4), Corkins (# 10),Pattillo ( # 14), Zenk (#16) and Calabria ( # 20).

UNC is a way more talented team. Their Achilles heel remains their offensive coaching . They scored 8 goals against Virginia in their NCAA appearance this year and 4 goals in their last NCAA game against Denver last year. That's a pathetic 6 goals a game . If their offensive coaching is even average they'll handle UVA easily. But if it isn't .......

[hmmm]

Ignoring transfers which will happen, both in and out, I'd go

1) BC -- will be preseason #1, probably unamimous.
2) NW -- a lot more talent there than most people think
3) Yale -- been building for this year for a while
4) Michigan -- moving in right direction with 2 potential Tewey finalists
5) UVA -- they lose 3 key scorers, but no top 10 team played more frosh/soph this year;

I refuse to put UNC in top 5, though I am sure they will be there. I think the problems in Chapel Hill this year went far beyond injuries. Probably the best team on paper, but games aren't played on paper

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5. I feel like also UVA adds a recruiting class with one 4-star and others unranked so they would be asking for people to step up off the bench.

UNC adds 6 5-star recruits (1-attack, 4-midfield, 1-goalie) which already adds to a stacked offense but the only place they are struggling at is the defensive side in which Brooklyn Walker Welch returns from injury and i’m sure we add at least one player from the portal. Would be weird to not have them in your top 5 because they struggled this year.

UNC had an off year but you can’t forget this team won a national championship just 2 years ago and has an amazing coaching staff helping them. This was the second time UNC went unseeded which shows how good this program is. Also we did have injuries take over, and lack of depth. Brooklyn Walker-Welch out which is probably our best all-around defender, Sophie Student and Kaleigh Harden out for the midfield. Marissa White & Chloe Humphrey out for the attack. Add Eva Ingrilli and Grace Ann Leonard during the season. Then, Ashley Humphrey for the last game. Those are all starters imo that got injured so I do think injuries were the main problem.

You can’t discount injuries BUT unc had a lot of depth
Most of these injuries were known before the start of the season enough time to ramp up the depth that the team has. OK they definitely had enough offensive presence Day. They should’ve been better there. The inability of the defensive coach to institute a zone defense really hurt them and I don’t see that changing in the foreseeable future. For the first time ever they face players something they had never done before
Levy to me figurehead and Marie isn’t capable enough to be a strong offensive coach .

I would switch UVA & UNC. Even if UNC did struggle this year, they split the series with UVA 1-1 with both one goal games. I think UVA struggles aganist UNC and will never be able to fix that even if they are top 5

UNC arrogance at its finest.

It’s not arrogance to think that UNC will be better than UVA next season.. UVA did not look like a top 10 team playing against UNC, losing by 1 and winning by 1. Is it really arrogant to think a team that has a mid recruiting class & great seniors leaving the problem is not going to be better than a team that has a stacked attack, good midfield is gonna be better?

You said they would “NEVER be able to fix that even if they are top 5”

So yes, that’s arrogant.

In my opinion, it won't be close in talent between UNC and UVA next year. UVA graduates Schwab (61 assists) , Carnevale ( a team leading 51 goals) and their best middies , Hoeg (77 points) and Shaw ( 33 goals) along with their two best defenders in Bostain and Whitaker. Their best returners will be attackers Dinardo (39 goals) , Miller (28 goals) , Alaimo ( 17 goals) and middie Galica (21 goals) and goalie Josephson. Their next three offensive players scored 3, 3 and 2 goals respectively.

Contrast with UNC. They were missing this year and getting back next year their three best players in Walker Welch ( who will probably be the best defender in college next year) , Marissa White ( who led them in her freshman year with 46 goals) and Chloe Humphrey who , by all accounts will be a star. Throw in Ashley Humphrey who led the country in assists two years ago, Godine (27 goals),Mottice (33 goals), Felter (24 goals), Casey ( 75 points in 2023), Ingrilli, Leonard, Harden and the third Humphrey ( 27 goals in 2023).

Then look at who's arriving in the fall. UVA has one recruit in the top 50 (LaVerghatta #46). UNC has Osburn (#1),Levy (#4), Corkins (# 10),Pattillo ( # 14), Zenk (#16) and Calabria ( # 20).

UNC is a way more talented team. Their Achilles heel remains their offensive coaching . They scored 8 goals against Virginia in their NCAA appearance this year and 4 goals in their last NCAA game against Denver last year. That's a pathetic 6 goals a game . If their offensive coaching is even average they'll handle UVA easily. But if it isn't .......

It would be an easier exercise to pick a season that UNC wasn't the most talented team on paper than to point out that next year, like most, they will have the most talent. That's only led to 3 championships. It's not all about what's on paper.

[ultravisitor]

If having the most top recruits* really meant as much as UNC fans seem to continue to suggest, then I'm still not sure how or why UNC ended up having the season that they just had or why they only have three national championships.

*top recruit meaning "top" according to the IL Women lists, which, as well all know, ranked Izzy Scane as #27 in her class and didn't even give Madison Taylor a ranking in the top 50 for her class