CHAPEL HILL – The UNC women’s lacrosse team didn’t just win its first national championship, but according to Inside Lacrosse, it is also the 2013 Team of the Year.

Head Coach Jenny Levy was named National Coach of the Year by Inside Lacrosse and the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA). Tar Heel senior star, Kara Cannizzaro was a finalist for the Tewaaraton award, which is one of the awards that recognizes the top player of the year. She won the Honda Sports Award, which also recognizes a national player of the year.

Carolina lost its season opener to Florida 5-3. It followed that loss with 11 straight wins, including an overtime victory against Duke. The Tar Heels then dropped their first conference game to national runner-up Maryland, 14-13. After another meeting with Maryland in the ACC title game which resulted in a 12-8 loss for Carolina, the Tar Heels weren’t going to allow another defeat at the hands of the Terrapins.

After relatively easy contests in the first three rounds of the NCAA tournament, UNC and Maryland met again for the national championship game. Carolina took the victory in a 13-12 triple overtime contest.

The Tar Heels lose Cannizzaro, but aside from two other seniors, return most of their major playmakers. Inside Lacrosse writer, Danielle Bernstein, says, “I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Tar Heels repeat in 2014.”