Feb. 12, 2008

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - After a long off-season, the North Carolina men's lacrosse squad will hit the turf when it counts the most as the Tar Heels open the regular season Saturday in Chapel Hill against Bellarmine. Forty-one lettermen return including the entire starting units save short stick defensive middies Ben Staines and David Ryan who graduated in 2007. This will be Head Coach John Haus' most experienced squad in his eight years as head coach.

Saturday's game will start at 1 p.m. at Fetzer Field but goes head-to-head with the UNC versus Virginia Tech basketball game so fans are urged to park on North Campus and avoid parking lots nd traffic near the Dean Smith Center.

Live stats will be available on TarHeelBlue.com via CSTV Gametracker.

UNC was 10-6 a year ago, a marked improvement from a 4-10 mark in 2006. UNC's NCAA quarterfinal appearance in 2007 was its fourth since 1994. The Tar Heels opened with six wins and seven games and defeated eventual NCAA champion Johns Hopkins for the first time in 13 years.

Carolina starts 2008 No. 10 in the USILA coaches poll.