(Photo: LCO/Instagram)

Joe Breschi and the North Carolina Tar Heels continued their strong weekend on Sunday evening as Lake Mary (Fla.) junior midfielder Caden Harshbarger announced his commitment to the Tar Heels. He is the second big time offensive weapon to verbal to UNC this weekend, along with  Culver (Ind.) attackman Luke Macaluso.

What North Carolina is Getting:

Heralded as one of the best overall athletes in the class, Harshbarger has garnered a lot of praise. He is rated as a five-star and ranked as the No. 9 overall player in the class of 2024 by Inside Lacrosse, and was also one of 20 players I pegged as the best from the South of the ’24 cycle. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound righty exhibits ideal DI athleticism, size, and speed on the lacrosse field. Harshbarger not only has those attributes, but also knows how to use them. A uber strong dodger, the middie is often seen having success on righty split dodgers down the alley that allow him to get his hands free and rip off a beautiful shot on the run. While those righty alley dodges may be the bread and butter of Harshbarger’s game, he is no one trick pony. The midfielder has proven to be able to initiate and create plays all over the field. He is also a strong feeder who, especially upon drawing the slide, knows how to find the open teammate for the score. When needed, he has also been a very strong defender and playmaker on the faceoff wings. He is a dual-sport athlete, also playing football for Lake Mary.

What is Means for North Carolina:

Harshbarger joins Culver (Ind.) attackman Luke Macaluso as the second big time offensive playmaker to verbal to the Tar Heels this weekend. Cannon (N.C.) attackman Brevin Wilson is also a member of the Tar Heels’ 2024 class, having verbaled earlier this month. Now having all three in the boat, Joe Breschi’s program positions itself as having one of the best offensive hauls thus far and being one of the clear-cut winners from the first month of the contact period.