Owen Duffy is an American college lacrosse player who plays as an attacker for the University of North Carolina (UNC). After being named the USA Lacrosse Player of the Year in high school, he established himself as a key part of the Tar Heels’ offense, earning three consecutive All-ACC selections and becoming a finalist for the Tewaaraton Award in 2026.
His collegiate record includes 54 points in his debut season (2024) and 71 points during his junior season (2026). His international experience included a place on the United States squad at the 2025 Men’s U20 World Championship, where he supplied seven assists in a match against the Haudenosaunee.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full name | Owen Duffy |
| Hometown | East Quogue, New York |
| Sport | Lacrosse |
| Position | Attackman |
| University | University of North Carolina |
| High school | St. Anthony’s High School |
| Jersey number | 8 |
| Major recognition | 2026 Tewaaraton Award finalist |
Who Is Owen Duffy in College Lacrosse?
Duffy is a member of the North Carolina Tar Heels men’s lacrosse team. Originally from East Quogue, New York, he attended St. Anthony’s High School in Melville before beginning his collegiate career in 2024. He wears number 8 and is listed as a senior on the UNC roster for the 2027 season.
His first three collegiate seasons earned him both conference and national recognition. He was named ACC Rookie of the Year in 2024 and received All-ACC honors in 2024, 2025, and 2026. His junior season culminated in his selection to the USILA All-America First Team and his inclusion as one of the five male finalists for the Tewaaraton Award.
How His St. Anthony’s Success Led to North Carolina
At St. Anthony’s High School, Duffy had already developed a strong scoring record before beginning his college career. During his final season in 2023, he recorded 43 goals and 35 assists, totaling 78 points in 13 games.
St. Anthony’s finished that season with a 12–1 record and secured its third consecutive CHSAA championship. His 2023 season earned him two individual distinctions: USA Lacrosse High School Boys’ Player of the Year and Newsday’s Long Island Player of the Year.
He was also among the nationally ranked recruits in his class, although published recruiting lists placed him in varying positions.
North Carolina became Duffy’s preferred destination, even though several players he had known at St. Anthony’s went on to join Duke University. In a 2023 interview with USA Lacrosse Magazine, Duffy explained that UNC was the ideal choice for him and noted that his former teammates supported his decision.
After receiving his national high school award, he also acknowledged the contributions of his teammates, coaches, and supporters. These statements marked his transition from a successful high school program to collegiate lacrosse.
His breakout as a freshman and offensive development at UNC
Across his 12 starts as a UNC freshman in 2024, Duffy accumulated 54 points through 32 goals and 22 assists.
His goals total equalled North Carolina’s single-season freshman record, while his overall points total ranked second among freshman seasons in programme history at the time. He received ACC Freshman of the Year honours and was selected to the All-ACC team. He also appeared among the honourable mentions in the 2024 All-America selections issued by the United States Intercollegiate Lacrosse Association (USILA).
During his sophomore campaign in 2025, Duffy remained an important contributor to North Carolina’s attack. Official UNC season statistics record 34 goals and 27 assists in 15 starts, totaling 61 points.
One of his standout performances came against Jacksonville on March 16, 2025, when he scored six goals and provided two assists. That performance earned him ACC Offensive Player of the Week honors. Subsequently, he was named to the All-ACC team for the second time and received All-America third-team honors.
In contrast, an August 2025 USA Lacrosse report lists his totals for that season as 40 goals and 39 assists. The publications do not explain the discrepancy.
By his third season, in 2026, Duffy’s offensive output had shifted notably. He finished with 31 goals and 40 assists in 17 starts, leading North Carolina in both assists and total points.
His three completed collegiate seasons illustrate this evolution:
| Season | Games | Goals | Assists | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 12 | 32 | 22 | 54 |
| 2025 | 15 | 34 | 27 | 61 |
| 2026 | 17 | 31 | 40 | 71 |
Although his goals total remained relatively consistent, his assists increased each season, from 22 as a freshman to 40 as a junior.
Representing the United States at the 2025 U20 World Championship
In 2025, Duffy joined the United States men’s U20 national team for the World Lacrosse Men’s U20 Championship in South Korea.
His selection for the team held personal significance for him. Speaking to USA Lacrosse Magazine during the tournament, he described the experience of representing the United States as something he had dreamed of since childhood.
His participation in the tournament included a hard-fought opening match against Canada on August 16, 2025. Three of the United States’ seven goals against Canada came from Duffy in the 7–6 win.
The match was also marked by an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty involving Duffy. Speaking with USA Lacrosse Magazine afterwards, Duffy accepted responsibility for his actions and acknowledged that wearing the national-team jersey called for greater discipline.
A day later, in the game against Haudenosaunee, he contributed seven assists to the United States’ 14–3 victory. It was a performance focused primarily on creating opportunities for his teammates rather than seeking to score himself.
His versatility was also highlighted by Connor Buczek, the offensive coordinator for the U.S. U-20 team, who praised his ability to play various attacking roles, including directing possession from behind the goal.
The Americans reached the title match on August 24, 2025, with Canada awaiting them in the final. Canada won the match 6–5, leaving the Americans as runners-up.
Why Duffy was a Tewaaraton Award finalist in 2026
The 2026 college season earned Duffy the highest individual national honor he had received up to that point.
In 17 games with North Carolina, he recorded 31 goals and 40 assists, totaling 71 points. Duffy topped UNC’s 2026 offensive statistics with 40 assists and 71 points, while his 31 goals placed him second among the team’s scorers.
Several performances contributed to these figures. Against Harvard on March 29, 2026, Duffy added seven goals to his season tally. During the ACC tournament semifinal against Syracuse on May 1, he recorded six assists.
On May 5, 2026, the Tewaaraton Foundation announced Duffy as one of the five male finalists for its annual award, which recognizes the most outstanding college lacrosse players. He became the fourth male player from UNC to achieve finalist status.
The other finalists were Willem Firth, Nate Kabiri, Shawn Lyght, and Joey Spallina. Later that month, Duffy was named to the USILA All-America First Team, an honor announced on May 21. This recognition followed his honorable mention in 2024 and his selection to the third team in 2025.
His third consecutive All-ACC selection once again confirmed his consistent performance at the conference level.
Although Duffy reached the final five, the 2026 Tewaaraton Award honour ultimately went to Notre Dame’s Shawn Lyght on May 28, 2026.
His postseason participation was also interrupted by an injury. A lower-body injury kept him out of UNC’s NCAA tournament opener against UAlbany on May 9, though he subsequently played in the NCAA quarterfinal match against Syracuse on May 16.
Involvement with Team IMPACT and academic achievements
Beyond competition, Duffy has worked with Team IMPACT through the North Carolina Athletics program. Through Team IMPACT, children living with serious medical conditions or disabilities are paired with university sports teams and included in their activities.
Through this program, Duffy formed a bond with Noah Clifton and his family. Grant Pierce, another member of UNC’s men’s lacrosse team, joined Duffy in taking part in the programme.
In spring 2025, Duffy, Pierce and Clifton received Team IMPACT‘s Teammates of the Year recognition.
North Carolina Athletics later featured their involvement in articles published in December 2025. Speaking about the experience, Duffy described the connection with Clifton and his family as personally meaningful.
Duffy’s college record also includes academic recognition. UNC lists him on the All-ACC Academic Team and ACC Academic Honor Roll for 2024, 2025, and 2026.