After making a splash in the quarterfinals of last year’s NCAA Tournament, Northwestern is ready to dive back into action on the field.

The Wildcats had their best season in program history in 2004, earning the nation’s third-best win percentage with 15 victories, reaching No. 6 nationally, and being named the American Lacrosse Conference co-champions. The Cats ended their tournament run when eventual national champion Virginia topped them 15-11 the quarterfinals.

Now NU, which returns all but one player, has an opportunity to solidify itself as one of the nation’s top teams. The Cats begin their season Sunday at North Carolina.

“We want to build on last year, but we’re ready for a new year,” goaltender Ashley Gersuk said. “We’re psyched to play and we’re ready to work.”

Inside Lacrosse and Lacrosse Magazine both ranked the Cats pre-season No. 3, behind only Virginia and tournament runner-up Princeton.

The Cats said they’re excited about the high expectations set for their team, but they know they’ll have to work even harder because teams won’t underestimate them.

“We can’t expect to take teams lightly just because of what we did last year,” said coach Kelly Amonte Hiller, who was 2004’s Inside Lacrosse National Coach of the Year. “We’re expecting a battle every time we go out into the field.”

Sunday’s match is the first time the teams have met. The Tar Heels found quick success after being established in 1996. North Carolina made it to the NCAA Final Four in only its second season and has made it there twice since then. The Tar Heels went 9-7 last season.

Reach Courtney McCarty at [email protected].