USA Profile: Marcus Holman
Position: Attack
College: University of North Carolina
Professional: Ohio Machine
Marcus Holman has played a role in transforming North Carolina back into a national power. Even though his career didn’t end the way he wanted, he still has the ability to improve on his game and win a medal that every few have the opportunity to play for during their career.
Holman came to Chapel Hill as a highly recruited attackman from one of the nation’s elite programs at the Gilman School in Baltimore. At Gilman, his team earned the number one ranking in the nation and he captained the squad during that same year. His team won the coveted championship his senior year before he left Baltimore for Chapel Hill.
Upon his arrival in the Tar Heel state, Holman needed to be on the field according to his coaches. His offensive capabilities would be on display as he earned the ACC Rookie of the Year Award, playing in each of the sixteen games his team played that season. Ending it with twenty-two goals and nine assists was an excellent show of his abilities, even though he played a hybrid of midfield and attack that season. The Tar Heels ended the season against their rival Duke in the NCAA quarters. His best was against Maryland where he went four for five on shooting in their upset win.
His sophomore season would be another showcase of his abilities as he played in fourteen games for the Heels. Holman earned Honorable Mention All American honors continuing his dual role as a midfielder and attackman. He led the midfield in scoring with twenty-three goals and five assists, as he was a threat to score wherever he was positioned on the field. Holman also helped the Heels read a place they hadn’t been in nearly twenty years, as they reached the National Semi Final. Carolina was on the rise and it was largely due to the talents of Marcus Holman and what he did for his team.
Moving back to his more natural position of attack, Marcus Holman had a break out year. He scored seventy-four points on the season on thirty-nine goals and thirty-five assists. Homan was honored as a Second Team All American for his performance. He became a household name in the game and people tuned into the game more than ever to see what he was going to do game time. In a two game span to end the season, he totaled eighteen points and scored six goals in each of the games. Coaches had to focus on his ability to stop the Heels going into his senior season in Chapel Hill.
His senior year he was saving his best for last. Holman was a finalist for the Tewaaraton Trophy as National Player of the Year. As ended the season as a nominee for the Lowe’s Senior Class Award, a First Team All American, and the 12th draft pick in the Major League Lacrosse Draft. His Heels played in an epic game against Denver, in which Eric Law got the best of UNC in the end. His team was on the brink of playing on the final day of the season and Marcus helped resurrect a program that had been dormant in that ACC for years. His team won the ACC Title that season, a feat that was hard to believe since his early days in the league where the Tar Heels struggled to even win one game a year. Against Duke he had six points with four goals and against Virginia he had five assists. He was impressive against the best competition in the nation.
As he entered the professional ranks, Holman picked up where he left off. He scored twenty points in ten games, ranking second in assists with eleven. His game continues to excel and he is someone that the crowd enjoys to watch play. He works tirelessly on the field and plays with a confident style that people notice whenever he has possession of the ball. Holman will likely be a corner stone of the Ohio franchise as they try to ascend to the top of the professional ranks, alongside players like Steele Stanwick.
An Under All American in high school turned First Team All American in college, and now a member of the most elite team in the United States National Lacrosse Team. This summer in Denver, Holman has the ability to showcase his talents in front of the world stage. He can add one more award to his mantle with the United States and in doing so likely cement place in the history of lacrosse as he is one of the youngest on the roster.
