Brian Balkam

Position:
Goalkeeper
Height:
5-10
Weight:
190
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
St. James, N.Y.
High School:
Smithtown East

General: Returning starter in the goal...had a solid year last year, including a great run in the playoffs helping UNC win the national championship...Coach Breschi says there shouldn’t be anyone more confident coming off of last year...was the part-time starter in goal in 2015...was a tremendous addition to Carolina’s talented collection of goalkeepers in 2014...took a redshirt year as a true freshman while gaining excellent practice time with starter Kieran Burke.
2016 (Redshirt Sophomore): Started 17 of 18 games in goal for Carolina...played 957 minutes...allowed 9.96 goals per game and saved .490 of the 528 shots against him...finished with an 11-6 goalkeeper record...made 153 saves and scooped up 33 ground balls and had three caused turnovers...had double figures in saves eight times including a career high 14 against Virginia and versus Notre Dame in the NCAA quarterfinals...had 12 saves and six goals allowed in win over Richmond...earned ACC co-defensive player of the week honors after making 14 saves and allowing just seven goals against UVA...played last 19 minutes against Notre Dame in regular season, making five saves and allowing just three goals as UNC rallied from five-goal deficit to win...made 14 saves and allowed just nine goals in NCAA quarterfinal win over Notre Dame...had 13 saves in NCAA championship game against Maryland including save in man-down situation less than one minute into overtime...had season-high ground ball totals of five each versus Hofstra and Denver.
2015 (Redshirt Freshman): Won the Jay Gallagher Memorial Award as the team’s outstanding freshman...played in eight games...started the first seven games of the campaign...made 35 saves and allowed 28 goals for a save percentage of .556...finished with a goalkeeper record of 5-0...faced 132 shots in 221 minutes of action...had a season high seven saves twice – against High Point and in the NCAA quarterfinals versus Maryland...in first four games of the season he had 24 saves and allowed 14 goals in 120 minutes of action...had a season high four ground balls in win over High Point...named to ACC Academic Honor Roll...active in Carolina Leadership Academy as a Rising Star.
2014 (Freshman): Did not appear in a game for the Tar Heels…took a redshirt season to retain four years of eligibility…named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll...active in Carolina Leadership Academy as member of CREED.
Prep: Four-year varsity starter in goal at Smithtown High School East...coached in high school by Jason Lambert…in 63 career games, he made 757 saves while allowing just 464 goals and posting a 40-22 record…averag
ed 12.0 saves a game in his career while allowing 7.4 goals per game…had a career save percentage of .620…had his best season as a senior when he had a 14-4 record, .659 save percentage and allowed just 6.6 goals per contest…named U.S. Lacrosse All-America as well as earning All-Long Island first team honors as a senior...starred on four league championship regular season crowns…four-time NY State Scholar Athlete Award recipient…Suffolk County All-Division honoree his sophomore through senior years…was named All-County and was captain of high school team as a junior and senior…was his high school team’s defensive MVP as a junior and overall MVP as a senior...Long Island Under Armour Team...Warrior 40 honoree…member of National Honor Society as well as Italian and business national honor societies...Dean’s List honoree in high school.
Personal: Given name is Brian Michael Balkam…the son of Kevin and Michelle Balkam...has one sister, Alyssa, 25…his father won a NY state lacrosse championship at Sachem High School in 1979 and was an All-America goalie at the NCAA Division III level…born in December 5, 1994 in Saint James, N.Y. …double major in economics and Management & Society...was a Carolina Leadership Academy Rising Star.

Catching Up With Brian Balkam
Section #1: Lacrosse Related
My favorite thing about wearing Carolina Blue is the winning tradition.
I love competing for this incredible coaching staff because they make you feel like family.
My most underrated strength about my lacrosse game is my in-cage positioning.
My best friend on my high school lacrosse team was Peter Triolo and he is now playing at Penn State.
Every high school recruit should dream of becoming a Tar Heel so they can be a part of this family and tradition.
Section #2: Your Interests
An ideal Saturday afternoon in the summer is spent on the Long Island Sound on a jet ski.
My teammate with the best taste in music is Kevin Walker because of the Power Hour mixes.
My favorite professional sports team is the New York Jets.
The best movie I’ve ever seen on a lacrosse bus trip is Shutter Island.
The foreign country I would love to visit most is Italy because my family is from there.
Section #3: Food
My favorite tailgate foods are pulled pork sliders and Arnold Palmers.
My favorite fast food restaurant is Chick-fil-A because it is my life.
Sweet, salty or both? Both. Ever had a chocolate pretzel?
My favorite food made by a relative is my Mom’s chicken and wine sauce.
My favorite Chapel Hill dining spot is Lucha Tigre.
Section #4: Digging into your Personality
If I possessed the gift of time travel, I would go to the 1920s Gatsby Era on the Gold Coast of Long Island.
The person in history I would most want to have dinner with is Donald J. Trump.
In a quarter century I would love to be living on Long Island and working at private equity firm.
The most interesting or fascinating person I’ve met in my time at UNC is Lawrence Naumoff because he is the most creative person.

Brian Balkam’s Career Statistics
Year    GP/GS    MIN    GA    SVS    PCT     SF    GB
2015    8/7    221    28    35    .556    132    9
2016    18/17    957    159    153    .490    528    33
Totals    26/24    1178    187    188    .501    660    42
Career Goals Against Average: 9.52
Career Goalkeeper Record: 16-6
Career Highs: Saves: 14 vs.Virginia, 4-10-2016; 14 vs. Notre Dame, 5-22-2016; Save Percentage: .777 vs. Maryland, 5-17-2015; Ground Balls: 5 vs. Hofstra, 2-20-2016; 5 vs. Denver, 3-5-2016.