This Week in UNC Sports: September 7-13, 2026

This series of posts will be made weekly on Chapelboro with a full schedule of UNC sports contests, both in Chapel Hill and elsewhere. Note that game times and broadcast information are subject to change due to inclement weather or other factors.

After two weeks which saw Tar Heel teams playing as far east as Dublin and as far west as California, the first full week of September will give UNC fans plenty of chances to see Carolina in action in Chapel Hill. Among the notable games are the home opener for football and a major matchup on the soccer pitch.

Monday, Sep. 7

The UNC women’s golf team begins its 2026 fall season at the ANNIKA Intercollegiate in Lake Elmo, MN, a three-round event sponsored by Annika Sörenstam, the most decorated female golfer in history. The tournament runs through Wednesday.

Wednesday, Sep. 9

It will be a marquee matchup in the Bluegrass State as the Tar Heel volleyball team travels to Lexington to face No. 3 Kentucky. The Wildcats finished as national runners-up in 2025 and won the 2020 national title. First serve is set for 7 p.m. TV channel: SEC Network

Thursday, Sep. 10

Women’s soccer returns home to Dorrance Field after a long run of travel to both Ireland and Arizona. The Tar Heels begin a four-match homestand by hosting Cal in the ACC opener. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m.

Friday, Sep. 11

The cross country teams will take part in their first event of the fall when they run in the Virginia Invitational in Charlottesville. The start time is set for 8:45 a.m.

Over at the Chewning Tennis Center, the women’s tennis program will host the annual Kitty Harrison Invitational, which starts Friday and runs through Sunday. Elsewhere, some Tar Heels will also be playing in the Milwaukee Tennis Classic in Wisconsin, which also runs through Sunday.

Over at Karen Shelton Stadium, the two winningest field hockey programs of all time will meet up when UNC hosts Old Dominion at 5 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

Finally, the men’s soccer team will face a stiff test when top-ranked Stanford comes to town at 7 p.m. TV channel: ACC Network Extra

Saturday, Sep. 12

The football team will take center stage Saturday for its home opener against East Tennessee State at Kenan Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. Radio broadcast available on 97.9 The Hill. TV channel: ACC Network

Up in the Pacific Northwest, the men’s golf team will begin play in the Sahalee Players Championship, hosted by the University of Washington in Sammamish, WA. The event runs through Sunday.

Sunday, Sep. 13

Field hockey will trade one Virginia opponent for another when it travels up Interstate 95 to face Richmond on the road at 12 p.m. TV channel: ESPN+

The women’s soccer team will continue its homestand when it hosts New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) at 1 p.m.

And in volleyball, the Tar Heels will stay on the road for an exciting showcase match when they face Vanderbilt in New York City at 2 p.m. The match is classified as a home match for the Commodores, who are playing at the Hammerstein Ballroom in Manhattan as part of the “Anchor Down in Midtown” event. It will coincide with the opening of Vanderbilt’s New York City campus.

Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Jerome M. Ibrahim

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