UNC field hockey head coach Karen Shelton has been named the South Region Coach of the Year.

The National Field Hockey Coaches of America announced the regional selections on Wednesday.

Shelton finished up her 35th year leading the Carolina field hockey team this season.

The 2015 Tar Heel field hockey team finished 21-3 on the season, winning the Atlantic Coast Conference Championship and finishing as the NCAA runner-up.

UNC made a record 32nd NCAA Tournament appearance this year and its seventh consecutive trip to the final four, according to the university.

Shelton accumulated her 600th coaching win of her career on October 18 of this season, becoming only the second Division I coach to cross that mark.

Other regional coaches of the year are Maryland’s Missy Meharg for the Mid-Atlantic Region, Syracuse’s Ange Bradley for the Mideast Region, Maine’s Josette Babineau for the Northeast Region and Michigan’s Marcia Pankratz for the West Region.

The National Coach of the Year will be announced on January 8.

Related Stories
‹
UNC Field Hockey Commit Apologizes for Use of Racial Slur
A UNC field hockey commit who was caught using a racial slur in a viral video has issued an apology through her father’s Facebook account. Charlotte de Vries was one of two girls shown using the N-word in a video posted to Twitter earlier this month. The video was posted by an individual who said […]
UNC Field Hockey Commit Allegedly Uses Racial Slur
The future of a UNC field hockey commit is in question after a video surfaced late last week which allegedly shows the Pennsylvania high school student using a racial slur. A video was posted to Twitter last Tuesday by an individual with the username @_kayren. The user posted the video – which had been livestreamed […]
UNC Field Hockey Places 5 on Academic All-ACC Team
Five UNC field hockey student-athletes have been named to the 2015 All-Atlantic Coast Conference Academic team, which was announced Monday. Seniors Casey Di Nardo, Nina Notman and Emily Wold were joined by sophomore Sam Night and freshman Malin Evert representing the Tar Heels. Wold was one of two members of the All-Academic team to make […]
This Week in UNC Sports: October 19-25, 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. October will roll on with another very busy week of Tar Heel sports. […]
UNC Sports: Field Hockey Wins; Volleyball, Women's Soccer Both Lose On the Road
Several UNC women’s sports programs were in action Sunday. The field hockey team earned a ranked win at home, while the volleyball team and the top-ranked women’s soccer team both fell on the road to highly-ranked foes. In field hockey, a late goal from Charly Bruder broke a 1-1 tie with No. 13 Syracuse and […]
UNC Sports: Field Hockey, Men's Soccer, Volleyball All Earn ACC Wins
It was a successful Friday evening for multiple UNC sports teams, as the field hockey, men’s soccer and volleyball squads each earned big wins in ACC action. In field hockey, the Tar Heels returned home to Karen Shelton Stadium for the first time in almost a month and celebrated the occasion with a 4-0 win […]
The Morning News: Election Approaching, Stolen Car Crashing - New Cradle Opening?
Get-out-the-vote efforts are underway for the 2026 election - including a concert at the site Cat's Cradle is developing as a third venue.
This Week in UNC Sports: October 12-18
More and more of UNC's winter sports are beginning their seasons as we hit the middle of October, and "crossover season" is upon us.
UNC Sports: Field Hockey Loses at No. 17 Liberty, Volleyball Sweeps Virginia Weekend
Both the UNC field hockey and volleyball teams were in action in the state of Virginia over the weekend. The field hockey team couldn’t follow up a blowout win at Saint Joseph’s Friday with a win at No. 17 Liberty Sunday, falling to the Flames 2-1. The volleyball team, meanwhile, earned two resounding wins at […]
Second-Half Explosion Helps UNC Field Hockey Win at Saint Joseph's
UNC scored six goals in the third quarter to blow the game open at Saint Joseph’s Friday afternoon in Philadelphia, and the Tar Heels won 8-0 for their fourth consecutive victory. It's always sunny when the Heels win ☀️#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/k44jy2Djq3 — Carolina Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) October 9, 2026 Carolina controlled possession and all […]
›