The UNC field hockey team once again finds itself in a familiar place, as the Tar Heels were named the top overall seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row.

This year’s tournament will feature just 12 teams due to the pandemic, which also forced the event to be played in the spring instead of the fall.

UNC has gone 16-1 this season against a schedule filled with only ACC opponents, and earned the league’s automatic bid to the event after defeating Wake Forest 3-2 in double overtime on Friday.

First and Second Round games will be held at both UNC and Penn State, with Chapel Hill’s Karen Shelton Stadium hosting the national semifinals and championship game.

All four top seeds earn byes straight to the quarterfinals, where the Tar Heels will begin play on May 2 against either Miami (Ohio) or Stanford.

“We’re always excited to be part of the tournament field, and especially this year,” UNC head coach Karen Shelton said. “It’s been a challenging year for everyone and we’re grateful to be playing in the tournament and to be hosting here in Chapel Hill.

“Since we’ve only faced ACC teams this year, there’s more uncertainty and less familiarity than usual heading into the tournament,” she added. “So we’ll look forward to seeing the other teams in Friday’s games and preparing to face either Miami or Stanford on Sunday.”

For the full NCAA Field Hockey Tournament bracket, click here.

 

Photo via UNC Athletics

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.

Related Stories
‹
No. 1 UNC Field Hockey Defeats Boston College, Advances to NCAA Championship Game
In a rematch of the ACC Championship game on Friday as part of the NCAA Tournament Semifinals in Winston-Salem, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team defeated Boston College 6-3 to remain undefeated and advance to Sunday’s NCAA Championship Game. Sophomore Erin Matson–the nation’s leading scorer–had four goals for UNC (22-0), while Riley Fulmer and Marissa […]
No. 1 UNC Field Hockey Tops No. 6 Iowa to Remain Undefeated, Advance to 11th Consecutive NCAA Final Four
For the 11th consecutive season, the top-ranked UNC field hockey team will play in the Final Four. Head coach Karen Shelton’s squad defeated No. 6 Iowa 2-1 during Sunday’s NCAA Tournament Quarterfinals in Chapel Hill at the new on-campus stadium named after her, extending the program’s win streak to 44 games overall dating back to […]
No. 1 UNC Blanks Stanford in 1st Round of NCAA Field Hockey Tournament
A convincing 4-0 win over No. 15 Stanford on Friday in Chapel Hill in the first round of the NCAA Field Hockey Tournament has the top-ranked Tar Heels one step closer to repeating as undefeated national champions. Stanford goalie Kelsey Bing is considered one of the best in the entire country–even spending time with the […]
Field Hockey: Top-Ranked UNC Advances to 10th Straight NCAA Final Four After 5-2 Victory Over No. 8 Michigan
A 5-2 victory over the No. 8 Michigan Wolverines on Sunday at Karen Shelton Stadium in Chapel Hill lifted the top-ranked UNC field hockey team to its 10th consecutive NCAA Final Four appearance. The Tar Heels also improved to 21-0 so far in 2018, as they are now just two wins away from capping off […]
UNC Field Hockey Drops Princeton, Heading to Ninth Straight NCAA Final Four
One of the more impressive streaks in all of college sports continued on Sunday afternoon in Charlottesville, Virginia, as the sixth-ranked UNC field hockey team defeated No. 11 Princeton 3-2 to advance to its ninth consective NCAA Final Four–and 22nd in program history. It was a hard-fought back-and-forth affair that saw the teams alternate goals […]
UNC Dominates St. Joseph's to Advance to NCAA Field Hockey Quarterfinals
A pair of goals from Gab Major led the way for the sixth-ranked UNC field hockey team on Saturday, as the Tar Heels cruised to a spot in the NCAA Quarterfinals with a 4-0 victory over No. 15 St. Joseph’s–a program making its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance. Eva Van’t Hoog opened scoring for UNC […]
Tar Heels Upset No. 2 Maryland, Advance to Eighth Straight Field Hockey Final Four
Head coach Karen Shelton said Saturday after the UNC field hockey team’s NCAA First Round victory that she considered her Tar Heels the underdogs heading into their matchup with No. 2 Maryland in the Quarterfinals. Based on the results, though, it’s tough to imagine this Tar Heel team being underdogs against anyone–as No. 4 UNC […]
UNC Shuts Out Stanford, Advances to NCAA Field Hockey Quarterfinals
Much like their women’s soccer counterparts, the UNC field hockey team began its NCAA Tournament with an emphatic shutout victory. The fourth-ranked Tar Heels knocked off the No. 12 Stanford Cardinal 3-0 on Saturday in their first round matchup at Maryland’s Field Hockey and Lacrosse Complex. Just three and a half minutes into the game, […]
Erin Matson Wins Second Consecutive Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey
UNC junior forward Erin Matson earned her second consecutive Honda Sport Award for field hockey on Wednesday, an honor which recognizes the top women’s athletes in the country across 12 different NCAA sports. Matson led the Tar Heels to their third consecutive national championship last month, scoring the overtime game-winner against Michigan in the title […]
UNC Field Hockey Earns Top Overall Seed for NCAA Tournament
The UNC field hockey team once again finds itself in a familiar place, as the Tar Heels were named the top overall seed for the upcoming NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. This year’s tournament will feature just 12 teams due to the pandemic, which also forced the event to be played […]
›