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

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