The UNC volleyball team is partying like it’s 2016. The Tar Heels received an at-large bid to the NCAA Tournament Sunday night, and will appear in the tournament for the first time in five seasons.

Carolina will face Tennessee in their opening round match. The Volunteers finished this season 19-9 overall and 11-7 in the SEC. Their most notable result of the season is a five-set win over then-No. 9 Baylor, who appeared at No. 7 in the latest national rankings. Tennessee followed that win up with a close 3-2 loss to then-No. 7 Pittsburgh, who defeated Carolina in four sets earlier this season. The Volunteers received votes as the No. 27 team in the country in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association poll.

In an interesting coincidence, Tennessee’s head coach, Eve Rackham Watt, was a player and longtime assistant at UNC under head coach Joe Sagula. Rackham Watt played for Carolina from 1999-2002, and then spent nine seasons on the bench with Sagula in Chapel Hill, and won the AVCA Division I Assistant Coach of the Year award in 2014, when UNC finished 29-3 and reached the Elite Eight. Rackham Watt left Carolina for Tennessee in 2018. It is her first head coaching job in NCAA volleyball.

UNC finished this season 21-8 overall and 10-8 in ACC play, their best mark since the 2016 season in which the team finished 29-4 and reached the Sweet 16. Carolina was undefeated in non-conference matches this season and ended with a sparkling 11-3 record away from Carmichael Arena: 8-3 in true road environments and 3-0 on neutral courts.

UNC and Tennessee will face off in Columbus, OH, on Friday, December 3 at 5 p.m. The two teams are part of the four-team pod hosted by No. 9 national seed Ohio State. The Buckeyes finished the season 25-5 overall and will face Howard in the first round.

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
‹
UNC Volleyball's 2025 Season Ends vs. No. 3 Wisconsin in NCAA Tournament
No. 3 seed Wisconsin swept UNC in three sets in the second round of the NCAA Tournament Friday night in Madison. Carolina’s 2025 season is over. The Badgers dominated the first set and won 25-14, earning an early advantage in the match. But the Tar Heels stayed close in the second, cutting what had been […]
UNC Volleyball Beats No. 6 UTEP in NCAA Tournament 1st Round
UNC rebounded from dropping the first set to beat No. 6 seed UTEP in the first round of the NCAA Tournament in Madison, WI Thursday night. Last four in. Unseeded. Don’t matter. Heels in 4️⃣#GoHeels | @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/y0ZqBT163a — Carolina Volleyball (@UNCVolleyball) December 5, 2025 UNC had a chance to steal the opening set after […]
UNC Volleyball to Face No. 6 UTEP in NCAA Tournament 1st Round
The UNC volleyball team is headed to the NCAA Tournament for a second consecutive season. The Tar Heels will face No. 6 seed UTEP in the tournament’s first round Thursday at 5:30 p.m. Eastern time in Madison, WI. It’s all about the Heels 🫡 pic.twitter.com/7FbGHNaxbw — Carolina Volleyball (@UNCVolleyball) December 1, 2025 The winner of […]
UNC Volleyball Falls in First Round of NCAA Tournament
The UNC volleyball program’s most successful season in five years came to an end Friday night in Columbus, OH, as the Tar Heels fell to Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Volunteers won the first two sets, then put Carolina away in the fourth to seal the match. UNC fought hard […]
The Omaha Diaries, Day 3: The Center of the Universe
In the third edition of The Omaha Diaries, Michael Koh describes the pregame scene outside Charles Schwab Field Friday afternoon.
Who Are the Teams on UNC Baseball's Side of the College World Series Bracket?
The Diamond Heels will play their second game of the Men's College World Series Sunday at 7 p.m. against West Virginia.
UNC Baseball in the 2026 College World Series: How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Start Times
The Diamond Heels will travel to Omaha for their 13th Men's College World Series appearance beginning this weekend.
The Omaha Diaries, Day 2: Autographs
A trip to the College World Series in Omaha brings out the inner kid in us all, even the players on the field.
'Let's Don't Be Happy': UNC Baseball Adopting 'Business Trip' Mentality at College World Series
The Diamond Heels are bringing a businesslike approach to the Men's College World Series in Omaha this weekend.
UNC-USC Most Watched Super Regional Game On Record, ESPN Says
Approximately 1.3 million people watched the Diamond Heels walk off USC at Boshamer Stadium Sunday, according to ESPN.
›