On the heels of the program’s 23rd national championship in 2024, the UNC women’s soccer team has been voted No. 1 in the first rankings of 2025. The Tar Heels swept all eight first-place votes in the United Soccer Coaches poll, which was released Thursday.
UNC sits atop an ACC logjam at the top of the rankings. Just behind the Tar Heels are No. 2 Notre Dame, No. 3 Florida State and No. 4 Duke. Stanford checks in at No. 7, while 2024 national runners-up Wake Forest sit at No. 10. Also representing the ACC are No. 14 Virginia Tech and No. 15 Virginia. For a full look at the poll, click here.
The Tar Heels are coming off a 22-5 season in 2024 and return several key players from that championship-winning side. Reigning Hermann and Honda Sport Award winner Kate Faasse returns to the roster, as does 2024 NCAA College Cup Most Outstanding Offensive Player Olivia Thomas, who scored the game-winning goal in the national championship match. ACC All-Freshman honorees Linda Ullmark and Bella Gaetino also return.
The 2025 season will be the program’s first with Damon Nahas as the full-time head coach. Nahas coached the 2024 season with an interim tag after the retirement of longtime head coach Anson Dorrance just days before the start of the season.
UNC opens its 2025 season with a pair of exhibition matches at Dorrance Field. UNC-Wilmington visits on August 6 and Wake Forest visits on August 9. The season officially begins when the Tar Heels travel to Tennessee on August 14. For a full look at UNC’s 2025 schedule, click here.
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications/Anthony Sorbellini
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
Related Stories
‹
UNC Sports: Women's Soccer Wins; Men's Soccer, Field Hockey Both LoseIt was a busy weekend across the UNC sports spectrum, as both soccer teams and the field hockey team were in action late Saturday and early Sunday. The women’s soccer team continued its hot streak with a blowout win, while the men’s soccer and field hockey teams each suffered conference losses. The men’s team took […]
Second-Half Comeback Helps UNC Women's Soccer Beat No. 2 Duke in Chapel HillIn front of the second-largest crowd in program history, UNC scored three unanswered goals in the second half to overcome a 2-1 deficit and beat No. 2 Duke 4-2 at Dorrance Field Thursday night. It was the Blue Devils’ first loss of the season and the Tar Heels’ first win of the season against a […]
This Week in UNC Sports: September 14-20, 2026The upcoming week offers several high-caliber matchups for multiple UNC teams both at home and on the road.
UNC Women's Soccer Locks Down Cal, Wins ACC OpenerUNC held visiting Cal without a single shot on target Thursday night at Dorrance Field, and the Tar Heels cruised to a 3-0 win in their first ACC match of the season. Only way to start ACC play 👏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/kHB8FgH2pT — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 11, 2026 Carolina took the lead inside […]
UNC Soccer: Women Win at Arizona State, Men Draw at CalBoth the UNC men’s and women’s soccer teams were playing out west Sunday. The women used a penalty kick goal to beat Arizona State 1-0 in Tempe, while the men battled to a 2-2 draw against Cal in Berkeley. On the women’s side, the Tar Heels and Sun Devils combined for just seven total shots […]
UNC Women's Soccer Beats Arizona in First Game of Western TripA pair of second half goals from Summer Denigan and Bella Devey helped UNC beat Arizona 2-1 in Tucson Thursday night. Found a way 👏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/iLokMXQPye — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) September 4, 2026 The two teams went into halftime tied at 0-0 despite UNC controlling most of the chances. The Tar Heels […]
UNC Women's Soccer Beats Irish Professional Side in Dublin ExhibitionThe UNC women’s soccer team got the Tar Heels’ visit to Dublin, Ireland off on the right foot. Carolina defeated Irish professional side Shelbourne F.C. 3-0 in an exhibition match at Tolka Park Friday. The match was played in conjunction with the football team’s game against TCU in the Aer Lingus College Football Classic […]
UNC Women's Soccer Suffers First Loss of 2026 vs. No. 5 Michigan StateDespite outshooting No. 5 Michigan State 21-7, UNC fell to the Spartans 3-2 Sunday at Dorrance Field. It’s Carolina’s first loss of the 2026 season. The Spartans took the lead midway through the first half on a goal by Kennedy Bell, but UNC’s Summer Denigan answered less than three minutes later to tie the score […]
UNC Soccer: Women Beat Arkansas, Men Draw at No. 5 GeorgetownBoth UNC soccer teams earned quality results on the road Thursday night, as the men drew at No. 5 Georgetown and the women won 2-0 at Arkansas. On the men’s side, the Tar Heels took an early advantage in the season opener after Rutgers transfer Joschi Schelb headed in a cross from Luca Nikolai for […]
UNC Women's Soccer Scores Most Goals Since 2019 in Win vs. QuinnipiacUNC’s Bella Devey recorded a hat trick in less than 15 minutes to help the Tar Heels on their way to an 8-0 win against Quinnipiac at Dorrance Field Sunday. The eight goals are Carolina’s most in a single match since 2019. Heels are 𝙧𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜 👏#GoHeels x @WellsFargo pic.twitter.com/hHYDCWkCjK — UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) August […]
›
