Crystal Dunn and Emily Fox are Olympic champions.

The pair of UNC women’s soccer alumnae helped the U.S. National Team to a 1-0 victory against Brazil in the gold medal match in Paris on Saturday, completing an unbeaten run through the six matches of the Olympic tournament. It’s the first gold medal for the American women since 2012, and the first gold for either Dunn or Fox.

Dunn and Fox started all six of Team USA’s matches in France, anchoring an American defense which allowed just two total goals — and none in three knockout round victories against Japan, Germany and Brazil. They are the second and third UNC alumnae to win medals at the Paris Games, joining rugby sevens bronze medalist Naya Tapper.

For the 32-year-old Dunn, who graduated from Carolina in 2014, it was her third and likely last Olympics with the U.S. National Team. The Americans failed to medal in the Rio de Janeiro Olympics in 2016 and won bronze at the Tokyo Games in 2021. Fox, who graduated from Carolina in 2021, was making her first Olympic appearance. Both represented the U.S. at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

 

Featured image via Associated Press/Francisco Seco

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