North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey
American college field hockey team
North Carolina Tar Heels
field hockey
UniversityUniversity of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Head coachErin Matson[1] (2nd season)
ConferenceACC
LocationChapel Hill, North Carolina
StadiumKaren Shelton Stadium
(Capacity: 1,000)
NicknameTar Heels
ColorsCarolina blue and white[2]
   
Home
Away
NCAA Tournament championships
1989, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2007, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023
NCAA Tournament runner-up
1987, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 2000, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2016
NCAA Tournament Semifinals
1986, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2000, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022, 2023, 2024
NCAA Tournament appearances
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024
Conference Tournament championships
1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1997, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024

The North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey team represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I field hockey.

History

Players, coaches, and support staff of the 2007 Tar Heels, winners of the Atlantic Coast Conference and NCAA championships, honored by U.S. President George W. Bush at the White House in 2008

Field hockey has been played at the University of North Carolina since the 1940s, but it only became a varsity sport in 1971 when the school was a charter member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). The team won several state AIAW championships and finished second twice in the AIAW Southern Region II tournament before joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the 1982 season.

Stadium

Originally operated as Navy Field, it was redeveloped as a multi-use stadium, Francis E. Henry Stadium, primarily for the use by field hockey. The stadium, with a 1,086 seating capacity, was opened on April 24, 1999. It was heavily renovated in 1999, with a private donation to UNC. The Francis E. Henry Stadium was demolished in 2017.[3]

In August 2018, the Tar Heels inaugurated a new stadium complex dedicated solely to field hockey and named in honor of their head coach, Karen Shelton. Karen Shelton Stadium is a modern 900-seat stadium with additional standing-room space with a total capacity of 1,000. The stadium includes fan amenities (e.g., concessions and restrooms), three-level press and scorers boxes, and LED sport lighting and an LED video scoreboard. The Polytan field surface is considered rare among collegiate field hockey and has been described by USA Field Hockey as "top-of-the-line".[4]

The stadium complex also includes a 10,000 square foot team building with home and visitor locker rooms, an area for team meals and functions, theater, sports medicine space, a players' lounge, meeting space and coaches' offices.[5]

Karen Shelton Stadium has been described by the international field hockey press as the best field hockey facility in the United States and "one of the best facilities anywhere in world hockey".[6]

All-time record

YearHead CoachOverallACCACC TournamentNCAA Tournament
1971Beth Ross0–0–––
1972  Chip Johnson  0–0–––
1973Ann Gregory0–0–––
19744–3–2–––
19754–2–1–––
1976Dolly Hunter4–6–1–––
197713–4–1–––
197818–5–––
197911–5–1–––
19808–7–––
1981Karen Shelton8–9–1–––
198211–8–––
198313–4–32–0ChampionsFirst round
198414–53–0ChampionsFirst round
198513–42–1ChampionsSecond round
198619–33–0ChampionsSemifinals
198719–22–1ChampionsRunner up
198818–23–0ChampionsSecond round
198920–23–0ChampionsChampions
199020–42–1ChampionsRunner up
199115–6–12–1ChampionsRunner up
199214–7–14–0Runner upSemifinals
199316–3–33–1ChampionsRunner up
199421–28–0ChampionsRunner up
199524–08–0ChampionsChampions
199623–18–0ChampionsChampions
199720–33–1ChampionsChampions
199813–82–2SemifinalsSecond round
199916–62–2SemifinalsSecond round
200020–44–0Runner upRunner up
200114–72–2SemifinalsFirst round
20029–13–1Semifinals–
200316–62–2SemifinalsFirst round
200421–24–0ChampionsSecond round
200514–72–3SemifinalsFirst round
200613–91–4SemifinalsFirst round
200724–05–0ChampionsChampions
200814–63–2SemifinalFirst round
200920–24–1First roundChampions
201022–24–1Runner upRunner up
201123–25–0ChampionsRunner up
201223–36–0ChampionsRunner up
201318-63-3Runner upSemifinal
201419–44–2SemifinalSemifinal
201521–34–2ChampionsRunner up
201620–63–3Runner upRunner up
201718–53–3ChampionsSemifinal
201823–06–0ChampionsChampions
201923–06–0ChampionsChampions
202019–19–1ChampionsChampions
202113–74–2ChampionsFirst round
202221–06–0ChampionsChampions
2023Erin Matson18–35–1ChampionsChampions
202420–18–0ChampionsSemifinal

Individual honors

Name  Year(s)  
Honda Award (National Player of the Year)Rachel Dawson2007
Ashley Hoffman2018
Leslie Lyness1989
Erin Matson2019, 2020, 2022
Cindy Werley1996, 1997
NFHCA National Player of the YearKatelyn Falgowski2011
Erin Matson2019, 2020, 2022
First Team All-AmericansPeggy Anthon1990
Kate Barber1995, 1996, 1997
Lori Bruney1986, 1987
Cinda Carpenter1993
Jennifer Clark1990, 1991
Amy Cox1992
Charlotte Craddock2012
Rachel Dawson2004, 2007
Joy Driscoll1995
Maryellen Falcone1986, 1987
Katelyn Falgowski2009, 2011
Jesse Gey2007
Barbara Hansen1994
Ryleigh Heck2022
Amanda Hendry2020
Laurel Hershey1990
Louise Hines1984, 1985
Ashley Hoffman2017, 2018
Judith Jonckheer1985
Kelsey Keeran2003, 2004
Jackie Kintzer2009, 2010
Kelsey Kolojejchick2009, 2010, 2011, 2012
Yentl Leemans2019
Carrie Lingo2001
Leslie Lyness1988, 1989
Erin Matson2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Kristen McCann2000
Nina Notman2015
Nancy Pelligreen1998
  Mary Sentementes  1983, 1984
Kathy Staley1989
Meredith Sholder2022
Peggy Storrar1993
Jana Toepel1998, 1999, 2000
Amy Tran2000
Katy Tran2005
Eva van't Hoog2017, 2018
Caitlin Van Sickle2010, 2011, 2012
Cindy Werley1994, 1996, 1997
Jana Withrow1996, 1997
Emily Wold2013, 2014, 2015
Julia Young2016
Tracey Yurgin1987
ACC Player(s) of the YearKate Barber1995
Amy Cox1992
Rachel Dawson2004, 2007
Barbara Hansen1994
Leslie Lyness1989
Erin Matson2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022
Kristen McCann2000
Caitlin Van Sickle2010, 2011, 2012
Cindy Werley1996, 1997
  National Coach of the Year  Karen Shelton  1994, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022  
ACC Coach of the YearKaren Shelton1986, 1987, 1988, 1999,
1994, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2022

Kit number seven (honoring Leslie Lyness), number nine (honoring Rachel Dawson) and number thirteen (honoring Cindy Werley) have been retired.

See also

References

Citations

  1. ^ GoHeels.com. "Erin Matson named field hockey head coach". University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
  2. ^ "Primary Identity" (PDF). Carolina Athletics Brand Identity Guidelines. April 20, 2015. Retrieved March 4, 2024.
  3. ^ "Field Hockey Stadium". ramsclub.com. Retrieved 2018-03-24.
  4. ^ "Get to Know FIH Hockey Pro League Venue, Karen Shelton Stadium". USA Field Hockey. Archived from the original on September 27, 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  5. ^ "Karen Shelton Stadium". Ram's Club. Retrieved May 11, 2021.
  6. ^ "North Carolina hockey 'has best facilities in the US'". The Hockey Paper. 28 February 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.

Bibliography

  • Gelin, Dana, ed. (2019). 2019 Carolina Field Hockey Yearbook (PDF). Chapel Hill, North Carolina: UNC Athletic Communications office. Retrieved November 23, 2019.
  • UNC Field Hockey Record Book (PDF). Chapel Hill, North Carolina: UNC Athletic Communications office. 2020. Retrieved May 11, 2021.

Media related to North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey at Wikimedia Commons

  • Official website
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