By R.L. Bynum

The No. 1-ranked North Carolina field hockey team is once again at the top of the national stage.

For the fourth consecutive year and the seventh time in eight seasons, UNC (19–1) has earned the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. The Tar Heels last week won their ninth consecutive ACC title.

Carolina opens tournament play with a first-round game at noon Friday (ESPN+) at Karen Shelton Stadium against the winner of Wednesday’s 2 p.m. opening-round matchup at Shelton Stadium between Drexel (13–7) and Saint Joseph’s (11–9).

Friday’s game will be the Tar Heels’ 114th NCAA tournament game, an NCAA record. It will be UNC’s record 42nd appearance in the NCAA tournament and its 13th time as the top seed since seeding began in 1997 — more than any other program by a wide margin.

Carolina has won 11 national championships, including 2023 in Erin Matson’s first season as head coach.

Also in the Chapel Hill bracket, Iowa (14–6) and Duke (12–7) will meet at 2:30 p.m., with the winners of the first-round games meeting at noon Sunday for a spot in the national semifinals.

UNC won’t have to leave the Triangle during the tournament, with the Tar Heels hosting early-round games and Duke hosting the national semifinals and the championship game.

Senior forward Ryleigh Heck leads UNC with 17 goals and 13 assists, with senior forward Dani Mendez, a Virginia transfer, contributing 15 goals and 14 assists.