After a busy week last week, we are at a bit of a pause for sports on the calendar. Once play concluded on Sunday, the only action for anyone wearing Carolina Blue is going to be from both tennis squads continuing ITA play until Friday. The football team is also taking their last week off of the season, so while the weeknights will be quiet, you’ll have plenty of other events to occupy your time until football returns.
Let’s take a peek at the UNC sports calendar for the upcoming week:
UNC Men’s and Women’s Tennis
The ITA All-America
Championships continue this week, as both squads compete to win the big fall championship of the collegiate circuit.
- Saturday, 9/19 – Sunday 9/27 — ITA Championships, Tulsa, OK
UNC Swimming & Diving
Yet another team gets their season going, as UNC’s Swimming and Diving team head out on the road to compete in their first meet of the season. You get the feeling that in all of the upgrade talks, one of the big things that could use an upgrade is Koury Natatorium. Right now, Carolina only has three events listed as being housed at Koury, and it seemingly says something they would rather go on the road as much as possible. That includes this week, as they head to Charlotte.
- Friday, 9/25 at Queens University, Charlotte, NC — 11 AM
UNC Women’s Soccer
You want to talk about a massive win, the women’s soccer club earned just that on Thursday against Duke, as they used an explosive second half performance to down the Devils and announce to the college soccer world they will once again be a force to be reckoned with. Duke was just off a huge win themselves, so to kill their momentum and dominate them in the second half was impressive. This week they just have one match as they head north and try to continue their winning ways.
- Friday, 9/25 at Virginia, Charlottesville, VA — 7 PM
UNC Volleyball
The ACC schedule finally begins for the volleyball team after a grueling non-conference schedule that saw them face some of the best teams in the country. They didn’t fare well on their visits to SEC squads and were only able to take one set off of Nebraska, but these are some of the best squads in the country and it was their way of finding out just exactly what they need to do to get to that level. They’ll continue on the road this weekend, but in-state if fans want to follow them.
- Friday, 9/25 at NC State, Raleigh, NC — 7 PM, ACCNX (streaming only)
- Sunday, 9/27 at Wake Forest, Winston-Salem, NC — 4 PM, ACC Network
UNC Field Hockey
This has easily been the toughest season for Erin Matson as they continued their rough start by losing to Virginia on Sunday. Part of the issue for the team is that the roster is in a bit of flux as they await the outcome of a lawsuit that could make three players who many thought graduated last year eligible to play this year. This includes Ryleigh Heck, who would be a massive addition to the squad. The road doesn’t get any easier for the squad as they fly out to California for a pair of Bay Area matches.
- Friday, 9/25 at Stanford, Stanford, CA — 9 PM, ACCNX (streaming only)
- Sunday, 9/27 at Cal, Berkley, CA — 4PM, ACCNX (streaming only)
UNC Cross Country
The first event in Charlottesville went well for the distance runners as both the men and the women managed to take first overall in the team event. They’ll look to continue their the good run as they head up to New Jersey and compete in the Princeton Meadows Challenge.
- Saturday, 9/26 — Princeton Meadows Challenge, Princeton, NJ — 9:30 AM
UNC Women’s Lacrosse
These games may not count, but it’s something that is important for the team as they are able to use the months before the season kicks off in the winter to bond as a team and work in some new players. Jenny Levy’s squad is looking to get back to the national title game again next spring. Note: home games won’t be at their usual spot — instead at the Finley North complex — but will be free for folks to attend
- Saturday, 9/26 vs Duke, Chapel Hill, NC—10 AM
- Saturday, 9/26 vs Richmond, Chapel Hill, NC—12:30 PM
UNC Men’s Soccer
Clemson won in both kinds of football against UNC on Saturday, as the Clemson men’s team came to Chapel Hill and defeated the Tar Heels 2-1. It’s been a rough start in the conference for the Tar Heels as they are still winless, though they do have two draws. They’ll take a break from the ACC for the next week or so before getting back into the rigors of the schedule.
- Saturday, 9/26 vs Lipscomb, Chapel Hill, NC — 7 PM, ACCNX (Streaming only)
