Tar Heels Open Season Hosting Carolina Nike Classic

Thursday, August 22

Chapel Hill, N.C

6:30 p.m.

North Carolina

Indiana

Carolina plays its first game in its new stadium Thursday at 6:30 p.m. versus Indiana.

August 20, 2019 | Women's Soccer

Live Stats Game Notes Package (PDF)2019 Media Guide (PDF)Purchase Tickets Parking Information

UNC plays Indiana Thursday, Duke Sunday.

By: Dave Lohse

COMPLETE GAME NOTES FOR INDIANA & DUKE GAMES (PDF)

2019 UNC WOMEN'S SOCCER MEDIA GUIDE (PDF)

TAR HEELS OPEN 2019 SEASON IN NEW UNC SOCCER STADIUM THIS WEEK: The University of North Carolina opens its 2019 women's soccer season this weekend at the new UNC Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium by hosting the Carolina Nike Classic.
The game will be played as part of the annual Carolina Nike Classic at UNC. There will be two games both Thursday and Sunday and all four games this weekend will be televised nationally on ACC Network Extra. On Thursday, Duke will play La Salle at 4 p.m. and North Carolina will play Indiana at 6:30 p.m. On Sunday, La Salle will play North Florida at 12 Noon and North Carolina will play Duke at 6 p.m. The Tar Heels were 21-4-2 overall last year and won the ACC regular-season championship with a 10-0 mark. UNC is ranked #2 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches organization poll and #3 in the preseason Top Drawer Soccer poll. Indiana was 8-8-2 last year. The Hoosiers are under the leadership of first year head coach Erwin van Bennekom. Duke was 16-4-2 a year ago under the leadership of long-time head coach Robbie Church. The Blue Devils are #8 in the preseason United Soccer Coaches Association poll and ranked #17 in the preseason Top Drawer Soccer poll.

TICKETS: UNC opens its brand spanking new UNC Soccer & Lacrosse Stadium this weekend. The natural grass field and new stadium structure features a seating capacity of 4,200 fans.
Tickets are now on sale at the GoHeels.com Ticket Center.

On game days, tickets will be on sale at the stadium main gate adjacent to the front entrance of Carmichael Arena. Game day sales will also be available at the Stadium drive pedestrian walkway adjacent to Carmichael Dorm. Season tickets are on sale now at a price of $68 for reserved seats and $34 for general admission seats. Individual game tickets are available both days at $10 for reserved seats and $5 for general admission. Tickets will serve as entry to both games on each day.

PARKING INFORMATION: UNC Parking & Transportation has created a website to assist Carolina soccer fans to find the easiest and best available parking options for game day parking, always a concern at Carolina. Fans are encouraged to check out these options in advance so they are aware of options, INCLUDING some first-ever pre-pay options at certain lots.
CHECK OUT PARKING OPTIONS FOR CAROLINA SOCCER AT THIS LINK

GAME PROMOTIONS: Tar Heel women's soccer fans can look forward to the following game promotions on Thursday and Sunday. There will be a lot of exciting promotions and giveaways going on both days.
Thursday, 8/22 vs. Indiana
PREGAME
•Schedule poster and schedule cards at Marketing Table (located at main concourse by press box)
•Carolina Fever in attendance
•Academic All-Stars table
•Tar Heel Alley, open pre-game
•Cornhole & yard games, Academic All-Stars, Tar Heel Soccer Club activities
Sunday, 8/25 vs. Duke
PREGAME
•Free shirts to the first 1,000 fans with canned food donation (available at main entryways) - a canned food donation is required to be given the women's soccer commemorative T-shirt
•Schedule poster and schedule cards at marketing table (main concourse by press box)
•Carolina Fever in attendance
• Academic All-Stars table
•Tar Heel Alley, open pre-game
*Live Rameses in attendance (location TBD)
•Costumed Rameses and/or RJ should be in attendance
HALFTIME
•Honoring Tar Heel Women's Soccer Alumni
POSTGAME
•Autograph session with 2019 team + alumni in attendance

TAR HEELS TABBED TO REPEAT AS ACC REGULAR SEASON CHAMPIONS: The University of North Carolina women's soccer team has been chosen as the preseason favorite to win the 2019 Atlantic Coast Conference regular season title in a vote of the league's 14 head coaches announced August 8.
Coach Anson Dorrance's Tar Heels received six first place votes and 188 total points in the voting. Florida State, which won last year's ACC Tournament, was picked on eight first place ballots and had 185 points overall.
The remainder of the standings have Virginia in third with 163 points, Duke in fourth with 155 points, Clemson in fifth with 121 points, NC State in sixth with 109 points, Wake Forest in seventh with 106 points, Louisville in eighth with 99 points, Notre Dame in ninth with 88 points, Boston College in 10th with 87 points, Virginia Tech in 11th with 85 points, Miami in 12th with 39 points, Pittsburgh in 13th with 29 points and Syracuse in 14th with 16 points.
The 11-player preseason All-Atlantic Coast Conference Team includes a trio of Tar Heels – junior defender Emily Fox, junior forward Alessio Russo and sophomore midfielder Brianna Pinto. The preseason All-ACC Team also includes Clemson junior forward Mariana Speckmaier, Florida State redshirt junior defender Malia Berkely, Florida State senior forward Deyna Castellanos, Florida State sophomore midfielder Jaelin Howell, Florida State sophomore midfielder Yujie Zhao, Louisville junior midfielder Emina Ekic and Virginia Tech senior goalkeeper Mandy McGlynn.

TAR HEELS CHECK IN AT NO. 2 IN UNITED SOCCER COACHES POLL: The University of North Carolina women's soccer program has earned the No. 2 spot in the opening poll of the 2019 season sponsored by United Soccer Coaches (formerly National Soccer Coaches Association of America). The poll was released on August 6.
The Tar Heels trail only defending NCAA champion Florida State in the preseason poll ranking 25 teams. Two other ACC teams are ranked in the Top 10 with Duke at #8 and Virginia at #9. Three other ACC teams are ranked between 20th and 25th in the poll.
United Soccer Coaches NCAA Division I Women's Preseason Poll
August 6, 2019
Rank, School, 1st Place Votes, Total Points, W-L-T
1. Florida State, 33, 870, 1, 20-4-3
2. North Carolina, 0, 821, 2, 21-4-2
3. Stanford, 1, 808, 2, 21-1-2
4. UCLA, 0, 748, 5, 17-3-2
5. Southern California, 0, 700, 6-17-2-3
6. Penn State, 1, 678, 8, 18-9-1
7. Georgetown, 0, 676, 4, 21-1-3
8. Duke, 0, 619, 10, 16-4-2
9. Virginia, 0, 571, 11, 16-5-1
10. Tennessee, 0, 501, 7, 16-3-3
11. West Virginia, 0, 482, 14, 15-4-4
12. Texas A&M, 0, 477, 13, 17-5-1
13. Santa Clara, 0, 447, 12, 17-3-2
14. Baylor, 0, 417, 9, 20-6-0
15. South Carolina, 0, 383, 17, 14-6-1
16. Wisconsin, 0, 283, 15, 14-4-4
17. Vanderbilt, 0, 274, 16, 16-4-1
18. South Florida, 0, 188, 19, 14-4-0
19. Texas, 0, 180, 20, 13-5-3
20. Memphis, 0, 142, 23, 17-4-0
21. NC State, 0, 140, 22, 11-7-4
22. Texas Tech, 0, 102, 24, 14-5-3
23. Wake Forest, 0, 100, 25, 9-9-2
24. LSU, 0, 78, 18, 13-7-4
25. Virginia Tech, 0, 76, 21, 11-8-3
The Tar Heels were ranked No. 3 in the preseason poll released by Top Drawer Soccer on August 6.

THREE TAR HEELS NAMED TO 2019 HERMANN TROPHY WATCH LIST: A trio of returnees from the University of North Carolina's 2018 NCAA Tournament runnerup team have been named to the 2019 Women's Missouri Athletic Club Hermann Trophy Watch List presented by World Wide Technology.
A total of 61 collegiate players nationwide were named to the list by United Soccer Coaches and the Missouri Athletic Club. Tar Heels on the list are junior forward Alessia Russo of Kent, England, junior midfielder Taylor Otto of Apex, N.C. and sophomore midfielder Brianna Pinto of Durham, N.C.
The Watch List was announced on Thursday. Fifteen semifinalists will be announced by United Soccer Coaches on December 3. Three finalists will be identified on December 13. On January 10, 2020, the Hermann Trophy winner will be announced at the Hermann Trophy Press Conference and Awards Banquet to be held at the Missouri Athletic Club in Saint Louis.
Russo was a semifinalist for the award last year. She was a first-team United Soccer Coaches All-America at forward, first-team All-ACC and the 2018 ACC Offensive Player of the Year. Despite having her 2018 season cut short by a torn ACL suffered in the final regular season game, Russo played in 14 games last season and was Carolina's third-leading scorer with 16 point. She shared the team lead in both goals scored with six and game-winning goals with four. She also had four assists.
Otto was a first-team All-ACC selection in 2018 and was named third-team All-America by United Soccer Coaches. She started all 27 games for UNC and had five goals and six assists for 16 points. She tied for third on the team in scoring with 16 points, sharing that spot on the scoring column with Russo.
Pinto was a first-team freshman All-America as named by Top Drawer Soccer. The Durham native was also a first-team All-ACC selection. Pinto played in 26 games, starting 25 times. She was Carolina's second-leading scorer with 20 points. She was second on the squad in assists with eight and she shared the team lead in goals scored with Russo and Julia Ashley with six.