University of North Carolina Athletics
Friday, December 3
Columbus, Ohio
5 P.M. EST
North Carolina
vs
Tennessee
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Carolina Volleyball Faces Tennessee in First Round of the NCAA Tournament
December 2, 2021 | Volleyball
COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Carolina volleyball team opens postseason play on Friday against Tennessee in the first round of the NCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Tournament. The match will air on ESPN+ at 5 p.m.
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The Tar Heels are making their 19th NCAA Tournament appearance, the first since 2016, and 14th under coach Joe Sagula.Â
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How to Watch: The matchup will be streamed through ESPN+. This is a subscription-based service. Click here to register a new account.Â
The Series:
With a win against Tennessee, the Tar Heels would advance to face either Howard or host Ohio State on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the second round.
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Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
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The Tar Heels are making their 19th NCAA Tournament appearance, the first since 2016, and 14th under coach Joe Sagula.Â
Â
How to Watch: The matchup will be streamed through ESPN+. This is a subscription-based service. Click here to register a new account.Â
The Series:
- Tennessee (19-9, 11-7 SEC) leads the all-time series 9-5 over the Tar Heels (21-8, 10-8 ACC)
- The last meeting between the two schools was Sep. 11, 2009, in Chapel Hill, when the Tar Heels secured a five-set victory over the VolunteersÂ
- Tennessee head coach Eve Rackham Watt is a UNC graduate who played for coach Sagula from 1999-2002
- Rackham Watt is UNC's assist per set career leader (12.58), No. 2 in career assists (5,700) and No. 7 in career digs (1,305)
- Rackham Watt also served as an assistant and assistant head coach for Carolina from 2009-2018
- Rackham Watt was with the Tar Heels when they made their last NCAA Tournament appearance in 2016
- Carolina has advanced past the first round in four of their last five NCAA Tournament appearances, going to the Elite 8 in 2015 and Sweet 16 in 2016
- Senior Amanda Phegley, a transfer from Penn State, is the only Tar Heel on the current roster who has played in the NCAA Tournament (2018, 2019)
- Mabrey Shaffmaster became the program's fifth ACC Freshman of the Year on Monday. She was also named to the ACC All-Freshman team and All-ACC Second Team
- Kaya Merkler and Nia Parker-Robinson were also named to the All-ACC Second Team
- Shaffmaster finished the season with the most kills of any ACC freshman (371). She currently ranks third on UNC's all-time freshman lists for kills and kills-per-set average.Â
- Libero Karenna Wurl finished the season averaging the most digs per set in ACC play in the conference (4.35) and No. 3 in the ACC on the season
- Merkler (.365) and Phelgey (.336) finished the season ranked No. 6 and No. 7 in the ACC in hitting percentage in conference play
- Parker-Robinson (3.84) and Shaffmaster (3.81) finished ranked No. 6 and No. 7 in kills per set on the season in the ACC
- Carolina is 9-4 this season when playing on FridayÂ
With a win against Tennessee, the Tar Heels would advance to face either Howard or host Ohio State on Saturday at 6 p.m. in the second round.
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Stay up to date with Carolina Volleyball by following the Tar Heels on Twitter and Instagram.
Players Mentioned
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