Matson, Sholder, Heck Earn All-America Honors

Three Tar Heels have earned NFHCA All-America honors, as announced on Tuesday by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association. Seniors Erin Matson and Meredith Sholder were named to the 16-member first team and freshman Ryleigh Heck was part of the second team.

Matson becomes the first five-time All-America selection in program history, earning first-team honors in all five years of her career. This season she was named Atlantic Coast Conference Offensive Player of the Year for the fifth year in a row and was the NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player as the Tar Heels claimed the 2022 national championship. A forward from Chadds Ford, Pa., Matson led the nation in goals per game and points per game and finished her career as the ACC's all-time leader in goals and points.

Sholder earned first-team honors for the first time in her career after being named to the All-America third team in 2020. She becomes the 41^st Tar Heel named first-team All-America on the 71^st occasion. A midfielder from Alburtis, Pa., she was the 2022 ACC Defensive Player of the Year and was named ACC Tournament MVP as the Tar Heels won their sixth consecutive title. Shoulder, who redshirted the 2019 season after an injury, was a member of all six of those teams.

Heck, the ACC Freshman of the Year, was named second-team All-America after a standout first season in which she earned All-ACC Tournament and All-NCAA Tournament. A forward from North Beach, N.J., she ranked second on the team with 18 goals and two assists for 38 points. She tied for seventh nationally in goals per game and ranked 17^th in points per game.

Heck is one of just two first-year players named to the All-America first or second teams.

As a team, the Tar Heels finished the 2022 season 21-0, winning the program's 10^th NCAA Championship and 25^th ACC Championship.

Players Mentioned

Ryleigh Heck

Erin Matson

Meredith Sholder

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