University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: NATE SKVORETZ
Heck Wins NFHCA South Region Player Of The Year For Third Straight Season
December 11, 2025 | Field Hockey
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Senior forward Ryleigh Heck has been named the South Region Player of the Year by the National Field Hockey Coaches Association (NFHCA), her third year in a row receiving the honor.
Heck wrapped up a phenomenal career in Carolina blue with her most productive season, scoring a career-high 19 goals and adding 13 assists to lead the ACC's most potent offense in 2025. Her goals tally put her at 65 in her career, giving her the seventh most in program history.
She joins her head coach Erin Matson as the only Tar Heels to have won the award three times. In fact, they are the only two to have won it more than once. Heck is the first in the program's history to claim the honor in three straight seasons.
It is another trophy in the Heck cabinet that already included two national championships, four ACC titles, a Honda Award, and many more. In the 2025 season, she captained her squad to a final four run and an ACC Championship while earning All-ACC first team and All-Region honors.
Heck, along with the other regional winners, is now in the running for the NFHCA National Player of the Year distinction, which is scheduled to be announced on Dec. 18.
Heck wrapped up a phenomenal career in Carolina blue with her most productive season, scoring a career-high 19 goals and adding 13 assists to lead the ACC's most potent offense in 2025. Her goals tally put her at 65 in her career, giving her the seventh most in program history.
She joins her head coach Erin Matson as the only Tar Heels to have won the award three times. In fact, they are the only two to have won it more than once. Heck is the first in the program's history to claim the honor in three straight seasons.
It is another trophy in the Heck cabinet that already included two national championships, four ACC titles, a Honda Award, and many more. In the 2025 season, she captained her squad to a final four run and an ACC Championship while earning All-ACC first team and All-Region honors.
Heck, along with the other regional winners, is now in the running for the NFHCA National Player of the Year distinction, which is scheduled to be announced on Dec. 18.
Players Mentioned
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