University of North Carolina Athletics
2026 Women's Lacrosse Roster
Jersey Number 17
Kaleigh Harden
- Position:
- Midfielder
- Height:
- 5-6
- Class:
- Junior
- Hometown:
- New Canaan, Conn.
- High School:
- New Canaan
CAREER HONORS
R-SOPHOMORE (2025) – Started all 22 games in the midfield ... Tallied 17 goals, four assists, 63 draw controls, 26 groundballs and 17 caused turnovers ... One goal, one ground ball, one caused turnover, one draw control vs. #18 James Madison in season opener ... Four ground balls, one caused turnover at Liberty ... Six draw controls at #5 Florida ... Four draw controls, one caused turnover, one ground ball vs. #4 Syracuse ... Two goals, two caused turnovers, one ground ball, one draw control at Louisville ... One assist, one caused turnover, two draw controls vs. Temple ... One ground ball, two caused turnovers, four draw controls vs. #14 Virginia ... Five draw controls, two ground balls vs. #9 Clemson ... One ground ball and four draw controls at Virginia Tech ... An assist, three ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls at #3 Northwestern ... One goal, one ground ball, one caused turnover and two ground balls at #20 Notre Dame ... One caused turnover and two draw controls vs. #1 Boston College ... Two goals, two groundballs and three draw controls at ECU ... One goal and a draw control vs. Cal ... Two goals, an assist, two caused turnovers and two draw controls at #10 Duke ... A goal, an assist, two groundballs, two caused turnovers and a draw control vs. Virginia Tech in the ACC Quarters ... One goal, one caused turnover and three draw controls vs. #16 Clemson in the ACC Semis ... Three draw controls vs. #2 Boston College in the ACC Final ... Two goals two groundballs and two draw controls against #14 Clemson in the NCAA Second Round ... Two goals, two groundballs and two draw controls vs. #8 Princeton in the NCAA Quarters ... Two goals, one groundball and six draw controls against #4 Florida in the NCAA Semis ... A groundball and six draw controls vs. #3 Northwestern in the NCAA Championship game.
SOPHOMORE (2024) – Redshirted the 2024 season.
FRESHMAN (2023) – ACC All-Freshman Team … Appeared in all 21 games during her first season in Chapel Hill as a key reserve at midfield … Ranked second on the team with 54 draw controls, fifth with nine caused turnovers, fifth with 15 ground balls and seventh with 14 goals … Scored a goal and had six draw controls vs. #7 Florida on Feb. 18 … Tallied two goals and one assist vs. High Point on March 23 for a career-high three points, also with five draw controls … First career hat trick at Duke on April 20 to match her career-high three points … Had two goals and five draw controls vs. #17 Clemson in the ACC Quarterfinals on April 26 … Set career-highs in caused turnovers (3) and ground balls (3) vs. #2 Syracuse in the ACC Semifinals on April 28 … Career-high eight draw controls vs. #17 Richmond in the NCAA Second Round on May 14 ... Named to the All-ACC Academic Team ... Invited to the 2024 U.S. Women's U20 National Team tryouts in July.
HIGH SCHOOL — All-American … Under Armour All-America game participant … Ranked the No. 13 player in her class by Inside Lacrosse … Named to the U18 USA National Development Team … Attended New Canaan High School and played under head coach Kristin Woods … Had 26 goals, seven assists, 87 draw controls, 25 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls as a freshman … Recorded 26 goals, nine assists, 64 draw controls, 20 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls as a junior … Totaled 43 goals, nine assists, 64 draw controls and 21 caused turnovers as a senior … Did not have a sophomore season due to COVID-19 … Served as team captain … Named Connecticut Player of the Year and Northeast Player of the Year in 2022 … Led her team to state and FCIAC titles during her senior campaign … Also played soccer and ice hockey in high school, serving as team captain for both … Was named the Connecticut Player of the Year in 2022 for ice hockey … Helped her hockey team win the state and FCIAC championships … Also played club lacrosse for Lisa Lindley.
PERSONAL — Kaleigh Elizabeth Harden is the daughter of Keri and Boyd Harden … Father and two uncles played lacrosse at UNC and were All-Americans … Uncle, Graham, captained the 1991 National Championship team and was named National Defender of the Year … Older sister, McKenna, graduated from UNC in 2024 and the sisters played together for two seasons for the Tar Heels … McKenna is currently playing her graduate season at Vanderbilt ... Has a younger brother, Chase … Birthday is March 15 … Undecided on a major … Chose UNC because of the team culture, amazing athletics and the opportunity to compete at a high level.
- 2026 Honorable Mention All-American (USA Lacrosse)
- 2026 Second-Team IWLCA All-South Region
- 2026 ACC All-Tournament Team
- 2026 Third-Team All-ACC
- 2025 All-ACC Academic Team
- 2023 ACC All-Freshman Team
- 2023 All-ACC Academic Team
- 2024 U.S. U20 National Training Team
- Goals: 3 at Duke, 4/20/23
- Assists: 1 (6x), last vs. Ohio St., 2/20/26
- Points: 3 (4x), last at JMU, 2/6/26
- Ground Balls: 4 at Liberty, 2/9/25
- Caused Turnovers: 7 vs. Stanford, 5/14/26
- Draw Controls: 8 (3x), last at Northwestern, 5/4/26
R-SOPHOMORE (2025) – Started all 22 games in the midfield ... Tallied 17 goals, four assists, 63 draw controls, 26 groundballs and 17 caused turnovers ... One goal, one ground ball, one caused turnover, one draw control vs. #18 James Madison in season opener ... Four ground balls, one caused turnover at Liberty ... Six draw controls at #5 Florida ... Four draw controls, one caused turnover, one ground ball vs. #4 Syracuse ... Two goals, two caused turnovers, one ground ball, one draw control at Louisville ... One assist, one caused turnover, two draw controls vs. Temple ... One ground ball, two caused turnovers, four draw controls vs. #14 Virginia ... Five draw controls, two ground balls vs. #9 Clemson ... One ground ball and four draw controls at Virginia Tech ... An assist, three ground balls, two caused turnovers and two draw controls at #3 Northwestern ... One goal, one ground ball, one caused turnover and two ground balls at #20 Notre Dame ... One caused turnover and two draw controls vs. #1 Boston College ... Two goals, two groundballs and three draw controls at ECU ... One goal and a draw control vs. Cal ... Two goals, an assist, two caused turnovers and two draw controls at #10 Duke ... A goal, an assist, two groundballs, two caused turnovers and a draw control vs. Virginia Tech in the ACC Quarters ... One goal, one caused turnover and three draw controls vs. #16 Clemson in the ACC Semis ... Three draw controls vs. #2 Boston College in the ACC Final ... Two goals two groundballs and two draw controls against #14 Clemson in the NCAA Second Round ... Two goals, two groundballs and two draw controls vs. #8 Princeton in the NCAA Quarters ... Two goals, one groundball and six draw controls against #4 Florida in the NCAA Semis ... A groundball and six draw controls vs. #3 Northwestern in the NCAA Championship game.
SOPHOMORE (2024) – Redshirted the 2024 season.
FRESHMAN (2023) – ACC All-Freshman Team … Appeared in all 21 games during her first season in Chapel Hill as a key reserve at midfield … Ranked second on the team with 54 draw controls, fifth with nine caused turnovers, fifth with 15 ground balls and seventh with 14 goals … Scored a goal and had six draw controls vs. #7 Florida on Feb. 18 … Tallied two goals and one assist vs. High Point on March 23 for a career-high three points, also with five draw controls … First career hat trick at Duke on April 20 to match her career-high three points … Had two goals and five draw controls vs. #17 Clemson in the ACC Quarterfinals on April 26 … Set career-highs in caused turnovers (3) and ground balls (3) vs. #2 Syracuse in the ACC Semifinals on April 28 … Career-high eight draw controls vs. #17 Richmond in the NCAA Second Round on May 14 ... Named to the All-ACC Academic Team ... Invited to the 2024 U.S. Women's U20 National Team tryouts in July.
HIGH SCHOOL — All-American … Under Armour All-America game participant … Ranked the No. 13 player in her class by Inside Lacrosse … Named to the U18 USA National Development Team … Attended New Canaan High School and played under head coach Kristin Woods … Had 26 goals, seven assists, 87 draw controls, 25 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls as a freshman … Recorded 26 goals, nine assists, 64 draw controls, 20 caused turnovers and 28 ground balls as a junior … Totaled 43 goals, nine assists, 64 draw controls and 21 caused turnovers as a senior … Did not have a sophomore season due to COVID-19 … Served as team captain … Named Connecticut Player of the Year and Northeast Player of the Year in 2022 … Led her team to state and FCIAC titles during her senior campaign … Also played soccer and ice hockey in high school, serving as team captain for both … Was named the Connecticut Player of the Year in 2022 for ice hockey … Helped her hockey team win the state and FCIAC championships … Also played club lacrosse for Lisa Lindley.
PERSONAL — Kaleigh Elizabeth Harden is the daughter of Keri and Boyd Harden … Father and two uncles played lacrosse at UNC and were All-Americans … Uncle, Graham, captained the 1991 National Championship team and was named National Defender of the Year … Older sister, McKenna, graduated from UNC in 2024 and the sisters played together for two seasons for the Tar Heels … McKenna is currently playing her graduate season at Vanderbilt ... Has a younger brother, Chase … Birthday is March 15 … Undecided on a major … Chose UNC because of the team culture, amazing athletics and the opportunity to compete at a high level.
UNC Baseball: Chapel Hill Regional - Post-ECU Press Conference - May 30, 2026
Sunday, May 31
Chapel Hill Regional - Game 4 - ECU Press Conference
Sunday, May 31
Chapel Hill Regional - Game 3 - Tennessee Press Conference
Saturday, May 30
Chapel Hill Regional - Game 3 - VCU Press Conference
Saturday, May 30
