UNC Field Hockey 2026-2027
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, I have enjoyed watching these girls play for a long time. Coach Shelton was phenomenal as a coach, Erin was as good as I have seen as a player. Now, Coach Shelton has retired & a great player is our coach, we will find out a lot about our future this year.Looks like EM secured our first class of ‘32 verbal commitment.
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Going to be interesting to see a Carolina team without the nations best player on the roster. It’s been what, 8 years w Matson/Heck on the field?
I asked her about that in our interview a bit ago and it certainly appears she’s recruited to that same high standard at least
I asked her about that in our interview a bit ago and it certainly appears she’s recruited to that same high standard at least
2 and one is a current assistant coach (Romeo Riccardo Hutchinson)
I ‘know’ you well enough to know this is sarcasm.
Midfielder Lily McClay (U16 WNT member, ranked Top 10 in her class out of CT) is our newest verbal commitment.
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Nice find!
MF from CT: Fairfield Ludlowe HS
Her commitment post:
MaxFH 2028 Top 10
FHCP #11 ranked recruit
2025 MaxFH 3rd Team A-A
USA U-16 Team alumnus
Note that at least 12 if the top 20 2028 players according to FHCP have already committed; this class is moving quickly. Princeton, Mich and tOSU got a quick jump, each landing three of the top 20.
We tend to do well in particular with the WC Eagles Club team, the best club in the USA by far. Matson played for the WC Eagles for almost 9 years (9y.o - 18 y.o) so needless to say she has a pretty strong connection with her former coach Jun Kentwell and business manager Richard Kentwell who founded the club and still run it today.
4 of the top 10 2028 recruits are on the WC Eagles team. Two have committed elsewhere. So hopefully we are feeling good about #1 overall recruit Kendall Longenberger and/or #2 Camilla Lutte? Miss out on both and it will be difficult to land a top 3 2028 recruiting class at this point. That is, unless we/they decide definitively that Reese D'Ariano is now a 2028 recruit. If/when that happens, we are doing great in the 2028 class.
We tend to do well in particular with the WC Eagles Club team, the best club in the USA by far. Matson played for the WC Eagles for almost 9 years (9y.o - 18 y.o) so needless to say she has a pretty strong connection with her former coach Jun Kentwell and business manager Richard Kentwell who founded the club and still run it today.
4 of the top 10 2028 recruits are on the WC Eagles team. Two have committed elsewhere. So hopefully we are feeling good about #1 overall recruit Kendall Longenberger and/or #2 Camilla Lutte? Miss out on both and it will be difficult to land a top 3 2028 recruiting class at this point. That is, unless we/they decide definitively that Reese D'Ariano is now a 2028 recruit. If/when that happens, we are doing great in the 2028 class.
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Does anyone know the current status of 2025 Freshman #18 Olivia "Liv" Anderson? This past Spring she suffered a leg injury which required her to walk very slowly on crutches.
#11 Jenna Narleski had another shoulder injury and then corrective surgery. She is one of the six UNC returnees to participate in the upcoming
2026 Senior Nexus Championship. They will be joined by two 2027 Tar Heel verbal commits.
They are enumerated here:
www.usafieldhockey.com
Devon Anderson matriculated and was on the team this past spring. Of the exhibitions I attended, she did not play. By all appearances, she is happy with her decision. Her parents were present and supportive at the WFU spring exhibition.
Devon and Lily McClay have a commonality: their FH Club is AGH.
#11 Jenna Narleski had another shoulder injury and then corrective surgery. She is one of the six UNC returnees to participate in the upcoming
2026 Senior Nexus Championship. They will be joined by two 2027 Tar Heel verbal commits.
They are enumerated here:
2026 Senior NXC Teams
www.usafieldhockey.com
Devon Anderson matriculated and was on the team this past spring. Of the exhibitions I attended, she did not play. By all appearances, she is happy with her decision. Her parents were present and supportive at the WFU spring exhibition.
Devon and Lily McClay have a commonality: their FH Club is AGH.
Many Tar Heel legends in this video… but one Terp Miss Katie O’Donnell still haunts me. Man she was fast. This game also had to of been one of the very few times in her collegiate career where she did not wreak havoc/tally any points
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Thank you for your reply, minas823. I attended that tournament. At the time, I was still trying to figure what I was watching. The first several years I attended games at Davidson College. When UNC rolled into town in 2007 to play the host Wildcats, I realized there was entire 'nother world of Div-1
collegiate sports, namely Carolina field hockey.
As minas823 points out, KD Bam was to Maryland who EM is to Carolina.
Let me briefly note several UNC players that are still active in field hockey.
#20 Poppy, UNC Assistant Coach Caitlan Van Sickle, former Olympian
#14 Kelsey Kolojejchick (KK) 1st UNC 4 time first team All American, former Olympian and head coach at Bucknell
#26 Jackie Kintzer Briggs former Olympian and Associate Head Coach WFU
Not active but the Fall 2026 team could really benefit from a player of Falso's immense talents.
#23 Katelyn Falgowski Ginolfi (Falgo) - very long list of accomplishments; jersey retired.
collegiate sports, namely Carolina field hockey.
As minas823 points out, KD Bam was to Maryland who EM is to Carolina.
Let me briefly note several UNC players that are still active in field hockey.
#20 Poppy, UNC Assistant Coach Caitlan Van Sickle, former Olympian
#14 Kelsey Kolojejchick (KK) 1st UNC 4 time first team All American, former Olympian and head coach at Bucknell
#26 Jackie Kintzer Briggs former Olympian and Associate Head Coach WFU
Not active but the Fall 2026 team could really benefit from a player of Falso's immense talents.
#23 Katelyn Falgowski Ginolfi (Falgo) - very long list of accomplishments; jersey retired.
Promo but no 2026 schedule or roster
Short list gleaned from other teams' postings - corrections & additions welcomed, thx
Duke vs UNC Aug 21st Fri 5pm - exhibition at Duke
- at WFU, ACC/Big Ten Challenge
- Aug 28th, Fri
UNC vs Mich at 3:30pm
WFU vs Iowa at 6:00pm
- Aug 30th, Sun
UNC vs Iowa at 11:00am
WFU vs Mich at 2:00pm
- At KSS, the Conference Crossover
- Sept 4th, Fri
Princeton vs ODU at 3:00pm
UNC vs Penn at 6:00pm
- Sept 6th, Sun
Penn vs ODU at 11:00am
UNC vs Princeton at 12:30pm
Short list gleaned from other teams' postings - corrections & additions welcomed, thx
Duke vs UNC Aug 21st Fri 5pm - exhibition at Duke
- at WFU, ACC/Big Ten Challenge
- Aug 28th, Fri
UNC vs Mich at 3:30pm
WFU vs Iowa at 6:00pm
- Aug 30th, Sun
UNC vs Iowa at 11:00am
WFU vs Mich at 2:00pm
- At KSS, the Conference Crossover
- Sept 4th, Fri
Princeton vs ODU at 3:00pm
UNC vs Penn at 6:00pm
- Sept 6th, Sun
Penn vs ODU at 11:00am
UNC vs Princeton at 12:30pm
At the time, I sensed it straightaway.
This venue was not your typical Traveling Wilburys type.
Bigger, maybe, and more electric.
Hey. It was the 2025 NCAA Field Hockey Championship Final Four weekend.
Fully grown adults adorned in purple and white cheerleader attire waved pom poms
and directed their faithful towards the entrance of Jack Katz Stadium at Duke
University. Man, they were excited. In the stands, they lined the bottom walkway
in front of their section and dared anyone to impede their exhortations. I tried
to become invisible and quitely pass them in order to reach the Carolina section.
As I did, an individual jumped up and back into me and knocked me into the railing.
She never missed a beat - just kept on cheering. Foreshadowing? Perhaps.
Both teams came out full throttle. The NW press was relentless and effective.
Still we, Carolina, managed to score. NW defense backed off a bit which gave us
alittle breathing room. We scored again. The first frame ended and both sides
"went to their respective corners." During the second period, only NW scored.
Halftime was over. Before the second half started, however, I watched unfold
a first for me. A NW fan, a player's mom I think, had marched the length of the
bleachers and stopped in front of the section where I sat. Directly in front of her
on the pitch was her team, and if I am correct, her daughter. She demanded that they
get off their "ascots" and win this "dang" game. Well, her words did not land on
deaf ears.
Several years ago after Coach Fuchs won her first Div-1 NCAA Championship, Leah
Secondo asked her about the support she had received from the "Backyardians",
the parents, fans and even her players. Give her credit. As her emotions welled
up, she was articulate, grateful and honest, I think. When she got to what her players
meant to her, she was perhaps the most emotional. Of the things she said, this is
what I remember: in a halting voice, "Well, I am not the easiest coach to play for."
Dang. I want our Tar Heels to defeat them - again.
And because the sting is more recent, you can rest assured that goes double for lacrosse.
Happy 250th Fourth of July.
This venue was not your typical Traveling Wilburys type.
Bigger, maybe, and more electric.
Hey. It was the 2025 NCAA Field Hockey Championship Final Four weekend.
Fully grown adults adorned in purple and white cheerleader attire waved pom poms
and directed their faithful towards the entrance of Jack Katz Stadium at Duke
University. Man, they were excited. In the stands, they lined the bottom walkway
in front of their section and dared anyone to impede their exhortations. I tried
to become invisible and quitely pass them in order to reach the Carolina section.
As I did, an individual jumped up and back into me and knocked me into the railing.
She never missed a beat - just kept on cheering. Foreshadowing? Perhaps.
Both teams came out full throttle. The NW press was relentless and effective.
Still we, Carolina, managed to score. NW defense backed off a bit which gave us
alittle breathing room. We scored again. The first frame ended and both sides
"went to their respective corners." During the second period, only NW scored.
Halftime was over. Before the second half started, however, I watched unfold
a first for me. A NW fan, a player's mom I think, had marched the length of the
bleachers and stopped in front of the section where I sat. Directly in front of her
on the pitch was her team, and if I am correct, her daughter. She demanded that they
get off their "ascots" and win this "dang" game. Well, her words did not land on
deaf ears.
Several years ago after Coach Fuchs won her first Div-1 NCAA Championship, Leah
Secondo asked her about the support she had received from the "Backyardians",
the parents, fans and even her players. Give her credit. As her emotions welled
up, she was articulate, grateful and honest, I think. When she got to what her players
meant to her, she was perhaps the most emotional. Of the things she said, this is
what I remember: in a halting voice, "Well, I am not the easiest coach to play for."
Dang. I want our Tar Heels to defeat them - again.
And because the sting is more recent, you can rest assured that goes double for lacrosse.
Happy 250th Fourth of July.