Diamond Heels Kick Off 2026 Midweek Slate

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - The Diamond Heels open their doors to their first pair of midweek combatants this week, as they are set to face Richmond on Tuesday followed by Longwood on Wednesday afternoon.

The Spiders make the trek down from east Virginia for the first time since 2018. In a series that dates back to 1894, UNC leads 18-7 and have won 11 in a row. It will be the fifth all-time meeting with the Lancers and the first under second-year head coach Ray Noe. Carolina has won all four previous contests and by a score of 38-4 in the three meetups under Forbes.

SCHEDULE
Tuesday, Feb. 17 - Richmond - 4 PM ET
Wednesday, Feb. 18 - Longwood - 4 PM ET

No. 10 North Carolina Tar Heels (3-0)
Head Coach: Scott Forbes
Record at UNC: 203-104 (6th Season)
Career Record: Same

Richmond Spiders (2-1)
Head Coach: Mike Aoki
Record at RICH: 61-52 (3rd Season)
Career Record: 603-633-2 (25th Season)

Longwood Lancers (3-0)
Head Coach: Ray Noe
Record at LW: 17-38 (2nd Season)
Career Record: Same

SEE YA LATER HOOSIERS
➤ The Tar Heels took on Indiana in their opening weekend series, completing their second sweep of a power four program to start a season in as many years.
➤ Game one saw a convincing win for the new look Carolina, who started eight new faces in their initial lineup, but still controlled from start to finish to claim a 9-4 victory.
➤ A Saturday doubleheader contained two wins of complete opposite variety. The first game was a 12-2 seven inning run-rule highlighted by a six-run sixth inning that broke the game open.
➤ The second game was a much tighter contest that needed a brutal throwing error from Indiana's second baseman to extend it into extra innings. From there, Macon Winslow's walk-off solo homer in the bottom of the 11th did the rest.

NON-CON COMBAT
➤ The Heels have compiled a 104-34 (.754) record in games against non-ACC opponents under Forbes. Last season, they were 25-4 against out of conference foes. The 2024 team was 24-6.
➤ Since 2020, UNC has won 12 of its 13 three-game non-conference weekend series with a 32-6 mark in that span.
➤ Forbes vs. out of conference foes:
- A10: 7-1
- Big South: 11-0

STARTING STRONG
➤ UNC is 90-44-2 all-time on opening day and have won seven of the last eight openers.
➤ Especially strong at Boshamer Stadium, Carolina is 46-8 in home openers dating back to the park's opening in 1972.
➤ This is the eighth straight season the Heels have opened up at home, going 7-1 in those contests.
➤ It will be a second consecutive year facing a power four foe opening weekend, sweeping Texas Tech in 2025 by a combined score of 17-6.
➤ The Tar Heels have won their opening weekend series 12 years in a row, a stretch spanning back to 2015. They are 33-3 in such games.
➤ UNC has won all 17 of their opening series at the Bosh since its renovation in 2009.
➤ The last time Carolina lost its first home series of the year was in 2002 to Seton Hall.
➤ A hot start has been a staple of the Forbes era. The team won six straight to kick off the '21 and '22 seasons, went 4-1 in '23, 5-0 in '24, before rattling off 13 consecutive victories at the beginning of the 2025 season. It was the program's best start to a season since 2013.

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Players Mentioned

Macon Winslow

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University of North Carolina Athletics