University of North Carolina Athletics
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Field Hockey Announces 2026 Schedule
July 26, 2026 | Field Hockey
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Carolina field hockey has released its schedule for the fast-approaching 2026 season, featuring seven regular season home games in addition to the 2026 ACC Championship all to be played at Karen Shelton Stadium.
The nine-time defending champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference have 17 contests before postseason play begins when the team will chase its 29th ACC title, 30th final four appearance and 12th national championship. This year's Final Four and national championship will be held in Louisville, Ky.
The campaign kicks off as it always does with the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge, hosted in Winston-Salem in 2026. The season opener will be against Michigan on Friday, Aug. 28 with Iowa up next on Sunday, Aug. 30. UNC has started its season against the Wolverines and Hawkeyes every year since 2002 with only two exceptions, tallying a combined 37-7 record.
The 2026 season brings another annual fixture, the Conference Crossover, to Chapel Hill as Penn, Princeton and Old Dominion travel to KSS for a weekend of games. The Heels will face the Quakers in their home opener on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. with a matchup against the reigning national runners-up Tigers on Sept. 6 at 12:30 p.m.
It will be the 10 time in the last 11 years UNC has faced the Quakers and the Tigers on the second weekend of the season. The Tar Heels have won 18 straight combined against the two.
The remainder of the home schedule will include games against Old Dominion (Sept. 11, 5 p.m.), Virginia (Sept. 20, 12 p.m.), Boston College (Oct. 16, 6 p.m.), Syracuse (Oct. 18, 2 p.m.) and Wake Forest (Oct. 23, 6 p.m.).
Head coach Erin Matson's unit will play eight true road games in her fourth season at the helm. The Heels are 22-2 on the road in her three years in charge. The away contests include trips to Richmond (Sept. 13), Stanford (Sept. 25), Cal (Sept. 27), Louisville (Oct. 2), Saint Joseph's (Oct. 9), Liberty (Oct. 11), App State (Oct. 25) and Duke (Oct. 30).
Karen Shelton Stadium will play host to the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2020 with first-round games set for Nov. 3. The semifinals will then be played on Nov. 5 with the championship on Nov. 6.
First- and second-round games for the NCAA tournament will follow the weekend after on Nov. 13 and 15 at the on-campus host sites of the top four national seeds. The final four and national championship games are set for Nov. 20 and 22 in Louisville, Ky.
The nine-time defending champions of the Atlantic Coast Conference have 17 contests before postseason play begins when the team will chase its 29th ACC title, 30th final four appearance and 12th national championship. This year's Final Four and national championship will be held in Louisville, Ky.
The campaign kicks off as it always does with the annual ACC-Big Ten Challenge, hosted in Winston-Salem in 2026. The season opener will be against Michigan on Friday, Aug. 28 with Iowa up next on Sunday, Aug. 30. UNC has started its season against the Wolverines and Hawkeyes every year since 2002 with only two exceptions, tallying a combined 37-7 record.
The 2026 season brings another annual fixture, the Conference Crossover, to Chapel Hill as Penn, Princeton and Old Dominion travel to KSS for a weekend of games. The Heels will face the Quakers in their home opener on Sept. 4 at 6 p.m. with a matchup against the reigning national runners-up Tigers on Sept. 6 at 12:30 p.m.
It will be the 10 time in the last 11 years UNC has faced the Quakers and the Tigers on the second weekend of the season. The Tar Heels have won 18 straight combined against the two.
The remainder of the home schedule will include games against Old Dominion (Sept. 11, 5 p.m.), Virginia (Sept. 20, 12 p.m.), Boston College (Oct. 16, 6 p.m.), Syracuse (Oct. 18, 2 p.m.) and Wake Forest (Oct. 23, 6 p.m.).
Head coach Erin Matson's unit will play eight true road games in her fourth season at the helm. The Heels are 22-2 on the road in her three years in charge. The away contests include trips to Richmond (Sept. 13), Stanford (Sept. 25), Cal (Sept. 27), Louisville (Oct. 2), Saint Joseph's (Oct. 9), Liberty (Oct. 11), App State (Oct. 25) and Duke (Oct. 30).
Karen Shelton Stadium will play host to the ACC Tournament for the first time since 2020 with first-round games set for Nov. 3. The semifinals will then be played on Nov. 5 with the championship on Nov. 6.
First- and second-round games for the NCAA tournament will follow the weekend after on Nov. 13 and 15 at the on-campus host sites of the top four national seeds. The final four and national championship games are set for Nov. 20 and 22 in Louisville, Ky.
Saturday, July 18
Saturday, July 18
Saturday, July 18
Tuesday, July 14