Melina Rebimbas

Evelyn Shores and Melina Rebimbas react to scoring against Southern California.

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati

Melina Rebimbas and the Tar Heels celebrate a score.

Photo by: AINSLEY E. FAUTH

Position:
Midfielder/Defender
Height:
5-6
Class:
Freshman
Hometown:
Warren, N.J.
High School:
Rutgers Prep

Freshman Season (2023)
One of only nine Tar Heels, and one of just two freshmen, to appear in all 23 matches • Earned the first start of her career at Virginia • Logged 616 minutes, highlighted by a season-high 46 minutes vs. Gardner-Webb • Averaged 27 minutes across four games during the NCAA Tournament • Finished her rookie season with three goals, three assists and nine points • First career goal came against Cal in the home opener • Three-point effort behind a goal and an assist vs. Gardner-Webb • Also scored against Syracuse • Dished out assists vs. USC and South Carolina • Took 18 shots, seven which were on frame • Ranked No. 55 on Top Drawer Soccer’s Midseason Top-100 Freshmen list.

High School/Club
Attended Rutgers Prep • Four-year letterman for coach Jim Buchanan • Two-time New Jersey Player of the Year • Two-time first-team all-state • Two-time New Jersey All-Non Public Schools First Team • Named conference comeback player of the year in 2021 • Member of the 2022 U.S. Soccer U17 Youth National Team (YNT) roster that won the 2022 Concacaf Championship to qualify for the U17 World Cup, leading the team with eight goals • Part of the U.S. 2022 U17 World Cup roster • Named the 2021 U16 and 2022 U17 ECNL North Atlantic Conference Player of the Year • Selected to the U.S. Soccer U17 YNT for a pair of friendlies in Spain (August 2022) • Named to the ECNL U17 All-America Team in 2022 and ECNL U16 All-America squad in 2021 • Selected to the U15 U.S. Soccer YNT in 2019.

Personal
Parents are Jose and Lisa Rebimbas • Born May 5, 2005 in Summit, N.J. • Has an older brother, JP • Father is an assistant women’s basketball coach at Seton Hall, where he was a member of the men’s basketball team from 1986-90 • Member of the student body government at Rutgers Prep as secretary, treasurer and vice president • Graduated with honors • Special Olympics volunteer.

Why Carolina?
I chose UNC for the historic excellence of the women's soccer program and the opportunity to play and learn from the best coaches in the country, and of course, to add four national championships to the trophy room.