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Women’s Soccer Prepares For No. 3 Tennessee In NCAA First Round​

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CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – University of North Carolina women's soccer (12-6, 6-4 ACC) will travel to Knoxville, Tenn. to take on the third seeded Tennessee Vols (12-3-3, 6-2-2 SEC) Friday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels and Vols are set for a 6 p.m. kickoff on ESPN+.

The Matchup
  • Carolina and Tennessee are set for their 15th overall meeting and second within this season.
  • The Tar Heels and Vols opened the 2025 campaign against one another in Knoxville, Tenn. where UNC fell 2-0. This matchup marked the first loss for Carolina against Tennessee.
  • In their previous meeting, Shae O'Rourke scored both goals for the Vols.
  • UNC is now 3-1-1 on the road against Tennessee.
  • Both teams have clashed in the NCAA Tournament just two previous times. The Tar Heels are 2-0 against the Vols in the postseason outscoring Tennessee 9-3 in the tournament.
  • Across previous matchups, UNC has outscored Tennessee 62-11.
  • The Tar Heels have posted six shutouts against the Vols.
Tar Heel Tidbits
  • Olivia Thomas was tabbed First Team All-ACC while Kate Faasse and Linda Ullmark were named Third Team All-ACC.
  • Hope Munson was named to the All-Freshman ACC Team.
  • Olivia Thomas leads the Tar Heels with 13 goals, four game-winning goals, and 78 shots.
  • Kate Faasse and Olivia Thomas lead the team with three braces each.
  • Faasse leads UNC with 1,610 minutes logged. The forward is second on the team with nine goals.
  • Hannah Johann has recorded team-leading six wins between the posts as goalkeeper.
  • Linda Ullmark leads the Tar Heels with seven assists.
  • Bella Devey and Lauren Malsom lead the UNC freshmen class with four goals each.
  • UNC finished seventh in the ACC with a 6-4 record in league play.
UNC in NCAA First Round
  • The Tar Heels have played in all 43 NCAA Tournaments, making 26 appearances in the first round.
  • Carolina is 25-1 across NCAA First Round matches.
  • Their lone first round loss came in 2021 against South Carolina.
  • The 2025 Tournament marks the first time Carolina will be on the road for the first round.
Carolina in the Postseason
  • The Tar Heels have been dominant in the postseason with an overall record of 153-18-5 throughout 43 NCAA tournaments.
  • Carolina is the only program to make every NCAA Tournament.
  • UNC leads all women's college soccer programs with 23 total national titles, their most recent coming in 2024. No other program has more than four national championships.
  • Six current Tar Heels – Alvarez, Ullmark, Gaetino, Faasse, Thomas, Dellarose – were starters on the 2024 NCAA Championship team.
  • The Tar Heels have appeared in 32 College Cups, including five of the last seven.
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utsports.com

Tennessee Athletics Announces 2026 Hall of Fame Class - University of Tennessee Athletics

The University of Tennessee announced the 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class on Thursday, honoring seven former student-athletes and two coaches for their sig...
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NEW CLASS OF HALL OF FAMERS WILL BE HONORED APRIL 10-11, 2026.
The University of Tennessee announced the 2026 Athletics Hall of Fame class on Thursday, honoring seven former student-athletes and two coaches for their significant contributions. The class will be honored in Knoxville on April 10-11, celebrating their lasting impact on UT Athletics.

The 2026 class includes five Vols and four Lady Vols.

  • Rod Delmonico, Baseball
  • Shyra Ely, Women's Basketball
  • Lawrence Johnson, Men's Track and Field
  • Chris Lofton, Men's Basketball
  • Erica Popson, Women's Golf
  • Charles Rosenfelder, Football
  • Kylee Rossi, Soccer
  • Brenda Webb, Women's Track and Field
  • Ralph Weekly, Softball
"Tennessee Athletics boasts a rich history of success and excellence. This new group of Hall of Fame inductees embodies everything that makes our Vols and Lady Vols remarkable," said Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics Danny White. "These former standout student-athletes and coaches have elevated the standards in their respective sports, and we take great pride in welcoming this exceptional class into the Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame."

The 2026 Tennessee Athletics Hall of Fame weekend will be April 10-11.

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Kylee Rossi – Soccer | 2005-08
Rossi, a four-time All-SEC selection and 2006 SEC Player of the Year, finished her career as Tennessee's all-time leader in goals scored (43), game-winning goals (15) and total points (102). Additionally, the Pennington, New Jersey, native became the only Lady Vol to ever lead the squad in scoring during all four years of her playing career. On top of her SEC accolades, Rossi was a four-time All-Central Region selection and 2007 Soccer Buzz Third Team All-American. In her maiden season with the Big Orange, Rossi was tabbed a 2005 Second Team Freshman All-America Team honoree after leading UT with eight goals and 20 points on the year. While Rossi has cemented her name in the record books for individual achievements, she also was a part of two historic Lady Vol soccer teams, the 2005 SEC Regular Season Championship Team and the 2008 SEC Tournament Championship Team.
 
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Friday and Saturday’s first round games
All on ESPN+

 
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KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — The third-seeded and No. 14/17 ranked Tennessee soccer team will embark on its 17th NCAA Tournament appearance Friday evening at home, squaring off with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Kickoff is set for 6 p.m. ET, and the match will be broadcasted on ESPN+ with Charley Collier and Tori Beeler-Watson on the call. Regal Soccer Stadium gates will open at 5 p.m.

First-round tickets are on sale through AllVols.com or by calling the Tennessee Athletics Ticket Office during regular business hours (Monday – Friday 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.) at 865-656-1200. Tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for youth, students and senior citizens. The first 500 students receive FREE admission. Group tickets (15 or more) are also available for $10 each by contacting the Ticket Office. For fans planning to attend, note that Tennessee's clear bag policy will be in effect. Regal Soccer Stadium will be a cashless venue for both concessions and the VolShop this season as well.

The Big Orange look to bounce back after a 2-0 loss to LSU in their most recent outing in the SEC Tournament quarterfinals. Friday's matchup against UNC marks the first time two teams ranked No. 1 at some point in the same season have met in the opening round of the NCAA Tournament. Previously, the earliest clash between former No. 1 teams in the same season occurred in the Round of 16.

HOME SWEET HOME: Tennessee remains unbeaten at Regal Soccer Stadium in 2025, posting a 7-0-1 record while outscoring opponents 18-1 on their home pitch this season. Under head coach Joe Kirt, the Lady Vols hold a 23-8-8 record on Rocky Top.

UT has hosted 18 NCAA Tournament games, compiling a 14-3-1 record in early-round contests played in Knoxville. Through the end of the 2025 regular season, Vol Nation set a new single-season attendance record with 23,157 fans, shattering the previous mark of 15,437 set in 2011.

FAMILIAR FOES: Tennessee and North Carolina met to open the 2025 regular season, featuring an unranked Lady Vols squad against the No. 1-ranked Tar Heels, who were coming off a national championship the previous year. The Lady Vols stunned the defending champs with a 2-0 victory, quickly earning a spot in the top-25 poll, where they have remained since. Tennessee's win over North Carolina marked the first season-opening victory against a reigning NCAA champion since 2002, when Santa Clara defeated Stanford. It also stood as the program's first-ever win over a top-ranked opponent.

SCOUTING THE TAR HEELS: North Carolina finished the 2025 regular season with a 12-6 record, including a 6-4 mark in ACC play. The Tar Heels have won five of their last seven matches, including two straight to close the regular season, and sit 25th in the latest NCAA RPI. UNC is 0-3 this year against top-25 opponents but owns a 25-1 all-time record in NCAA Tournament first-round games. The Tar Heels are the only program to have qualified for every NCAA Tournament. Olivia Thomas earned First Team All-ACC honors, while Kate Faase and Linda Ullmark were named to the league's Third Team. Hope Munson was selected to the ACC All-Freshman Team. North Carolina ranks 12th nationally in scoring offense, averaging 2.56 goals per game.

LOCKDOWN DEFENSE: Tennessee's defense has been dominant from the start of the season, setting the tone for the team's success. Center backs Ally Brown and Leah Klurman were both named to TopDrawerSoccer.com's midseason Top 100, ranking No. 14 and No. 26, respectively. Goalkeeper Cayden Norris joined them at No. 34 and was also named to the Hermann Trophy Midseason Watch List, forming the core of a back line that has allowed just nine goals in 18 matches. The Lady Vols' goals-against average of .500 ranks sixth nationally. Outside backs Kennedy Price, Sydney Miller and Milee Zych have also played key roles, helping Tennessee open the season with seven straight shutouts. In total, the defense has posted 13 clean sheets, leading the nation with a .722 shutout percentage.

ALL-SEC x TENNESSEE: Following strong performances throughout the regular season, four Lady Vols earned All-SEC honors, the league office announced Thursday, Oct. 30. Tennessee was the only SEC program to have an All-SEC selection at forward, midfielder, defender and goalkeeper. Senior Ally Brown was named SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year and earned First Team All-SEC honors. Senior Mac Midgley and sophomore Cayden Norris were selected to the Second Team, while redshirt senior Jenna Stayart received Third Team recognition. The honors reflect a balanced Tennessee squad that holds a +24 goal differential, third-best in the conference. In addition, 16 Lady Vols have recorded at least one assist this season, the most of any SEC team.

TENNESSEE'S NCAA HISTORY:Tennessee will be making its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 17th overall since the program's inception in 1996. UT owns a 17-14-3 record in the tournament and has reached the Round of 16 seven times (2002, 2003, 2004, 2006, 2007, 2018, 2021) with one NCAA Quarterfinal appearance in 2018.
 

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Lady Vols secure another in-state win - Knox TN Today

The Lady Vols have beaten three in-state teams in a row with the latest coming Thursday night against a Belmont team that came close to an upset. Tennessee prevailed 68-58 behind 22 points by Talaysia Cooper and clutch three-point shooting by Kaniya Boyd. The Lady Vols have played four games in...
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SOCCER

Tennessee will start postseason on Friday, Nov. 14, the same way it opened the regular season – with a matchup at Regal Soccer Stadium against North Carolina. Game time is set for 6 p.m. with a livestream on ESPN+.

The Lady Vols, seeded No. 3 in the NCAA soccer tourney, will face a Tar Heel team that they beat, 2-0, in the season opener Aug. 14, 2025. Shae O’Rourke scored both goals for Tennessee, but her season ended in September because of a knee injury.

It seems odd to send a team to Knoxville when the opponents already played in a 64-team draw, but travel costs and geography play a role.

“Looking at how the bracket broke out across the country, not just ours, there’s some surprises in there as there always are any time there’s a selection,” Tennessee coach Joe Kirt said. “So, I was surprised, but it made sense geographically.”

North Carolina, which leads all women’s college soccer programs with 23 total national titles, the most recent in 2024, entered that August match ranked No. 1 in the country. The Tar Heels are now 12-6 overall, unranked and opening postseason on the road.

Tennessee, which had been in the top five in the country, is now No. 14 and 12-3-3, and earned a right to host with a top four finish in the SEC. A total of nine conference teams made the field, including No. 1 seed Vanderbilt, No. 4 seed LSU, No. 5 seed Arkansas, No. 6 seed Mississippi State, No. 8 seed Alabama, Georgia; non-seeded Kentucky and South Carolina.

“Opening game of the year was a long time ago,” Kirt said. “Both teams are little bit different but still have some familiarity with who they are and what they do. But they have evolved, as we have as well.”

Kirt’s full interview can be watched HERE.

The winner of the Tennessee-North Carolina game will face either No. 6 seed Texas Tech, 13-2-4, or UTSA, 10-5-6, in the second round on Nov. 20 with the match played on the highest seed’s home field.
 
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I'm still salty about our draw, but I'm still going to go all-in for our players and predict Tennessee 1, North Carolina 0. And just now I had a couple of images pop into my head showing the clock at 85 minutes and then at 75 minutes. Wouldn't it be cool if something good happened for Tennessee around one or both of those times? 🤯
 
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lvocd said:
I'm still salty about our draw, but I'm still going to go all-in for our players and predict Tennessee 1, North Carolina 0. And just now I had a couple of images pop into my head showing the clock at 85 minutes and then at 75 minutes. Wouldn't it be cool if something good happened for Tennessee around one or both of those times? 🤯
Click to expand...

Love that, 🤞
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It took me awhile to get over the draw as well. Im feeling much better and I believe in our team.

Go Lady Vols!
 
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