# North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey

The North Carolina Tar Heels field hockey team represent the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in the Atlantic Coast Conference of NCAA Division I field hockey.

## History

Field hockey has been played at the University of North Carolina since the 1940s, but it only became a varsity sport in 1971 when the school was a charter member of the Association for Intercollegiate Athletics for Women (AIAW). The team won several state AIAW championships and finished second twice in the AIAW Southern Region II tournament before joining the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) for the 1982 season.

## Stadium

Originally operated as Navy Field, it was redeveloped as a multi-use stadium, Francis E. Henry Stadium, primarily for the use by field hockey. The stadium, with a 1,086 seating capacity, was opened on April 24, 1999. It was heavily renovated in 1999, with a private donation to UNC. The Francis E. Henry Stadium was demolished in 2017.
In August 2018, the Tar Heels inaugurated a new stadium complex dedicated solely to field hockey and named in honor of their head coach, Karen Shelton. Karen Shelton Stadium is a modern 900-seat stadium with additional standing-room space with a total capacity of 1,000. The stadium includes fan amenities (e.g., concessions and restrooms), three-level press and scorers boxes, and LED sport lighting and an LED video scoreboard. The Polytan field surface is considered rare among collegiate field hockey and has been described by USA Field Hockey as "top-of-the-line".
The stadium complex also includes a 10,000 square foot team building with home and visitor locker rooms, an area for team meals and functions, theater, sports medicine space, a players' lounge, meeting space and coaches' offices.
Karen Shelton Stadium has been described by the international field hockey press as the best field hockey facility in the United States and "one of the best facilities anywhere in world hockey".

## All-time record

| Year | Head Coach | Overall | ACC | ACC Tournament | NCAA Tournament |
| 1971 | Beth Ross | 0–0 | – | – | – |
| 1972 | Chip Johnson | 0–0 | – | – | – |
| 1973 | Ann Gregory | 0–0 | – | – | – |
| 1974 | Ann Gregory | 4–3–2 | – | – | – |
| 1975 | Ann Gregory | 4–2–1 | – | – | – |
| 1976 | Dolly Hunter | 4–6–1 | – | – | – |
| 1977 | Dolly Hunter | 13–4–1 | – | – | – |
| 1978 | Dolly Hunter | 18–5 | – | – | – |
| 1979 | Dolly Hunter | 11–5–1 | – | – | – |
| 1980 | Dolly Hunter | 8–7 | – | – | – |
| 1981 | Karen Shelton | 8–9–1 | – | – | – |
| 1982 | Karen Shelton | 11–8 | – | – | – |
| 1983 | Karen Shelton | 13–4–3 | 2–0 | Champions | First round |
| 1984 | Karen Shelton | 14–5 | 3–0 | Champions | First round |
| 1985 | Karen Shelton | 13–4 | 2–1 | Champions | Second round |
| 1986 | Karen Shelton | 19–3 | 3–0 | Champions | Semifinals |
| 1987 | Karen Shelton | 19–2 | 2–1 | Champions | Runner up |
| 1988 | Karen Shelton | 18–2 | 3–0 | Champions | Second round |
| 1989 | Karen Shelton | 20–2 | 3–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 1990 | Karen Shelton | 20–4 | 2–1 | Champions | Runner up |
| 1991 | Karen Shelton | 15–6–1 | 2–1 | Champions | Runner up |
| 1992 | Karen Shelton | 14–7–1 | 4–0 | Runner up | Semifinals |
| 1993 | Karen Shelton | 16–3–3 | 3–1 | Champions | Runner up |
| 1994 | Karen Shelton | 21–2 | 8–0 | Champions | Runner up |
| 1995 | Karen Shelton | 24–0 | 8–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 1996 | Karen Shelton | 23–1 | 8–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 1997 | Karen Shelton | 20–3 | 3–1 | Champions | Champions |
| 1998 | Karen Shelton | 13–8 | 2–2 | Semifinals | Second round |
| 1999 | Karen Shelton | 16–6 | 2–2 | Semifinals | Second round |
| 2000 | Karen Shelton | 20–4 | 4–0 | Runner up | Runner up |
| 2001 | Karen Shelton | 14–7 | 2–2 | Semifinals | First round |
| 2002 | Karen Shelton | 9–1 | 3–1 | Semifinals | – |
| 2003 | Karen Shelton | 16–6 | 2–2 | Semifinals | First round |
| 2004 | Karen Shelton | 21–2 | 4–0 | Champions | Second round |
| 2005 | Karen Shelton | 14–7 | 2–3 | Semifinals | First round |
| 2006 | Karen Shelton | 13–9 | 1–4 | Semifinals | First round |
| 2007 | Karen Shelton | 24–0 | 5–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 2008 | Karen Shelton | 14–6 | 3–2 | Semifinal | First round |
| 2009 | Karen Shelton | 20–2 | 4–1 | First round | Champions |
| 2010 | Karen Shelton | 22–2 | 4–1 | Runner up | Runner up |
| 2011 | Karen Shelton | 23–2 | 5–0 | Champions | Runner up |
| 2012 | Karen Shelton | 23–3 | 6–0 | Champions | Runner up |
| 2013 | Karen Shelton | 18-6 | 3-3 | Runner up | Semifinal |
| 2014 | Karen Shelton | 19–4 | 4–2 | Semifinal | Semifinal |
| 2015 | Karen Shelton | 21–3 | 4–2 | Champions | Runner up |
| 2016 | Karen Shelton | 20–6 | 3–3 | Runner up | Runner up |
| 2017 | Karen Shelton | 18–5 | 3–3 | Champions | Semifinal |
| 2018 | Karen Shelton | 23–0 | 6–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 2019 | Karen Shelton | 23–0 | 6–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 2020 | Karen Shelton | 19–1 | 9–1 | Champions | Champions |
| 2021 | Karen Shelton | 13–7 | 4–2 | Champions | First round |
| 2022 | Karen Shelton | 21–0 | 6–0 | Champions | Champions |
| 2023 | Erin Matson | 18–3 | 5–1 | Champions | Champions |
| 2024 | Erin Matson | 20–1 | 8–0 | Champions | Semifinal |

## Individual honors

| | Name | Year(s) |
| Honda Award (National Player of the Year) | Rachel Dawson | 2007 |
| Honda Award (National Player of the Year) | Ashley Hoffman | 2018 |
| Honda Award (National Player of the Year) | Leslie Lyness | 1989 |
| Honda Award (National Player of the Year) | Erin Matson | 2019, 2020, 2022 |
| Honda Award (National Player of the Year) | Cindy Werley | 1996, 1997 |
| NFHCA National Player of the Year | Katelyn Falgowski | 2011 |
| NFHCA National Player of the Year | Erin Matson | 2019, 2020, 2022 |
| First Team All-Americans | Peggy Anthon | 1990 |
| First Team All-Americans | Kate Barber | 1995, 1996, 1997 |
| First Team All-Americans | Lori Bruney | 1986, 1987 |
| First Team All-Americans | Cinda Carpenter | 1993 |
| First Team All-Americans | Jennifer Clark | 1990, 1991 |
| First Team All-Americans | Amy Cox | 1992 |
| First Team All-Americans | Charlotte Craddock | 2012 |
| First Team All-Americans | Rachel Dawson | 2004, 2007 |
| First Team All-Americans | Joy Driscoll | 1995 |
| First Team All-Americans | Maryellen Falcone | 1986, 1987 |
| First Team All-Americans | Katelyn Falgowski | 2009, 2011 |
| First Team All-Americans | Jesse Gey | 2007 |
| First Team All-Americans | Barbara Hansen | 1994 |
| First Team All-Americans | Ryleigh Heck | 2022 |
| First Team All-Americans | Amanda Hendry | 2020 |
| First Team All-Americans | Laurel Hershey | 1990 |
| First Team All-Americans | Louise Hines | 1984, 1985 |
| First Team All-Americans | Ashley Hoffman | 2017, 2018 |
| First Team All-Americans | Judith Jonckheer | 1985 |
| First Team All-Americans | Kelsey Keeran | 2003, 2004 |
| First Team All-Americans | Jackie Kintzer | 2009, 2010 |
| First Team All-Americans | Kelsey Kolojejchick | 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| First Team All-Americans | Yentl Leemans | 2019 |
| First Team All-Americans | Carrie Lingo | 2001 |
| First Team All-Americans | Leslie Lyness | 1988, 1989 |
| First Team All-Americans | Erin Matson | 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| First Team All-Americans | Kristen McCann | 2000 |
| First Team All-Americans | Nina Notman | 2015 |
| First Team All-Americans | Nancy Pelligreen | 1998 |
| First Team All-Americans | Mary Sentementes | 1983, 1984 |
| First Team All-Americans | Kathy Staley | 1989 |
| First Team All-Americans | Meredith Sholder | 2022 |
| First Team All-Americans | Peggy Storrar | 1993 |
| First Team All-Americans | Jana Toepel | 1998, 1999, 2000 |
| First Team All-Americans | Amy Tran | 2000 |
| First Team All-Americans | Katy Tran | 2005 |
| First Team All-Americans | Eva van't Hoog | 2017, 2018 |
| First Team All-Americans | Caitlin Van Sickle | 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| First Team All-Americans | Cindy Werley | 1994, 1996, 1997 |
| First Team All-Americans | Jana Withrow | 1996, 1997 |
| First Team All-Americans | Emily Wold | 2013, 2014, 2015 |
| First Team All-Americans | Julia Young | 2016 |
| First Team All-Americans | Tracey Yurgin | 1987 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Kate Barber | 1995 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Amy Cox | 1992 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Rachel Dawson | 2004, 2007 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Barbara Hansen | 1994 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Leslie Lyness | 1989 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Erin Matson | 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Kristen McCann | 2000 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Caitlin Van Sickle | 2010, 2011, 2012 |
| ACC Player(s) of the Year | Cindy Werley | 1996, 1997 |
| National Coach of the Year | Karen Shelton | 1994, 1995, 1996, 2007, 2009, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2022 |
| ACC Coach of the Year | Karen Shelton | 1986, 1987, 1988, 1999, 1994, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2012, 2018, 2020, 2022 |
Kit number seven (honoring Leslie Lyness), number nine (honoring Rachel Dawson) and number thirteen (honoring Cindy Werley) have been retired.