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UNC women’s athletics have proven to be very successful over the last few years. Now, in 2017, they are proving it again with women’s lacrosse and women’s tennis both finishing as ACC Tournament champions.
Lacrosse is in line for another run at the National Championship after winning the ACC Tournament in April. After taking home the title last year, the women’s team has had immense success all season long. They completed the 2017 season with another 13-2 record and won the ACC regular season title for the third year in a row. The Tar Heels cut their way through Duke, Boston College, and Syracuse to win the ACC Tournament, and now they prepare for another NCAA Tournament.
North Carolina currently rank as the no. 1 team according to the most recent NCAA RPI poll, giving them a good chance at being a top seed in the tournament. Whether or not they will be declared the no. 1 seed ultimately comes down to how evaluators match them up against an undefeated Maryland team. UNC women’s lacrosse will find out the official answer on Sunday, May 9th. NCAA.com will stream the bracket announcement show starting at 9 PM.
Women’s tennis is also gearing up for a shot at the NCAA Championship after winning the ACC Tournament in April. Coming off an impressive 30-2 regular season, North Carolina took down Florida State, Miami, and Georgia Tech in Georgia to win the title, which they also won in 2016. The team is led by senior Hayley Carter, who just repeated as ACC Player of the Year and the championship's Most Valuable Player following their impressive comeback. This will be their 19th consecutive appearance in the NCAA Tournament as they enter as the No. 2 seed.
On top of that, UNC has been named one of 16 campus regional sites for the tournament. They will welcome Furman, Ole Miss, and William & Mary for two rounds of tennis this month. One Saturday, May 14, North Carolina will face Furman, and if they advance, the team will go up against the winner of Ole Miss and William & Mary the following day. The winner of this match will head to Athens, Georgia to continue their bid for the championship.
Women’s athletics often gets lost in the shuffle of the big dollar male sports like basketball and football, but these talented players deserve credit as well. Let’s bring home the championship.