Carolina Field Hockey Faces Northwestern in NCAA Semifinal

DURHAM, N.C. – A familiar foe awaits Carolina field hockey in the final four of the 2025 NCAA Championship, as the Heels prepare to take on Northwestern in the national semifinal on Friday afternoon at Duke’s Jack Katz Stadium in Durham. Since 2007, UNC has reached this round every season except for two.

It will be the fourth time in the last five years these two programs will face off in the NCAA tournament. UNC is 2-1 with two wins in a row in the previous three showdowns. This weekend will be the eighth playing of the championship round in the Tar Heel state and third time in the vaunted Research Triangle. It is Durham’s first chance hosting. UNC is 11-1 in championship round games played in their home state, claiming five of their national titles in those seasons.

SCHEDULE

vs. #2 Northwestern | Friday, Nov. 21, 2:30 PM ET
Durham, N.C. | Jack Katz Stadium
Watch: ESPNU (Suzanne Bush, Leah Secondo)

NUMBERS TO KNOW

.99 – Carolina’s 0.99 goals against average is the second best in the NCAA tournament so far, behind only eliminated UConn.
1 – UNC was named the No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament for the fourth year in a row and seventh time in the last eight years.
10 – The Heels have 10 wins over top-15 opponents this year, the most in the contry.
29 – It is the 29th final four berth for North Carolina, the most by any team in the sport’s history.
42 – 2025 represents The Heel’s 42nd trip to the NCAA tournament,also an NCAA record.

SCOUTING REPORT

fhockey Heels vs.the Wildcats
➤ Sunday’s game will be the 13th all-time meeting between the two programs.
➤ it has almost felt unavoidable that these two programs will face off on this stage every year in recent memory. Surprisingly, their all-time postseason is just that, recent. The 2021 matchup was the first time they played in the NCAA tournament. Carolina now holds a 2-1 record in postseason play thanks to victories in the two most recent showdowns.
➤ Last time they met: Both of the last two games were in the championship game and both delivered the dramatics. In 2023,