Tag: UNC Softball

UNC softball is ACC’s top hitting team, sports conference’s top two hitters

The UNC softball team is off to a 5-1 start, with a major reason behind that being its offensive production. UNC bats are amongst the best.

Off to a 5-1 start under first-year head coach Megan Smith Lyon, the UNC softball team is exceeding expectations through its first week of the 2024 seasons.

The Tar Heels picked up two wins each –against North Carolina A&T and Winthrop University –  in the season-opening Winthrop Tournament. UNC lost to a ranked Kentucky team on Thursday, Feb. 15, but not before coming back from a 6-run deficit to briefly take the lead, then turned around to beat reigning American Athletic Conference champion UCF in a tight, 2-1 victory the next day.

After downing UCF, North Carolina was going to face arguably its toughest stretch of the campaign – third-ranked Texas, sixth-ranked Washington and 20-ranked UCLA, the 12-time NCAA Champion.

Rain had other plans.

A major catalyst behind UNC’s hot start is the bats, as the Tar Heels are the ACC’s top hitting team.

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In second among teams is Florida State (.371), the 2018 NCAA Tournament champions and 2021/2023 runner-up.

Alex Coleman, the Marshall University transfer who played her high school ball, has compiled her batting average with a deadly 15-for-22 mark at the plate. She’s scored seven runs, doubled twice for the UNC lead, driven in four runs and walked twice.

Carsyn Snead, the senior outfielder from Cincinnati, Ohio, is 11-for-19. She’s scored five runs, driven in three more and walked once.

Coleman and Snead will try and keep the bats rolling on Wednesday, Feb. 21, as the Tar Heels welcome UNC-Greensboro to Anderson Field for a 4 p.m. first pitch.

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Perfect game in season opener highlights UNC’s opening softball weekend

The UNC softball team kicked off its 2024 campaign with a perfect, 4-0 weekend. How did North Carolina win its first game, you might ask?

A brand-new head coach, fresh faces and without its star pitcher from last season – the UNC softball team faced each of these challenges ahead of its 2024 opener on Friday, Feb. 9 against North Carolina A&T.

Those challenges didn’t affect the Tar Heels for long, as they capped off a perfect, 4-0 opening weekend in the Winthrop Tournament with a tight, 3-1 victory over Winthrop University on Saturday afternoon.

Though an electric offense was easy to point out for North Carolina, which totaled 37 runs over the weekend, it was UNC’s opening game on Friday afternoon that stood out the most.

Tar Heels starting pitcher Britton Rogers, who transferred from UGA in the offseason, threw the first perfect game in Chapel Hill since 2011.

Rogers achieved perfection in just five innings, as UNC needed just five innings to dispatch the Aggies. She struck out eight batters, including every A&T starter but second baseman Alyxx Estrada.

Rogers received a much-needed rest in Game 2 of the tournament, as teammate Bailey McCachren pitched seven innings of 2-hit ball. In Game 4 of the tournament, though, Rogers turned right around and recorded her second win in two days.

Not a bad weekend for a first-time Tar Heel,

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Tar Heel softball kicks off season in Winthrop Tournament

The UNC softball team enters its 2024 season under a new head coach and trying to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2019.

Thursday was the start of college softball season, as schools across the nation began their quest to try and deny Oklahoma a 4-peat in the Women’s College World Series.

In Chapel Hill, the UNC softball team will try and get back to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2019. Not only are the Tar Heels playing their first season in 39 years without legendary coach Donna J. Papa, who retired in the offseason, but they’ll try for their first winning record since the year before COVID.

North Carolina will be tested early on, as it heads to Rock Hill, S.C. for the Winthrop Tournament. The Tar Heels kick off gameplay on Friday, Feb 9 at 12 p.m. ET, playing a fellow in-state opponent in North Carolina A&T, then turn around to play host Winthrop at 5 p.m. ET.

UNC carries a fairly experienced roster, with five seniors and four graduate players.

The Tar Heels look to be led offensively by graduate infielder Abby Settlemyre, who led her 2023 teammates in RBIs (35) while finishing second in batting average (.351) and home runs (nine). Kenna Raye Dark, a 2-time NCHSAA 3A state champion at Eastern Alamance High School, will lead North Carolina inside the circle.

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Softball head coach Donna J. Papa retires after 38 seasons

North Carolina softball head coach Donna J. Papa retires after 38 seasons with the program.

UNC’s softball head coach [autotag]Donna J. Papa[/autotag] has retired after 38 seasons with the team.

The announcement came Thursday in a press release by the school, followed by social media post thanking Papa for an amazing career. In the press release, Papa shared her gratitude to UNC and what her time as the leader of the softball program has meant to her.

“It has been a great honor and pleasure to have represented the University of North Carolina for the last 38 years,” says Papa. “I am grateful to the administrators who took a chance on me, starting with (Director of Athletics) John Swofford, continuing with Dick Baddour, to Bubba Cunningham and Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz. I have been fortunate to work with so many outstanding coaches, players and people at UNC and throughout my career. I am incredibly grateful to so many, especially my current staff – Chelsey, Fale, Kiwi, Jordan and Preston – who have supported me this season and throughout the years.”

Papa is credited with 1,339 wins as the UNC softball head coach, winning five ACC regular season title’s along with being named Coach of the Year five times. The program achieved new heights under Papa guidance, setting a school record for wins in a single season with 50 in 2008.

As of now there isn’t a replacement yet. However, a national search for the fifth head coach for the softball program has begun.

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