Lady Vols Earn No. 3 Seed, Host North Carolina Friday For NCAA First Round

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — For the 11th time in program history and first time since 2022, Regal Soccer Stadium will serve as a host site for the first round of the NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship. Tennessee will open the tournament at home against North Carolina on Friday at 6 p.m., as revealed by the NCAA Selection Show Monday afternoon.

The Lady Vols claimed a No. 3 national seed after compiling a 12-3-3 record this season under fourth-year head coach Joe Kirt. Tennessee has been ranked in the top 25 of the United Soccer Coaches poll every week since Aug. 19 and currently sits No. 9 in the RPI.

Friday’s matchup will be Tennessee’s 15th meeting with North Carolina and the second matchup between the programs this season. The Lady Vols knocked off the top-ranked Tar Heels, 2-0, in the 2025 season opener on Aug. 14.

North Carolina (12-6, 6-4 ACC) finished seventh in the Atlantic Coast Conference standings this season. The Tar Heels sit No. 25 in the current RPI.

TICKETS: 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. Group tickets (15 or more) are also available for $10 each by contacting the Ticket Office.

CHAMPIONSHIP SCHEDULE: All 32 first-round games will be held over three days this weekend, beginning a four-week march to the national title match. The Women’s College Cup will be held on Friday, Dec. 5 (semifinals) and Monday, Dec. 8 (final) in Kansas City.

Below is a look at the weekly postseason schedule:

First Round – Nov. 14-16
Second Round – Nov. 20
Third Round – Nov. 23
Quarterfinals – Nov. 28-29
Women’s College Cup semifinals – Dec. 5
Women’s College Cup final – Dec. 8

TENNESSEE’S NCAA HISTORY: Tennessee will be making its fifth-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and 16th 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.

HOSTING HISTORY: Tennessee has hosted 18 NCAA tournament games, and the Lady Vols are 14-3-1 in Knoxville early-round NCAA contests.

A full preview of Friday’s matchup against North Carolina will be available later this week on UTSports.com. For the most up-to-date information on Tennessee soccer, follow @Vol_Soccer on X and Instagram.