We Speak Soccer

North Carolina Blanks Virginia 2-0 to Win Its First ACC Women’s Soccer Title Since 2019, a Record 23rd Championship

Published

5 minutes ago

November 15, 2026

North Carolina women's soccer team posing with the ACC championship trophy and a 2026 CHAMPS sign at First Horizon Stadium in Cary after beating Virginia 2-0.

North Carolina celebrates its 2026 Ally ACC Women's Soccer Championship at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Photo courtesy of North Carolina Athletics.

North Carolina is back on top of ACC women’s soccer. Two goals in the first 20 minutes were all the Tar Heels needed on Sunday in Cary, as they shut out Virginia to lift their first conference championship since 2019 and add a record 23rd ACC title to the program’s history.

With a pair of first-half goals, second-seeded North Carolina won the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship with a 2-0 victory over fifth-seeded Virginia Sunday afternoon at First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

Winning its first conference title since 2019, North Carolina earned its record 23rd ACC Championship title and 24th overall. The next-closest team is Florida State with 11 ACC championships. With the win, North Carolina earned the ACC’s automatic bid into the 2026 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Championship and extended its winning streak to five matches.

North Carolina started quickly, scoring both of its goals in the first 20 minutes of the match. Tar Heel striker Amari Manning opened the scoring in the third minute, making a deep run into the Virginia box and finding the back of the net for her first goal of the season. Moments later, the ACC Offensive Player of the Year, Bella Devey, notched her second goal of the postseason in the 19th minute to give the Tar Heels a key insurance goal.

The Tar Heel backline secured the shutout in the second half, as the Cavaliers did not record a shot on goal for the final 45 minutes. North Carolina became the first team since UNC’s 2017 title run to win the ACC with back-to-back shutouts. The win also snapped a streak of three consecutive losses in the title match, with the Tar Heels falling in 2020, 2022 and 2024. UNC became the first No. 2 seed to win the championship since 2022.

The Selection Show for the 2026 NCAA Women’s Soccer Tournament is set for Monday, November 16, at 4 p.m. ET on NCAA.com. Seven of the last eight teams to qualify for the Women’s College Cup have been from the ACC.

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship All-Tournament Team

Bella Devey, North Carolina (MVP)
Peyton Trayer, North Carolina
Cali O’Neill, North Carolina
Izzi Stratton, North Carolina
Amari Manning, North Carolina
Addison Halpern, Virginia
Victoria Safradin, Virginia
Giovana Canali, Virginia
Yuna Maru, Duke
Sam Courtwright, Duke
Sammi Wiemann, Wake Forest

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites
#6 Duke 5, at #3 Wake Forest 4 (OT)
#5 Virginia 3, at #4 Florida State 0

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)
#5 Virginia 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
#2 North Carolina 1, #6 Duke 0

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)
#2 North Carolina 2, #5 Virginia 0

We Speak Soccer

North Carolina Faces Virginia Sunday for the 2026 ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

Published

1 day ago

November 14, 2026

We Speak Media

North Carolina Tar Heels women's soccer players in white warmup tops laughing together on the field before a match at Dorrance Field

North Carolina chases a record 23rd ACC tournament title and Virginia chases its first since 2012 when the Tar Heels and Cavaliers meet Sunday at noon ET in Cary on ESPNU.

Second-seeded North Carolina and fifth-seeded Virginia will play for the 2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship Sunday at noon ET from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

The Tar Heels and Cavaliers will meet in the title match for the fifth time, with previous matchups in 1990, 2004, 2005 and 2019. North Carolina is 3-1 in those matchups, with UVA’s lone win coming in 2004. It will also be the first time since a No. 2 seed has faced a No. 5 seed in the final since 2012, when fifth-seeded Virginia defeated second-seeded Maryland, 4-0. That season was the last time the Cavaliers have won the ACC title.

UNC is in the ACC Championship final for the 30th time and seeks its record 23rd tournament title. The Tar Heels have dropped their last three final appearances (2020, 2022 and 2024) and have not won the ACC crown since defeating Virginia in the 2019 title match. UNC looks to become the first No. 2 seed since Florida State in 2022 to win the women’s soccer championship.

Virginia returns to the ACC title match for the first time since 2021, having won the championship twice (2004 and 2012). The Cavaliers have not allowed a goal in their last four matches and five of their last six contests. It marks the first time a team has advanced to the title match from the first round without allowing a goal since 2020.

Sunday’s final will be broadcast live on ESPNU at noon ET. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 on game day and are available online only; no walk-up sales will be available.

2026 Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship

First Round | Sunday, Nov. 8 – Campus Sites

#6 Duke 5, at #3 Wake Forest 4 (OT)
#5 Virginia 3, at #4 Florida State 0

Semifinals | Thursday, Nov. 12 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#5 Virginia 1, #1 Notre Dame 0
#2 North Carolina 1, #6 Duke 0

Final | Sunday, Nov. 15 – First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park (Cary, N.C.)

#2 North Carolina vs. #5 Virginia | Noon | ESPNU
All times Eastern

Noting ACC Women’s Soccer

• The 40th season of ACC Women’s Soccer got underway on Wednesday, August 12, while the 39th Ally ACC Women’s Soccer Championship concludes Sunday, November 15, with the championship final from First Horizon Stadium at WakeMed Soccer Park.

• The ACC has seven teams in the latest IWSOC/United Soccer Coaches Poll, the most of any conference.

• The poll includes No. 2 North Carolina, No. 4 Notre Dame, No. 6 Wake Forest, No. 10 Virginia, No. 12 Duke, No. 16 Florida State and No. 16 Stanford (tie). Clemson and Virginia Tech are receiving votes.

• The ACC has eight teams ranked among the top 30 in the RPI, also the most of any conference.

• The RPI top 30 includes No. 1 North Carolina, No. 5 Wake Forest, No. 7 Notre Dame, No. 11 Virginia, No. 13 Duke, No. 15 Stanford, No. 28 Florida State and No. 29 Clemson.

• Four ACC teams were named to the initial NCAA Women’s Soccer Committee Top 16, announced on Monday, October 26: No. 1 North Carolina, No. 3 Wake Forest, No. 9 Notre Dame and No. 11 Stanford.

• ACC teams have combined for 86 non-conference wins and a .801 winning percentage, both of which lead the nation.

• A total of 12 ACC standouts were named to the MAC Hermann Trophy Mid-Season Watch List, the most among all conferences. The next-closest conference had six.

• Florida State earned the ACC’s 27th national championship (24th since the ACC began sponsoring women’s soccer) a season ago, bringing the total to 33 national championships among current ACC institutions. No school outside the ACC has won more than two championships.

• The Seminoles defeated Stanford, 1-0, in the 2025 national championship match, marking the second straight year that two ACC teams met for the national title and the third consecutive championship match featuring current ACC members.