Carolina cross country heads to Blacksburg, Va., on Friday, Oct. 30, with both programs opening postseason racing at the Atlantic Coast Conference Championships at the Buford Meredith Cross Country Course.
The men's 8K gets things started at 10:10 a.m., and the women's 6K follows at 11 a.m.
UNC’s men will have plenty to sort through in a loaded conference race. Four nationally ranked teams are in the field: Syracuse at No.
8, Wake Forest at No. 10, Stanford at No. 13 and Notre Dame at No.
- The Tar Heels come in at No.
Last year, Virginia won the men's team title, while Carolina placed sixth. Two Tar Heels came away with All-ACC recognition, as former Carolina standouts Colton Sands and Tomer Tarragano both landed inside the top 10.
The Tar Heel men have claimed 10 ACC championships overall, with the most recent coming in 2023. That year, Parker Wolfe won the individual title.
Carolina’s women arrive ranked No. 19 nationally and will line up against seven other ranked teams. NC State sits at No. 2 after spending much of the season at No. 1 before the Pre-Nationals Invitational in Terre Haute, Ind.
The rest of the ranked women’s field includes Notre Dame at No. 8, Clemson at No.
14, Virginia Tech at No. 20, Stanford at No.
21, Virginia at No. 22 and Duke at No. 24.
The Tar Heel women have won four ACC team titles and produced eight individual champions.
Carolina has also picked up individual conference honors during the season. Ciara O'Shea earned ACC Performer of the Week after her win at the Virginia Invitational, and Caden Leonard has taken ACC Freshman of the Week three times.
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UNC Heads Into No. 1 Miami With A Pressure Point Fans Feel
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Miami brings the sort of attack that can expose any hesitation, with Darian Mensah directing the offense and Toney giving the Hurricanes another dangerous target on the outside. North Carolinas defense has already shown some cracks against the run and in the secondary, which makes the challenge even steeper as the Tar Heels try to avoid getting stretched on both sides of the ball. However this one unfolds, it has the feel of a game that could sharpen the conversation around where UNC stands right now and where it goes next. [Read more 🡒]