UNC softball will spend plenty of time at home in 2027, and the schedule released Monday morning makes that clear right away. Megan Smith Lyon’s Tar Heels have 33 home games lined up at Anderson Stadium, along with a demanding slate that includes 24 games against NCAA tournament teams.
The nonconference portion is loaded with challenges. UNC has seven games against teams that hosted a regional last season, 10 against opponents that finished in the top 25 of the RPI, and 22 more against teams ranked 26-100. The Tar Heels also have nine games against conference champions.
The season begins at the NFCA Leadoff Classic in Clearwater, Fla., where UNC opens with Wisconsin and Tennessee on Feb. 12. The Tar Heels will be back in action the next day against Cal Baptist and Indiana, then close the event on Sunday with Bethune-Cookman.
From there, the Tar Heels stay on the road for a midweek trip to Wofford before opening their home schedule with the Carolina Classic. Western Kentucky, Campbell, Wagner and Winthrop are on deck from Feb. 19-21.
UNC’s next stretch turns into a long run at home. After a midweek game at Charlotte on Feb. 24, the Tar Heels begin an 11 game-game homestand with the Tar Heel Invitational from Feb. 26-28, facing Northern Iowa, Georgetown and Hampton. Elon visits for a midweek game, then UNC hosts the Mizuno Showdown from March 4-7 with Villanova, Akron, Furman and Boston University.
The schedule then shifts into ACC play. UNC plays at Coastal Carolina in a midweek game before opening conference action at Duke from March 12-14. Liberty comes to Chapel Hill on March 16, followed by Florida State from March 18-20.
Later in March, the Tar Heels host UNCG in a midweek game before heading to Atlanta for a March 25-27 series at Georgia Tech. April brings another big home stand, starting with NC State from April 2-4. ECU visits Chapel Hill on April 7, and then UNC goes on the road again to face Louisville.
The Tar Heels close the regular season with an eight-game homestand against NC Central, Syracuse, Queens and Clemson from April 14-25. The final regular-season series comes May 6-8 at Boston College.
UNC will then head to the ACC Tournament, set for May 12-15 at Clemson, with the NCAA tournament beginning May 21.
In Other News...
Belichick May Be Getting A New In-State Rival Tar Heels Fans Know Well
NC State is expected to hire Philip Rivers as its next head football coach, pending approval from the universitys trustees, a move that would instantly add a familiar name to the in-state rivalry. Rivers, an NC State alum and former NFL quarterback, has spent the past few years coaching at the high school level since 2021, and his jump to the college sideline would bring a very different kind of spotlight to Raleigh.
For North Carolina, the development matters beyond the usual border-state bragging rights because Bill Belichick knows Rivers well from their NFL meetings. Belichick has already weighed in on Rivers competitiveness, which only adds to the intrigue if the hire becomes official and the rivalry gets a new face with a long football rsum behind it. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Has A Real Chance To Clinch Something At Louisville
North Carolina heads to Louisville with a straightforward goal in front of it: get one more win and become bowl-eligible. After the Tar Heels handled UConn, the program has a little momentum and a clearer sense of identity under Bill Belichick in his second season, with the discipline on both sides of the ball looking more settled than it did earlier in the year.
Billy Edwards Jr. has been a big part of that push, coming off a strong outing against UConn with 255 passing yards and three touchdowns. Now the challenge gets a little tougher on the road, where UNC can turn a solid midseason stretch into something more meaningful if it can finish the job at Louisville. [Read more 🡒]
UNC Defense Just Lost A Key Piece At The Worst Time
North Carolinas defense took a tough hit during its game against Syracuse, when linebacker Jonathan Agumadu suffered a lower-body injury that will keep him out for the rest of the 2026 season. Agumadu had become a significant part of the Tar Heels defensive rotation, so his absence leaves a noticeable void in the middle of the unit at a point when depth matters most.
Timir Hickman-Collins is among the linebackers expected to help absorb the workload from here, and UNC will need others to step forward quickly as it tries to steady the defense without one of its more reliable contributors. Injuries are part of the season, but losing a player like Agumadu now forces the Tar Heels to adjust on the fly and reshuffle a position group that had been counting on his presence. [Read more 🡒]