CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The University of North Carolina men’s soccer team officially begins its 2022 campaign on Thursday by hosting Air Force for the season and home opener at Dorrance Field. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET.
Tickets for all regular season home matches can be purchased here.
Thursday’s contest will commence the Tar Heels’ 76th season of play and 12th year under head coach Carlos Somoano, who owns an overall record of 148-49-32. The Tar Heels have remained undefeated in all season and home openers in Somoano’s 12 years at the helm.
UNC has an even mix of returners and new faces on its roster, with 22 players back for another year in Chapel Hill. A total of 18 newcomers – 12 freshmen and six transfers – will be donning Carolina blue and white for the first time this season.
Two newcomers have already garnered recognition during the preseason. Midfielder Sebastian Schacht, a graduate transfer from Saint Mary’s (Calif.), was tabbed to the Atlantic Coast Conference’s preseason watch list. He was also one of 26 midfielders to watch in Division I by United Soccer Coaches.
Graduate transfer Til Zinnhardt, who arrived at Carolina from Tulsa, was also one of 24 players named to the United Soccer Coaches’ preseason watch list for defenders.
UNC was picked to finish second in the Coastal Division by league coaches in the ACC preseason poll with five votes and 52 overall points, right behind Pitt which received six first-place votes and 57 points. Carolina and Pitt both notched two votes to be tied for second behind reigning national champion Clemson as the overall ACC champion.
The Tar Heels were also slotted at No. 24 in preseason polls by both United Soccer Coaches and College Soccer News.
Carolina, which finished fourth in the Coastal Division, produced an 11-7-2 (4-4 ACC) record in 2021 and advanced to the quarterfinals of the ACC Tournament and the second round of the NCAA Tournament. UNC was ranked as high as No. 4 a season ago.
Air Force will embark on its toughest schedule to date, facing seven 2021 NCAA Tournament qualifiers, including UNC. Led by Doug Hill in his 16th season as head coach, the Falcons were picked to place fifth in the Western Athletic Conference’s preseason poll. Senior London Aghedo, a two-time first-team all-conference selection, was the league’s top choice for Preseason…
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