After previewing the top teams in the SEC, Big Ten, Pac-12, and Big 12, we're moving to the last major Division 1 conference and breaking down the top three teams in the ACC, finishing our fall ball season previews with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The University of North Carolina started their softball program in 1977, but it wasn’t until the arrival of head coach Donna J. Papa in 1986 that the Tar Heels began to experience success. Papa has established the Tar Heels as a consistent top 25 team in the country for most of her 30 years at North Carolina. Since joining the ACC in 1992, Papa has lead the Tar Heels to five conference championships in eight appearances with the last title coming in 2012. North Carolina has had 14-straight winning seasons and has made the NCAA tournament 11 of the past 14 seasons. Papa’s longevity is a testament to the success she has brought to the Tarheel program and should serve as the expectation for the team going into 2016. 


Hall of Fame coach Donna Papa has been with North Carolina since 1986

Even with a hall of fame coach in Papa, North Carolina has some reloading to do in 2016 to make up for some lost talent. The Tar Heels graduated five seniors from last season, including catcher Amber Parrish. Parrish started every game for the Tar Heels last season, batting .343 on the season and having the second best home run (18) and runs batted in (53) totals on the team. Seniors Lauren Walker and Jenna Kelly’s absences from the lineup will leave a hole for the Tar Heels offensively. Walker was second on the team in batting average, hiting .374 while Kelly batted .333 and played in all but one game last season. North Carolina also graduated Kati Causey and Jordan Scarboro. 

One of the most significant losses for the Tar Heels this season come from the pitching staff. Pitcher Kaylee Carlson, who led the Tar Heels as a freshman with 18 wins and posted a 3.32 ERA last season, transferred to Auburn University for the 2016 season. North Carolina also loses pitching coach Marissa Young, as she was hired by Duke University to head Duke’s first softball team for the 2017-2018 season. 

With the loss of Coach Young and Carlson, Sophomore pitcher Sydney Matzko will look to new assistant coach Chelsey Barclay to guide her as the team’s ace in 2016. Last season as a freshman, the southpaw hurler led the team with a 2.39 ERA and tossed 14 wins. 


Sophomore Sydney Matzko will be pushed into the role of staff ace with the transfer of pitcher Kaylee Carlson

North Carolina does return quite a bit of offensive firepower in 2016. Expect senior shortstop Kristen Brown to head the Tarheel offense this season. The third team All-American hit .362 on the season with a team-leading 7 stolen bases. The power hitter also blasted 24 home runs and knocked in 67 runs to lead both the team and the ACC. Born doubled her number of home runs from the previous season and set school records for both home runs and RBIs in a season. Just last week Brown was one of 46 players invited to tryout for team USA. 


Kristen Brown broke North Carolina single season records for home runs (24) and RBIs (67) last season

Sophomore Taylor Wike returns after leading the Tarheel offense with a .418 batting average in 2015. The speedy slapper started every game for North Carolina at second base a freshman last season. Senior centerfielder Aquilla Matean also looks to continue her offensive dominance this season after having hit .373 last year with 7 stolen bases to lead the team along with Brown. 

Leading the Tar Heels’ class of five rookies this season are North Carolina Lady Lightning teammates Kiana Sherlund and Katie Bailiff. Both Sherlund and Bailiff were FloSoftball Hot 100 players last year, grabbing the No. 24 and No. 69 spots, respectively. Sherlund is a lightning fast lefty slapper and power hitter who has been clocked at 2.6 seconds from home to first, and Bailiff is a catcher/infielder who can expect to impact the Tar Heels her freshman season. North Carolina also adds corner players Berlynne Delamora, outfielder Destiny DeBerry, and utility player Leah Murray to the squad for 2016. 

As long as the Tar Heel pitching staff can regroup following the loss of a top pitcher and their pitching coach, expect North Carolina to be duking it out with Florida State and Notre Dame for the top spot in the ACC in 2016.