The 2024 national championship-winning UNC women's soccer program will begin the 2025 season at the top of the hill. They are the United Coaches national pre-season poll No. 1 team in the country.
One of one.
— UNC Women's Soccer (@uncwomenssoccer) August 1, 2025
Starting the season ranked no. 1 in the country @UnitedCoaches 💪#GoHeels pic.twitter.com/pyJMgAQeYT
The Tar Heels won their 23rd national championship last season, their first without legendary coach Anson Dorrance. Then interim coach Damon Nahas inherited a dangerously attrited team, and stitched together a patchwork of freshmen and transfers to make up for the departure of 21 players when he took over, culminating in a national championship win over Wake Forest.
The situation is not as dire this season, but Coach Nahas will have to replace five starters from last season's championship squad. National championship goal-scorer Trinity Armstrong is now at San Diego Wave FC. ACC All-Tournament Team forward Maddie Dahlien is off to Seattle Reign FC. Goalkeeper Claire Gagne will play for Kansas City Current.
No matter how North Carolina reloads, it will be difficult to replace that level of talent. Fortunately, the Tar Heels can count returning 2024 MAC Hermann Trophy (the Heisman Trophy of women's soccer) winner Kate Faasse among its returnees.
New seasons bring new challenges, but this is nothing new to the UNC women's soccer program. With a championship winning coach at the helm and the standard compliment of bright talent in Chapel Hill, the Tar Heels have every chance of living up to expectations and challenging for back-to-back national championships.