North Carolina captures 2024 NCAA Women’s Soccer Championship, beating Wake Forest

CARY, N.C. – The queens of college soccer have reclaimed their crown. North Carolina won the 2024 NCAA Division I women’s soccer championship, the program’s 23rd national title and first since 2012.

UNC has now won 22 of the 43 NCAA titles in history, plus the 1981 AIAW title for 23 total national championships. No other women’s soccer team owns more than four.

The second-seeded Tar Heels defeated fellow No. 2 seed Wake Forest, 1-0, on Monday night at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary. Olivia Thomas netted her ninth goal of the season off a free kick in the 62nd minute in what came to be the title-sealing goal for the Tar Heels.

Thomas was named the Most Outstanding Offensive Player and goalkeeper Clare Gagne was tabbed the Most Outstanding Defensive Player. In addition to Gagne and Thomas, freshmen Trinity Armstrong and Linda Ullmark were selected to the NCAA All-Tournament Team.

Thomas is UNC’s first Most Outstanding Offensive Player since Kealia Ohai in 2012, and the 18th player in program history to receive the honor. Gagne is the first UNC goalkeeper to win Most Outstanding Defensive Player since Siri Mullinix in 1997, and they are the only two Carolina netminders ever to win the accolade. Gagne becomes the 15th Tar Heel to win the defensive praise.

Interim head coach Damon Nahas becomes the second coach in NCAA women’s soccer history to win a national championship in their first year as a head coach, joining UCLA’s Margueritte Aozasa from 2022.

Nahas is also the fourth Carolina head coach to win a national championship in their first season at the helm. Erin Matson (field hockey, 2023), Carlos Somoano (men’s soccer, 2011) and Dave Klarmann (men’s lacrosse, 1991) have also achieved the feat.

Following tonight’s win, the University now has 51 NCAA team championships across eight different sports. This is UNC’s 62nd overall national championship.

This marks the 26th women’s soccer national championship for the Atlantic Coast Conference and the 32nd among current membership. No other school outside the ACC has won more than two national titles.

This is Carolina’s sixth NCAA title as a No. 2 seed. Its last national title in 2012 was also as a second seed. The Tar Heels are the first non-No. 1 seed to win since Santa Clara in 2020 as the No. 11 seed.

The Tar Heels wrap up their remarkable 2024 campaign with a 22-5 (7-3 ACC) record, marking the 21st season in school history they have won 22+ games, and first since 2019. The Demon Deacons, who made their first ever title game appearance, finish the season at 16-4-4 (7-2-1 ACC).