North Carolina Tar Heels softball
{{Short description|American college softball team}}
{{Infobox college softball team
|name = North Carolina Tar Heels
softball
|logo = North Carolina Tar Heels logo.svg
|logo_size = 97px
|university = University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
|conference = Atlantic Coast Conference
|conference_short = ACC
|division =
|city = Chapel Hill
|stateabb = NC
|state = North Carolina
|coach = Megan Smith
|tenure = 1st
|stadium = Williams Field at Anderson Stadium
|capacity = 500
|nickname = Tar Heels
|national_champion =
|wcws =
|ncaa_tourneys = 2001, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2019
|conference_tournament = 2001
|conference_champion = 1996, 1998, 2000, 2008, 2012
}}
The North Carolina Tar Heels softball team represents the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in NCAA Division I college softball. They participate in the Atlantic Coast Conference."[http://tarheelblue.cstv.com/sports/w-softbl/spec-rel/020708aab.html 2008 Softball Media Guide]." tarheelblue.com. Retrieved on March 21, 2008.
Home venues
Since 2002, the team has played at the UNC Softball Complex. The complex is fully floodlit and includes a separate practice field, a press box, and concessions. Coaches' offices are also on site in the adjoining building housing the locker rooms. Williams Field and Anderson Stadium, capacity 500, were officially dedicated following a game against Georgia Tech on April 23, 2006. Previously, they had played at Finley Field and Williams Field.
Individual honors
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| ! Name
! Year(s) |
|---|
| rowspan="3" | First Team All-America Selection
| Christine Kubin | 1996 |
| Brandy Arthur
| 1998 |
| Danielle Spaulding
| 2010 |
| rowspan="4" | ACC Player of the Year
| Beverly Smith | 1994 |
| Brandy Arthur
| 1998 |
| Michelle Semmes
| 2000 |
| Danielle Spaulding
| 2008 |
| rowspan="2" | ACC Pitcher of the Year
| Danielle Spaulding | 2010 |
| Lori Spingola
| 2012 |
| rowspan="2" | ACC Rookie of the Year
| Radara McHugh | 1998 |
| Crystal Cox
| 2003 |
| ACC Coach of the Year
| 1996 |
| NFCA Hall of Fame Inductee
| 2012 |
Natalie Anter represented Italy at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece.
All-time record
The softball team was officially established in 1977, switching to fast pitch play in 1984. Conference play officially began in 1992, with a first qualification for the NCAA Tournament in 2001.
| class="wikitable" style="text-align: center;" |
| Year
! Head Coach ! Overall ! ACC ! ACC Tournament ! NCAA Tournament ! Coaches Poll |
|---|
| 1977
| rowspan="2" | Dolly Hunter | 13–18 | — | — | — | — |
| 1978
| 21–13 | — | — | — | — |
| 1979
| Beth Miller | 18–11 | — | — | — | — |
| 1980
| rowspan="6" | Susan Clark | 25–16 | — | — | — | — |
| 1981
| 47–22 | — | — | — | — |
| 1982
| 34–28–1 | — | — | — | — |
| 1983
| 19–19 | — | — | — | — |
| 1984
| 26–14 | — | — | — | — |
| 1985
| 28–14 | — | — | — | — |
| 1986
| rowspan="38" | Donna J. Papa | 35–13 | — | — | — | — |
| 1987
| 36–11–1 | — | — | — | — |
| 1988
| 25–23 | — | — | — | — |
| 1989
| 35–17 | — | — | — | — |
| 1990
| 38–18 | — | — | — | — |
| 1991
| 36–12 | — | — | — | — |
| 1992
| 45–18 | 3–4 | 1–2 | — | — |
| 1993
| 42–17 | 3–1 | 0–2 | — | — |
| 1994
| 32–25 | 2–4 | 1–2 | — | — |
| 1995
| 25–34 | 1–5 | 1–2 | — | — |
| 1996
| 33–29–1 | 6–1 | 2–2 | — | — |
| 1997
| 21–34 | 2–6 | 1–2 | — | — |
| 1998
| 32–21 | 6–2 | 1–2 | — | — |
| 1999
| 39–22 | 4–4 | 0–2 | — | — |
| 2000
| 47–17 | 6–2 | 0–2 | — | — |
| 2001
| 38–19–1 | 6–2 | 3–0 | 1–2 | — |
| 2002
| 34–30 | 2–6 | 3–2 | — | — |
| 2003
| 40–22–1 | 4–3 | 0–2 | 1–2 | — |
| 2004
| 44–22 | 6–4 | 1–2 | 1–2 | — |
| 2005
| 38–29 | 9–9 | 0–2 | 2–2 | — |
| 2006
| 48–19 | 13–7 | 2–2 | 0–2 | — |
| 2007
| 46–21 | 11–9 | 2–2 | 1–2 | — |
| 2008
| 50–12–1 | 18–2 | 1–1 | 0–2 | 20 |
| 2009
| 47–13 | 15–5 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 17 |
| 2010
| 42–20 | 11–10 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 24 |
| 2011
| 34–21 | 13–7 | 2–1 | — | — |
| 2012
| 43–15 | 13–4 | 1–1 | 2–2 | 24 |
| 2013
| 40–21 | 13–8 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — |
| 2014
| 24–26 | 14–11 | 1–1 | — | — |
| 2015
| 37–16 | 16–5 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — |
| 2016
| 32–25 | 13–11 | 1–1 | 1–2 | — |
| 2017
| 40–21 | 14–9 | 2–1 | 2–2 | — |
| 2018
| 30–26 | 15–8 | 1–1 | — | — |
| 2019
| 38–20 | 17–7 | 2–1 | 3–2 | — |
| 2020
| 10–14 | 3–3 | Covid-19 | Covid-19 | — |
| 2021
| 14–26 | 10–19 | 0–1 | — | — |
| 2022
| 23–28 | 6–18 | — | — | — |
| 2023
| 26–28 | 13–10 | 0–1 | — | — |
| Overall
! ! 1570–960–6 ! 288–203 ! 33–44 ! 20–30 ! |