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UNC head coach Erin Matson leads Tar Heels to another title after winning as a player last year

November 20, 2023
Two defending national champs re-upped their hardware-hoisting privileges, two 2022 runners-up did revenge, and a handful of individuals inked their names in history this weekend.
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UNC head coach Erin Matson leads Tar Heels to another title after winning as a player last year
SOURCE: GOHEELS/X

The GIST: Run it back! Two defending national champs re-upped their hardware-hoisting privileges, two 2022 runners-up did revenge, and a handful of individuals inked their names in history this weekend. Cue those confetti showers.

🏃 Men’s cross country: No. 1 Oklahoma State avenged last year’s tie-breaker loss by dominating the team natty on Saturday. Five Cowboys finished in the top 15 to blow away the rest of the field, including No. 2 Northern Arizona, who saw their three-year title-winning streak end as they claimed a distant second.

  • In individual competition, No. 15 Harvard junior Graham Blanks became the first Ivy League men’s runner to win a cross country natty after crossing the 10K finish line in 28:37.7. A smarty pants in short shorts.

👟 Women’s cross country: The women’s race was historically fast (and well-attended), with the top three gals breaking the ’ship’s record. But No. 5 Florida’s Parker Valby was the speediest of all: The junior bounced back from last year’s second-place finish by snagging the individual top prize in a blistering 6K time of 18:55.2 on Saturday. Holy moly.

  • In the team race, Valby’s rival, senior Katelyn Tuohy, notched a fifth-place finish to lead her No. 1 NC State Wolfpack to their third straight natty, edging out No. 2 Northern Arizona by just one point. Exhausted hugs for the champs.

🏑 Field hockey: Speaking of title repeats, No. 1–seed UNC picked up right where they left off, beating No. 2–seed Northwestern 2–1 in Sunday’s final for the second straight year — this time, in an ultra-dramatic overtime (OT) shootout. Hearts are still pounding.

  • This win — the Tar Heels’ 11th overall and fifth in the last six years — marks a monumental achievement for 23-year-old HC Erin Matson, who took the reins this season after four incredible years as a player. Unparalleled.
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