This Week in UNC Sports: September 7-13, 2026

After two weeks which saw Tar Heel teams playing as far east as Dublin and as far west as California, the first full week of September will give UNC fans plenty of chances to see Carolina in action in Chapel Hill. Among the notable games are the home opener for football and a major matchup on the soccer pitch. The football team will take center stage Saturday. (Chapelboro.com)

The JB Cissell Memorial Fund

On September 7, 2019, Inside Carolina lost a treasured, founding member of its family in J.B. Cissell. You can read more about him and what he meant to Inside Carolina in the column below. The J.B. Cissell Memorial Fund was set up in coordination with an organization that was near and dear to his heart: Volunteers for Youth. (Inside Carolina)

Video: Bill Belichick Monday Pre-ETSU Press Conference

North Carolina head football coach Bill Belichick speaks with the media on Monday ahead of the Tar Heels' 2026 home-opener on Saturday against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers at Kenan Stadium in Chapel Hill. (View Video)

Video: UNC Tight Ends Coach Caleb Pickrell, UNC Players Pre-ETSU Press Conferences

North Carolina tight ends coach Caleb Pickrell, linebacker Derek McDonald, center Christo Kelly, and running back Benjamin Hall speak with the media on Monday ahead of the Tar Heels' matchup against the East Tennessee State Buccaneers on Saturday in Chapel Hill. (View Video)

Bill Belichick Defends UNC Football Program, Says it's 'Compliant'

Amid a cloud hanging over the UNC Football program after former general manager Michael Lombardi's resignation last week and a report about an internal investigation into the program, the majority of Bill Belichick's Monday pre-ETSU press conference focused on the investigation, including if his program is fully compliant. "Yes, totally," Belichick replied. (TarHeel247)

Jarin Stevenson's Versatility Critical For New-Look Tar Heels

Chapel Hill native Jarin Stevenson enter his senior season with no Caleb Wilson or Henri Veesaar, a new coach, and a fresh group of teammates. But Stevenson’s utility isn’t going anywhere, and Michael Malone is looking forward to taking advantage of it. "Jarin was a three, a four, and a five,” Malone acknowledged. "That’s his superpower — the versatility." (Inside Carolina)

UNC's Niall Sheils Donegan Leads GB&I To Walker Cup Victory

UNC men's golfer Niall Sheils Donegan earned two and a half points to help Great Britain & Ireland secure a 13.5 to 12.5 victory in the 2026 Walker Cup in Lahinch, Ireland. The United States led 9.5 to 6.5 after sweeping all four matches Sunday, but GB&I won six of the 10 singles matches and tied two others for the decisive seven points in the final session. (GoHeels.com)

DJ Diesel (Shaquille O'Neal) to Headline First Chapel Thrill Concert of 2026

Chapel Thrill Gameday, returns for the second straight year, kicking off with DJ Diesel ahead of Carolina Football's first home matchup against ETSU on Saturday, Sept. 12. The pre-game party will open at 9 a.m., with the free concert taking place at 10 a.m., directly in front of Wilson Library. The action is located in Polk Place in the heart of UNC's campus. (GoHeels.com)

Bigger, Faster and More Versatile: UNC Women’s Basketball’s New Roster Takes Shape

When North Carolina women's basketball reshaped its roster this offseason, the changes brought the potential for more size, experience, and versatility across the floor. "We've gotten quicker, bigger, and stronger, and faster at the positions that really matter a ton," head coach Courtney Banghart said on Thursday during her preseason media availability. (TarHeel247)

UNC Men’s Soccer Equalizes Late To Earn A Draw at Cal

UNC Men's Soccer used a late equalizer to claim a 2-2 draw at Cal on Sunday (Highlights). The Tar Heels dominated the first 40 minutes, taking a 1-0 lead, but Cal found the net twice in the last four minutes of the first half. Joschi Schelb later steered home a Jonathan Luna Sabando corner kick to level match for the Tar Heels in the 83rd minute. (GoHeels.com)

Big expectations: Inside Michael Malone’s retooling of UNC’s frontcourt

The centerpiece of UNC Basketball's rebuild is Sayon Keita, a 7-foot-1, 205-pound prospect Michael Malone scouted personally in Huelva, Spain, shortly after taking the job. Malone further described him as a player whose game may already exceed expectations. He called Keita “a terrific runner of the floor” and "an exceptional pick-and-roll player." (Tar Heel Tribune)

At Chicago State, coached by former UNC fullback Bobby Rome, football is a whole new ballgame

Chicago State doesn’t have a stadium. Why the left-field foul line? Because the Cougars don’t have a football practice facility. Instead, they’re putting in daily work on the school’s baseball field. Did I mention Chicago State doesn’t have a baseball team? “Everyone has to start from somewhere, you know what I mean?” head coach Bobby Rome said. (Chicago Sun-Times)

Summer Denigan's PK Goal Lifts No. 9 UNC Women's Soccer Over Arizona State

No. 9 UNC Women's Soccer wrapped up its road trip with a 1-0 victory over Arizona State on Sunday in Tempe to remain unbeaten on the road this season (Highlights). Summer Denigan led the way, scoring the lone goal for the Tar Heels. Once again, the midfielder converted on a penalty kick for the second straight match and third time this season. (GoHeels.com)

No. 10 UNC Field Hockey Knocks Off No. 2 Princeton In Shootout

While the shots were hard to come by for No. 10 UNC Field Hockey, goaltender Merritt Skubisz and her defense kept the Tar Heels in the game. The sophomore goaltender got her second shutout of the weekend to push No. 2 Princeton into a shootout, where North Carolina prevailed 3-2 (Highlights) to earn a 1-0 victory Sunday at Karen Shelton Stadium. (Tar Heel Tribune)

Michael Malone on first transfer portal experience: ‘I felt like I was Keanu Reeves in The Matrix’

The Tar Heels, who had a laundry list of candidates, eventually reached a deal with NBA Champion head coach Michael Malone, which was a landmark hiring for a program of UNC’s magnitude. Malone has navigated countless NBA free agencies, but he was tasked with a new role this spring: navigating the always-chaotic college basketball transfer portal. (Zag's Blog)

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