The 2009 NCAA Field Hockey National Championship is OURS!

If you have read this blog over the last several weeks, you know that I have long described this year's Tar Heel field hockey team as a very special one with a real chance to win the Division 1 National Championship. Well, today my prediction came to fruition as our Tar Heels beat an undefeated Maryland team (last year's national champion) by a score of 3-2 to win its 6th Championship in the last 20 years!!!!

I hope that you had the chance to see this team play at some point during the season because it was very, very special. It spent most of the season at #2 in the national polls just behind Maryland. On the 24th of October, the Terrapins came to Henry Stadium and beat the Heels 4-1. Two weeks later, the Heels were beaten again by Virginia in the ACC Tournament. Some teams might have quit at that point, but not these women. On Friday, they beat Virginia 3-2 in the semi-finals, and today, against great odds and a terrible first half, they beat Maryland 3-2 with the last goal coming with 11 seconds left in the second half. They finished the season at 20-2. Maryland had a wonderful season and finished at 23-1 - the loss to OUR TAR HEELS!!!!

With no disrespect meant for our men's basketball team, Karen Shelton's teams have won 6 national championships in 20 years while it took the men 85 years to do that. I am not sure that it is appropriate to call this a dynasty, but I am thrilled to have had the chance to watch this team play all season. I cannot wait for next season to begin and invite you to join me in Henry Stadium next August!