North Carolina Set for 2026 Men’s College World Series Opener

OMAHA, Neb. (theACC.com) – The North Carolina Tar Heels will characterize the Atlantic Coast Conference because the No. 5 nationwide seed opens their 2026 Men’s College World Series run on Friday, June 12, at 7 p.m. ET towards the Ole Miss Rebels. Coming off a victory within the Chapel Hill Super Regional, the Tar Heels will play within the Men’s College World Series for the thirteenth time in program historical past.
 
Since 2023, a complete of 23 totally different groups have certified for the Men’s College World Series, with the Tar Heels being the lone crew to make a number of appearances. North Carolina returns to Omaha, Nebraska, for the ninth time up to now 20 years, which is tied for essentially the most of any program over that span.
 
This 12 months marks the twentieth consecutive event through which a crew from the ACC has superior to the Men’s College World Series. The ACC has positioned 36 groups up to now 19 tournaments – a mean of just below two groups per 12 months.
 
North Carolina punched its ticket with a 4-3 walk-off win over Southern California in a winner-take-all Game 3 on Sunday, June 7. Owen Hull delivered a game-winning double to the warning monitor in left-center area, driving in Carter French and sending Boshamer Stadium into pandemonium.

The Tar Heels have been paced within the winner-take-all sport by excellent pitching, highlighted by a stellar begin from ACC Freshman of the Year Caden Glauber. Making simply the third begin of his collegiate profession, Glauber labored 7.1 innings, permitting simply three runs and putting out a career-high 11. North Carolina turned to Jackson Rose and Walker McDuffie out of the bullpen, who mixed to work 1.2 scoreless innings and didn’t enable a success.

 

North Carolina will face its first journey away from Boshamer Stadium for the reason that 2026 ACC Baseball Championship in Charlotte, North Carolina. North Carolina performed its final sport exterior of the Tar Heel State on Sunday, April 12, when it accomplished a sequence win at Clemson. In the Chapel Hill Regional, the Tar Heels swept their manner by means of, defeating VCU as soon as and East Carolina twice. After falling within the Chapel Hill Super Regional Opener, the Heels responded with back-to-back wins over USC.

 

Ole Miss returns to Nebraska after successful the Lincoln Regional earlier this month. The Rebels as soon as once more hit the highway for the Auburn Super Regional, taking down Auburn, the No. 4 nationwide seed, in two video games. This marks the Rebels’ seventh journey to the College World Series and first since hoisting the nationwide championship trophy in 2022. Ole Miss has compiled a 41-21 report this season.

 

Friday’s sport will air at 7 p.m. ET on ESPN and ESPN+. ESPN’s brand-new NCAA Men’s College World Series studio present will start at 6:30 p.m. ET.

 

North Carolina will face both No. 16 nationwide seed West Virginia, winners of the Morgantown Regional and Super Regional, or Troy, the Gainesville Regional and Troy Super Regional champions, on Sunday, June 14.