GAME PREVIEW: Tar Heels Set To Face Wake Forest In 2024-2025 Season Opener
By Caleb Herrera (@calebherrera)
CHAPEL HILL, NC – The University of North Carolina Tar Heels begin their 2024-25 season campaign Saturday evening, hosting Wake Forest Hockey at the Orange County Sportsplex.
When: August 31, 2024
Where: Orange County Sportsplex – Hillsborough, NC
Puck Drop: 5:45 P.M.
| Ticket Type | Price | Cart |
|---|---|---|
| Wake Forest @ UNC Aug 31, 2024 Adult Admission (Under 18 FREE) | $10 | Tickets are sold out. |
| Wake Forest @ UNC Aug 31, 2024 Student Admission | $5 | Tickets are sold out. |
**UNC Swimming and Diving athlete and 2024 Olympic Trials Semi-Finalist Skyler Smith will serve as an honorary captain for tonight’s game**
Players to Watch: Patrick O’Shaughnessy (UNC), Colin Licavoli (WF)
After a lengthy off-season, the Tar Heels will take the ice with newly appointed team captain Patrick O’Shaughnessy leading the charge.
In a season of transition, with former New York Rangers first-round pick Steve Rice making his debut as Head Coach and the team welcoming new recruits Daniel Hu, Kevin Ma, Nic Gingras, Will Hilton, Adam Zukowski, Nick DeAngelo and Will Smith, there’s a lot for fans to be excited about as the Heels hope to replicate last season’s success.
The team finished last season with an 18-7-1 record, ranking seventh in the ACHA M2 Southeast Region.
“Every year is trying to take another step forward and in the years I’ve been here, seeing how quickly the program has gotten bigger, it’s very surprising and it’s great to see,” O’Shaughnessy said in his captain profile interview. “We’ve just got to continue that growth and I feel we’re in a very good position to do that.”
The Tar Heels’ opponent for tonight, Wake Forest, finished 24th in the ACHA M2 Southeast Region rankings last season with a 12-7 record. The two teams last faced off Nov. 10, 2023 with the Heels coming out on top in a 7-5 victory, led by standout performances from former Tar Heel Hockey players Cole Kosowski and Leighton Walsh.
Wake Forest is led by Head Coach Mike Adams and team captain Colin Licavoli, who finished the 2023-24 season with 12 goals and 22 points in 18 games, according to Elite Prospects.
As puck drop draws closer, all eyes will be on how Head Coach Rice and the newly appointed leadership in O’Shaughnessy (“C”), Gilligan (“A”), Vaglia (“A”) and Zajic (“A”) steer the team through a pivotal season in program history ahead of their 2025 move to Division I.
With an energetic locker room and a roster beaming with talent, the Tar Heels are ready to make waves in ACHA Hockey once again. Tonight’s game will set the tone for what promises to be an exciting and competitive season. Tickets are available for purchase here.
