Title Defense Begins Friday in Charlotte

No. 6 SYRACUSE (11-4, 2-2 ACC) vs. No. 5 North Carolina (11-3, 2-2 ACC)
Game Details	Friday, May 1, 2026 \| Charlotte, N.C. \| 8 p.m. ET
Game Coverage	Live Coverage: Stats Television: ACC Network Stream: ACC Network Listen: Cuse.com \| TK99/105 \| Learfield IMG College \| Cuse App \| Varsity App \| TuneIn \| WAER Twitter: @CuseMLAX Instagram: @CuseMLAX Facebook: CuseMLAX
Syracuse Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Game Notes
North Carolina Links	News \| Roster \| Schedule \| Game Notes

THE GAME
- Postseason play begins this weekend for the Orange as third-seeded Syracuse takes on the number two seed in this year's tournament, North Carolina.
- The Orange meet the Tar Heels in the ACC Tournament for the first time since the 2019 edition and the two teams have a split record all-time in the ACC Tournament at 2-2. The Orange won the first two ACC Tournament meetings with UNC but the Tar Heels have won the last two. This year's game will be the first time these teams meet in the Tournament in Charlotte with previous clashes happening in four different cities.
- Syracuse is looking to rebound after a 16-11 setback last weekend at No. 1 Notre Dame, the top seed for this year's ACC Tournament.
- But the Orange have ACC Tournament momentum on their side after capturing their third ACC championship last season with a thrilling 9-8 win over Duke.
- Perhaps being a lower seed is good for the Orange as Syracuse is a combined 7-2 as a three or four seed in the ACC Tournament.
- Likewise, North Carolina is looking for a bounce back after dropping its season finale 16-12 against rival Duke in Chapel Hill.
- Syracuse is looking for revenge on Friday night after a 14-9 loss at Dorrance Field against the Tar Heels, then ranked second nationally, in the first game in April.
- Syracuse slipped one spot in the polls this week, dropping to number six in the Coaches Poll and six in the Media Poll. The Orange have been inside the top 10 all season long.
- Friday's nightcap is slated for an 8 p.m. ET start on ACC Network following the first semifinal game between top-seeded Notre Dame and the Virginia Cavaliers, the four seed this year.
- Drew Carter will have the call alongside Matt Ward as Dana Boyle reports from the sidelines of American Legion Memorial Stadium this weekend.
- The game will also air on the Syracuse Sports Network with Tim Leonard and Kyle Fetterly on the call for TK99/105 in Syracuse, through Cuse.com, The Varsity App, and the TuneIn app.
- Syracuse student-radio station WAER will be on hand as well for the game.
- The winners of Friday's games will meet for the title on Sunday with a noon opening faceoff back on ACC Network.

TITLE DEFENSE
- Syracuse begins defense of its 2025 ACC crown in earnest this weekend, opening with No. 5 North Carolina.
- The Orange defend an ACC championship for the first time since winning the league in 2015 and 2016.
- This marks the third time Syracuse will open title defense against North Carolina, besting the Heels 10-7 in 2016 after winning it all in 2015 but falling 16-15 in Durham in 2017, one year removed from hoisting the trophy.
- By coincidence, all three Syracuse ACC Championships have come against Duke, which did not make the ACC Tournament this season with a 1-3 record.
- Syracuse is 3-1 when holding the three seed in the ACC Tournament, including winning its first ACC crown at the 2015 Championship in Chester, Pennsylvania as the three seed.

THE FRIENDLY CONFIRMS OF AMERICAN LEGION MEMORIAL STADIUM
- American Legion Memorial Stadium is a kind venue to the Orange.
- Friday night mark's Syracuse's fifth game in the Gary Gait Era on this field. Syracuse is 3-1 at this stadium, first opened in 1936 when the Orange program was a spry 10 years old.
- In 2024, Syracuse played twice, dispatching No. 4 Johns Hopkins 14-13 at the Crown Lacrosse Classic but dropped an ACC Semifinal to Duke two months later.
- Last spring, the Orange went a clean 2-0 at American Legion Memorial Stadium, ousting top-seeded Notre Dame 14-12 in the semifinals before out-lasting third-seeded Duke 9-8 in the Championship round, the first Syracuse ACC title since 2016 and its third overall.

A WIN ON FRIDAY WOULD...
- Improve Syracuse to 21-14 all-time against North Carolina, including 8-1 in neutral site showdowns.
- Advance to the ACC Tournament Championship game for a second-straight season and fifth time overall.
- Mark back-to-back title game appearances since advancing to three straight fro 2014-16, the first three years Syracuse was in the ACC.
- Snap a two-game slide to the Tar Heels.
- Be the first neutral site win for Syracuse this season and improve the Orange to 7-4 in neutral-site games under head coach Gary Gait.
- Secure a win over a fifth-ranked team for a second straight game after beating No. 5 Notre Dame during the 2025 regular season.
- Lock down Syracuse's 24th win over a fifth-ranked team since 1973 when the first USILA Coaches Polls were released.
- Be the 973rd win in program history, the second-most all-time among Division I programs.

Syracuse University Athletics

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