University of North Carolina Athletics
Tar Heels Gather For Henry Stadium Farewell
April 26, 2017 | Field Hockey
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – More than 50 UNC graduates and former Carolina field hockey players gathered in Chapel Hill over the weekend to say goodbye to one home and look forward to another. The annual Alumni Weekend served as a farewell to Francis E. Henry Stadium, which will soon be demolished and replaced with a new facility.
“It was such a special weekend,” UNC coach Karen Shelton said. “So many former players came back and it was so much fun to see everyone. It was a tremendous celebration of women's athletics at UNC, a great goodbye to our wonderful facility and a look ahead to the amazing future of our program. It's bittersweet because we're saying goodbye to Francis E. Henry Stadium, which holds so many wonderful memories. But we're excited about what's to come.”
Demolition of Henry Stadium will begin on May 15. During the 2017 season, the Tar Heels will practice and play mostly in Durham at Duke's facility. They'll also spend part of the preseason training in Virginia Beach.
Projected completion for the yet-to-be-named new facility, which will be located at the current site of Ehringhaus Field on the UNC campus, is Aug. 1, 2018.
Alumni Weekend kicked off on Friday (Aug. 21) with a North Carolina BBQ reception at Henry Stadium. On Saturday morning, several alums ran the Tar Heel 10 Miler, with May graduate Emily Wold finishing as the fastest female. In the afternoon, teams of alums squared off against each other and also against the current UNC squad. The group gathered at Henry again on Sunday morning for a final farewell.
Gorgeous day at Henry Stadium! Check out Alumni White! 💙🐑 pic.twitter.com/wJJtZEFM0T
— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) April 22, 2017
Shout out to the Alumni Blue team! pic.twitter.com/dULMKgdq7H
— UNC Field Hockey (@UNCFieldHockey) April 22, 2017
The Tar Heels have had an outstanding run at Henry Stadium, and before that at Navy Field, which has been UNC's home since the 1982 season. Carolina is 274-40-4 at home since then, and 147-26 since the dedication of Henry Stadium prior to the 1999 season.
UNC is 13-2 in Atlantic Coast Conference Tournaments over that span, including five championships, most recently in 2012. The Tar Heels have hosted NCAA Tournament games on 20 occasions, including first and second round tournament games in six of the past seven years. UNC is 28-4 at home in NCAA Tournament play dating back to the first time Carolina hosted, in 1985.
With so much to celebrate, the alumnae turnout for the weekend was outstanding, with Tar Heels coming from all over the country and one – Sinead Loughran – flying in from Ireland. Those in attendance for the weekend's events were Jen Slocum Masland, Liz Morris, Elizabeth Drazdowski, Casey Di Nardo. Alli Tanner, Claire Dougherty Hayes, Louise McNutt, Stewi Downer Corno, Caitlin Van Sickle, Emily Wold, Laree Beans, Betsy Gillespie Lipson, Lori Bruney Johnston, Melanie Brill, Becky Bruney Dellin, Lynn Brewer Price, Michelle Russell Then, Ali Stewart Cleveland, Teryn Brill, Drew Hayes, Sam Travers, Casey Burns, Dani Forword, Peggy Anthon Behan, Tyler Powell, Meg Lyons, Sam Night, Jackie Gaudioso-Radvany, Elizabeth Stephen, Lauren Hershey Martin, Katie Ardrey, Rachel Dawson, Katie Plyler Mendes, Lauren Moyer, Emily Wold, Meghan Dawson, Melanie Dawson, Emily Kole, Ellen Bakken Schmidt, Hilary Hartman, Kate Howard, Caroline Plyler, Abby Frey, Kristy Bernachez, Blissie Du Bose, Mary Hartzell, Shannon Johnson, Erika Streck Serwin, Riley Foster Gaines, Rachel Black, Sinead Loughran, Rachel Magerman, Kate Sidebottom Simpson, Caitlin Powers, Marie Bounds Bullock and Christine Coppola.
In addition to the former players, several families joined in the fun. Alum parents who participated were Trudy & Kurt Slocum, Mark & Kathleen Wold, Missy & Bill Plyler, Tim & Lynn Brill, Larry & Amy Beans, Dean & Roxanne Kintzer, Tom & Rebecca Drazdowski, Ed & Yvonne Funk, Lynne & Dwight Morris, James & Janet Bounds, Jon & Angeline Moyer, Amy & Ted Young and Missy Johnson.
“One of the ways I gauge my success as a coach and leader is, what our players do after they graduate?” Shelton said. “Are they happy and successful? Do they stay in touch with their teammates? This weekend was a resounding 'yes.'
“It's clear they still feel strongly about UNC and about Carolina field hockey, and their families do, too. It was a wonderful weekend for our program and a great tribute to Henry Stadium. Now we look ahead to our new facility and continuing to make Carolina Field Hockey even stronger.”
