North Carolina’s women’s basketball program has released a non‑conference schedule that pits the Heels against a who’s‑who of the sport. The 14‑game slate is designed to sharpen the team before ACC play and to push the roster toward its Sweet Sixteen aspirations.
A demanding road ahead
Nine of the contests will be played on the familiar confines of the Dean Smith Center, giving the team a comfortable home‑court advantage against a mix of regional rivals and national powerhouses.
The schedule also features five games at neutral or international venues. The season opener will take place in Paris, France, as part of the Oui Play series against Oklahoma on November 2, while a later showdown with South Carolina will unfold in Charlotte on November 8.
Additional high‑profile matchups include a two‑game series against Texas Tech and Alabama in Orlando, Florida, as part of the 2026 WBCA Challenge in mid‑November, and a December 2 meeting with LSU in the ACC/SEC Challenge.
Beyond the marquee opponents, the Heels will also test themselves against NC Central, Penn, Gardner‑Webb, Army, Brown, Elon, Winthrop, Norfolk State and UNC Wilmington, ensuring a varied competitive landscape.
Returning eight players from the previous campaign and adding two highly touted freshmen gives the coaching staff depth and experience. Head coach Courtney Banghart will guide the squad, while Kim Mulkey’s LSU Tigers, a perennial contender, loom as a formidable opponent in the December ACC/SEC Challenge.
The schedule’s release comes on the heels of a season in which South Carolina reached the national championship game, LSU fell just short in the Sweet Sixteen as a two‑seed, and UNC suffered an exhibition loss to South Carolina by nine points.
With a blend of home‑court familiarity, international exposure and a rigorous roster of opponents, the Heels are poised to turn early‑season challenges into momentum for a deep postseason run.