Erin Matson was named head coach of field hockey

A Tar Heel legend on the field hockey turf follows a Tar Heel legend on the sidelines.

Erin Matson, the most decorated player in program history, has been named North Carolina’s next field hockey coach following a national search. He succeeds Karen Shelton, the winningest coach in the sport’s history, who announced her retirement in December after 42 years at the Carolina helm.

“Erin is an outstanding leader with a deep and thorough knowledge of the game, understands the balance needed to be a successful student-athlete, and is determined to extend and further the winning tradition of Carolina Field Hockey,” Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. “He knows how to inspire, listen, teach and win, all qualities that reflect well on the sidelines and make him a great head coach. We all look forward to supporting him as he transitions and leads in this new role.”

Matson, who begins his duties immediately, will become the Fifth head coach in the program’s history and only the second since the early 1980s. Shelton became the program’s head coach in 1981 at age 23 and built a dynasty that led Carolina to 10 NCAA championships and 25 Atlantic Coast Conference championships, both more than any other school.

During his time as a Tar Heel, Matson played on four NCAA Championship teams and five ACC Championship teams. He was a three-time recipient of the Honda Sport Award for Field Hockey, becoming only the second player after Shelton to win the honor three times. He finished his career as the all-time leading scorer in both ACC history and the NCAA Tournament. In 2021, the ACC Network named her one of the top 10 female athletes in conference history. A five-time ACC Offensive Player of the Year and the only student-athlete in any sport to earn ACC Player of the Year honors five times, Matson started on three of the five undefeated teams in program history.

“To say I am excited and honored to be the head coach of the UNC field hockey program is an understatement. This is a dream come true,” Matson said. “This program means the world to me, and I will do whatever it takes to continue the excellence that is UNC Field Hockey. I want to thank Bubba Cunningham, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and the Board of Trustees for this opportunity and for believing in me. I will honor the University of North Carolina, Coach Shelton and program history while striving to find ways to reach new heights together with our Carolina community.

A member of the US national team since the age of 17, Matson has extensive international playing experience in addition to his college experience. He was the top scorer at the 2022 Pan American Cup in Chile and has represented the United States all over the world, including in India, England, South Africa and New Zealand.

While balancing playing collegiately, playing internationally, and studying, he also became an entrepreneur and founded the One brand, which sells gear with his logo. The company also organized and implemented summer clinics, maximizing NIL (Name, Image, Likeness opportunities) as permitted by the NCAA.

Matson was a three-time team captain at Carolina while majoring in advertising and public relations with a minor in coaching education and graduating in December 2022.

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