Sports
After ACC and others throw support behind 24-team CFP, the ball is now in the SEC's court
The ACC and others back a 24-team CFP, awaiting SEC's decision.
Yahoo Sports1 min read
SportsPreview
D1Baseball projects UNC as a top national seed in postseason play
TL;DR
North Carolina is projected as the No. 5 national seed in the NCAA baseball tournament, hosting the Chapel Hill Regional. They will face UC Santa Barbara, Liberty, and Campbell in the first rounds.
Key points
- North Carolina projected as No. 5 national seed
- Chapel Hill Regional includes UC Santa Barbara, Liberty, Campbell
- UNC has a strong regular season performance
North CarolinaUC Santa BarbaraLibertyCampbell
As postseason play approaches, North Carolina is in strong position to stay home through at least the first two weekends of the NCAA baseball tournament.
D1Baseball projects the Tar Heels as the No. 5 national seed and the top team in the Chapel Hill Regional, joined by No. 2 seed UC Santa Barbara, No. 3 seed Liberty and No. 4 seed Campbell. The Chapel Hill Regional is paired with the Starkville Regional, where Mississippi State is projected as the No. 12 national seed and host alongside No. 2 seed Oklahoma State, No. 3 seed NC State and No. 4 seed Southeastern Louisiana — a pod that would rank among the most high-profile in the country.
For North Carolina, the projection underscores the strength of its regular season and sets up a challenging but favorable path at Boshamer Stadium.
UC Santa Barbara, a projected No. 2 seed, would bring a dangerous West Coast mid-major into Chapel Hill, while Liberty and Campbell would give the bracket a heavy regional flavor. Campbell, the projected No. 4 seed and Big South automatic qualifier, is no stranger to the Tar Heels; the Camels have faced UNC in every season but two since 2014, and the Tar Heels edged them 5-4 in 14 innings on March 31.
This is not the first projection to give Carolina home-field advantage throughout the postseason. USA TODAY Sports has UNC as the No. 3 overall seed, which aligns with the Tar Heels’ underlying numbers: they rank No. 3 in DSR (Diamond Sports Ranking) and No. 5 in RPI (Rating Percentage Index). Given those rankings, it is very likely North Carolina will land a top-five national seed, and a series win over NC State this weekend would only strengthen its case.
Follow us @TarHeelsWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of North Carolina Tar Heels news, notes and opinions.
This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire:
Q&A
What is the significance of UNC being projected as a top national seed in the NCAA baseball tournament?
Being projected as a top national seed allows UNC to host games in the early rounds, giving them a home-field advantage.
Who are the teams joining UNC in the Chapel Hill Regional for the NCAA baseball tournament?
The teams joining UNC in the Chapel Hill Regional are UC Santa Barbara, Liberty, and Campbell.
How does UNC's performance against Campbell impact their postseason outlook?
UNC's close victory over Campbell earlier in the season highlights their competitive edge and familiarity, which could be crucial in the postseason.