RALEIGH, N.C. — In a state that is seeing incredible growth in the game of hockey, it's somewhat strange that the state's premiere university, UNC-Chapel Hill, does not have a Division I ice hockey team that competes in the NCAA.

What You Need To Know

  • The UNC club ice hockey team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (ACCHL) and competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II

  • The Tar Heels are the longest tenured members of the ACCHL, having been in the league for 26 years

  • Their new arena will be built in Carraway Village in Chapel Hill and will be ready for use in 2026

  • The facility will be the official home of UNC club ice hockey, will seat more than 2,000 and feature seven sky boxes

However, thanks to the support of boosters and supporters of both North Carolina hockey and of the university itself, the UNC club ice hockey team might just have a chance at becoming a Division I program in the near future. 

A new arena will be constructed in Carraway Village, just five miles north of UNC's campus, that will be the official home of the hockey team and will seat more than 2,000. It will also feature seven sky boxes and plenty of standing room for fans to watch games while purchasing items at concession stands. 

The team is a member of the Atlantic Coast Collegiate Hockey League (ACCHL) and competes in the American Collegiate Hockey Association (ACHA) Division II.

It has been in the league for 26 years, the longest of any team currently in it. The team has eight final four appearances in the ACC club tournament and one championship. 

Just like the 28 Division I programs that are sponsored by UNC, the club ice hockey team hopes to one day earn a Division I national championship, and the new arena gives current players and coaches hope that the day is coming soon.

UNC freshman business major Matt Grady is from Wyoming and says coming to UNC was a no-brainer because of the academic opportunities Chapel Hill provides but also because of the university's storied athletic history.

"I really wanted to come to Carolina because we have fans, donors. We have parents, students, who are all willing to support the cause of just building the sports community here," Grady said. 

For Grady and his team, they feel playing in Tar Heels blue on the ice is as much an honor as it is for the highly ranked UNC men's basketball team. Representing Tar Heels communities is an opportunity they don't want to waste. 

"It's a real honor, and I think it's something that we all take really seriously," Grady said. "Every guy is really bought in, and the culture is growing day by day."

Head coach Adam Dauda joined UNC in May 2023. A former East Coast Hockey League player, Dauda knows what it takes to succeed on the ice. He's hoping the new arena can bring his team to a new level and attract more big-time recruits.

"There's been a lot of attention surrounding us and the new rink. So to have some facilities, to have a weight room potentially, more ice time, better hours potentially, it would be huge for our program," Dauda said. "Already we're seeing success with what we do, but if we had more, the sky is the limit."

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