North Carolina State University Athletics
NC State
Charlotte
Pack Set for Red Out Home Opener Against Charlotte
8/19/2026 11:00:00 AM | Women's Soccer
RALEIGH, N.C. - NC State women's soccer (2-0-0, 0-0-0 ACC) returns to Dail Soccer Stadium for its 2026 home opener against Charlotte (2-0-0, 0-0-0 AAC)Â on Thursday, Aug. 20, at 5 p.m. The match will air live on ACCNX and kicks off a Red Out doubleheader with the men's program, which will follow at 7:30 p.m. against Coastal Carolina.
The Wolfpack enters Thursday's match 2-0 and is looking to start a season 3-0 for the first time since 2022.
A Win Would …
- Mark Gary Higgins' eighth victory as head coach at NC State.
- Be the 410th win in program history.
- Be Higgins' 118th win in his coaching career.
- Mark the program's fifth all-time win over Charlotte.
- Mark the third win of the season for NC State.
- Move NC State to 3-0 to start a season for the first time since 2022.
Last Time Out
NC State women's soccer dominated VCU, 4-0, on Sunday, Aug. 16, at VCU Athletic Village to open the season 2-0 for the first time since 2022. Four different players found the back of the net, including Daisy Duda, who recorded a career-high three points with her first collegiate goal and an assist. NC State outshot VCU 32-9 and held a 10-1 advantage in corner kicks.
The Wolfpack's seven goals through two matches are its most to open a season since 2010 and already match its total from the entire 2025 nonconference season. NC State has also opened with two road victories for the first time since 2017.
Scouting the 49ers
Charlotte has opened the 2026 season 2-0 with wins over Furman and Radford. Following the undefeated opening week, the 49ers earned three American Conference weekly honors, with Allie Metcalf named Offensive Player of the Week, Rachel Logue earning Defensive Player of the Week and Anna Ford being tabbed Freshman of the Week.
The 49ers are coming off a 10-6-2 campaign in head coach Sinead Byrne's first season at the helm. Charlotte earned the No. 2 seed in the American Athletic Conference Tournament, its highest conference tournament seeding since 2013, before falling to No. 7 seed South Florida in the opening round. The 49ers were not selected for the NCAA Tournament.
Byrne joined Charlotte as an assistant coach in January 2025 before being elevated to interim head coach in April. After the 49ers were picked 10th in the American Conference preseason coaches' poll, she led Charlotte to its most wins and conference wins in a season since 2019. Byrne became the fifth head coach in program history to record double-digit wins in her debut season.
Series History
Thursday's match marks the ninth all-time meeting between NC State and Charlotte, with the series tied 4-4. The series dates back to 1998. NC State won the most recent meeting, taking a 3-1 victory over the 49ers in Raleigh during the 2024 season.
For the latest on NC State women's soccer, follow @PackWSoccer on social media.
