CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – A trio of Atlantic Coast Conference teams punched their tickets to Cary, North Carolina, for the 2024 Women’s College Cup set for Friday, December 6, as North Carolina, Stanford and Wake Forest all advanced to the national semifinals. With the three teams advancing, the ACC has clinched all four spots in this year’s College Cup.
Top-seeded Duke and seventh-seeded Virginia Tech will play for the final spot in this year’s College Cup on Saturday, November 30, at 6 p.m. ET on ESPN+.
With all four teams from the ACC, this marks the first time in the 43-year history of the Women’s College Cup that all four teams in the national semifinals will be from the same conference. The ACC sent three teams in 2011, 2013 and in the shortened field in 2020.
Third-seeded Stanford earned a 2-0 home win over league foe and fourth-seeded Notre Dame, while second-seeded North Carolina fended off fourth-seeded Penn State, 2-1, in the first overtime period. Second-seeded Wake Forest and top-seeded Southern California played to a 2-2 draw after 110 minutes before the Demon Deacons prevailed 4-3 in penalty kicks.
The Cardinal found a goal in each half, as Shae Harvey scored in the 25th minute and Andrea Kitahata found the back of the net in the 50th minute. Stanford, which finished as the national runner-up a season ago, returns to the College Cup for the 12th time in program history.
After facing a 1-0 deficit at halftime, North Carolina’s Bella Gaetino’s long distance shot beat the PSU goalkeeper for the Tar Heels’ 49th-minute equalizer. Later in the 98th minute of overtime, Kate Faasse headed in a corner to send North Carolina back to the College Cup for the 32nd time, the most of any program.
Wake Forest went up early after a Caiya Hanks’ goal in the 22nd minute, as the visiting Deacs took a 1-0 lead at the break. After USC responded with a pair of second-half goals and took a 2-1 advantage, Wake’s Alex Wood knocked in a Hanks cross and equalized in the 80th minute. Following two overtime periods, Wake Forest goalkeeper Valentina Amaral made two key saves in the penalty-kick shootout and Kristin Johnson sealed the match with the Deacons’ fourth made penalty. Wake clinched just its second trip to the College Cup and first since 2011.
With all four teams in the College Cup, the league will earn its 26th women’s soccer national championship and 32nd among current membership. No school outside the ACC has won more than two national titles.
The 43rd annual NCAA Women’s College Cup will be played December 6 and 9 at WakeMed Soccer Park in Cary, North Carolina, with North Carolina and the city of Cary serving as hosts. The first national semifinal will be played and broadcast live on ESPNU at 5 p.m. ET Friday, December 6, followed by the second semifinal beginning at approximately 7:30 p.m. ET live on ESPNU. The national championship match will take place at 5 p.m. ET on Monday, December 9, and will also be broadcast live on ESPNU.
NCAA Tournament – First Round
Friday, November 15
at #1 Florida State 8, Samford 0
at #1 Duke 8, Howard 0
at #2 North Carolina 8, USC Upstate 0
at #2 Wake Forest 4, Morehead State 0
at #3 Stanford 5, UC Santa Barbara 0
at #4 Notre Dame 5, Milwaukee 1
at #4 Virginia 2, Princeton 1
at #7 Virginia Tech 2, Tennessee 1
Saturday, November 16
California 2, at #7 Pepperdine 1 (2OT)
NCAA Tournament – Second Round
Friday, November 22
#4 Notre Dame 3, #5 Kentucky 1
Starkville, Miss.
#3 Stanford 2, UConn 1
Fayetteville, Ark.
at #2 North Carolina 1, Santa Clara 0
at #2 Wake Forest 3, Colorado 1
at #1 Duke 3, #8 Texas Tech 0
#7 Virginia Tech 2, at #2 UCLA 1
at #2 Arkansas 1, California 0
vs. #5 Wisconsin 0, #4 Virginia 0 (2OT; Wisconsin advances 4-2 in penalties)
Los Angeles, Calif.
#8 Vanderbilt 3, at #1 Florida State 3 (2OT; Vanderbilt advances 4-3 in penalties)
NCAA Tournament – Third Round
Sunday, November 24
at #2 Wake Forest 1, #3 Ohio State 0
at #2 North Carolina 3, #6 Minnesota 0
at #1 Duke 2, #5 Michigan State 0
#4 Notre Dame 2, at #1 Mississippi State 0
#3 Stanford 1 at #2 Arkansas 1 (2OT; Stanford advances 4-2 in penalties)
#7 Virginia Tech 1, vs. #3 Iowa 0
Los Angeles, Calif.
NCAA Tournament – Quarterfinals
Friday, November 29
#2 Wake Forest 2, at #1 USC 2 (2OT; Wake Forest advances 4-3 in penalties)
at #3 Stanford 2, #4 Notre Dame 0
at #2 North Carolina 2, #4 Penn State 1 (OT)
Saturday, November 30
#7 Virginia Tech at #1 Duke | 6 p.m. | ESPN+
Rankings based off NCAA Tournament seeding