But none has been as rewarding to her as the completion of The Reese Brantmeier Project, the restoration of two community tennis courts in her hometown of Whitewater, Wisconsin.

Growing up with a passion for tennis came with its challenges, like courts at her elementary school that were unplayable. She was fortunate. Her family was able to drive her 45 minutes to an hour to courts where she could practice every day. Not everyone had that luxury.

In the fourth grade, Brantmeier told her principal that she was going to fix those courts, recalled her mother, Becky Brantmeier.  The magnitude of the project was a bit much for a fourth-grader, but once she arrived at Carolina in 2022, Brantmeier was ready to get to work.

Brantmeier and her mother teamed up with the Patrick W. Ryan Memorial Tennis Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to promoting tennis in southeastern Wisconsin. After nearly three years, the courts were completed this summer.

“She does not drop anything. It is a conviction,” Becky Brantmeier said of her daughter. “If she says it, it’s happening.”

Brantmeier is very grateful for her mother’s support. “She was the first person to help me get it off the ground, so it was special to be able to share this with her.”

People in attendance for the grand opening in July included Brantmeier, her family, her elementary school principal, her UNC coaches and many of the Whitewater community members. Several local elementary school students came out to play on the new courts.

“Knowing how much this would have meant to me when I was 8 years old is so cool,” Brantmeier said. “Knowing that my 8-year-old self would be so excited to go play on these courts and being able to see that opportunity be given to any 8-year-old who’s in that elementary school now.”

Brian Kalbas, UNC women’s tennis head coach, flew up for the ceremony to show his support.
“Going to the dedication and everybody coming out to the dedication, it was a moment that was truly special,” he said. “It’s just amazing how much she has meant to so many people in that hometown.”

But this isn’t surprising to anyone who has gotten to know Brantmeier. She’s unselfish. She cares about others.

“It’s so rare in this day and age for someone who is that talented and that gifted want to give back to so many other people,” Kalbas said. “It’s usually that they want to reap all the benefits. They want to be showered with the praise, and she’s not that way. She’s unique.”

The tennis player’s mother is now learning lessons from her daughter.

“I’m home now with my dogs and my husband, and this experience has made me think, ‘You know what? I’m going to step out of my comfort zone and do something,’” Becky Brantmeier said. “She has motivated me and a lot of other people.”

For the tennis player, it was always about how she could impact others. She wasn’t concerned about how difficult it might be to make this dream a reality.

“If you have the right intentions, and you find the right people, you can really achieve anything,” she said.

And she did.

Already a testicular cancer survivor, Albright ’19 was attending a remote work meeting from his parents’ home in Raleigh when he experienced blurred vision, nausea and pain on the left side of his face.

Albright had a stroke caused by the bursting of an arteriovenous malformation, an abnormal tangle of blood vessels that causes problems with the connections between arteries and veins. Doctors said the rare occurrence has a 13% survival rate.

When Albright woke up after the first of two emergency surgeries, he heard a nurse talking to him in what sounded like a different language. FaceTime video calls with his family, unable to be with him because of COVID-19 restrictions, were equally difficult to understand.

“That’s where I started learning what aphasia is,” said Albright, a former Tar Heel football player who earned a business administration degree at UNC Kenan-Flagler Business School.

Aphasia is a communication disability, most commonly caused by strokes, that affects the ability to speak, understand, read and write. “All your intelligence is in your head; you just can’t communicate,” Albright said.

Doctors told him he was fortunate to be alive and at times were skeptical about his prospects of returning to his consulting job in New York City.

But the brain is malleable, and Albright was ready to bet on himself. He went through intensive rehabilitation, a “boot camp of relearning everything.” After a year, he returned to his job while still recovering, a process marked by ups and downs and frustration but also perseverance and progress.

“I didn’t realize that it was going to be a five-year journey of just working as hard as I possibly can,” Albright said. He still has the condition, but he’s now in his second year of Duke University’s Master of Business Administration program.

Albright has been so successful at regaining his language skills that he’s created an artificial intelligence tool to aid others with aphasia.

Launched earlier this year and recently added to Apple’s App Store, AphasiaGPT is a personal speech therapy assistant that helps people rebuild communication skills through AI-powered conversations, exercises and real-world scenario practice.

During the toughest times of his recovery, Albright tried to “catch” moments of hope whenever he could. He wants AphasiaGPT to provide not only practical help but also inspiration to those in the thick of a recovery.

“Just telling them what helped my journey, it gives me so much motivation,” Albright said. “I’m like, ‘Wow, I can actually change people’s lives.’”

AI for good

AI use wasn’t mainstream during the first years of Albright’s aphasia recovery.

But by early 2023, he began using AI for tasks like simplifying text, figuring out how to best phrase his thoughts and looking up word definitions.

“I started digging in, really understanding AI and seeing what could help me,” he said.

Later, as a Duke MBA student, Albright found himself asking, “What is my passion? What do I want to do in my life?”

He realized he wanted to share the technology that was helping him with his day-to-day life with other people with aphasia.

But using AI and building it are two different things. Albright and his intern, Kashish Maheshwari, got to work.

Albright’s lived experiences influenced the tool’s layout and features:

• Word Finder: Uses a webcam to help users identify things around them and also includes a dynamic dictionary.
• Recorder: Creates summaries and to-do lists from recorded audio.
• Personalized News: Summarizes current events.
• Vocabulary Builder: Organizes a master list of words with their definitions and can generate images of terms and flashcards.
• Coach: Allows users to describe what they see in an AI-generated image either by speaking or typing and receive feedback.
• Simulation: Lets users practice conversations in specific scenarios like a party.

“Tools I wish I had five years ago,” Albright said.

Over 300 people are currently using AphasiaGPT, and Albright recently spoke about it at a large speech language pathologist conference.

These health professionals are “angels,” Albright said, and he’s glad to have received positive feedback from many on his AI innovation. He’s also returned to Carolina to speak to graduate students learning to become speech language pathologists.

“The SLPs are so excited,” he said, “and it seems like their entire world is changing just because of it.”

Dreaming big

Looking ahead, Albright is bullish on the possibility of incorporating wearable technology like Meta AI Glasses into AphasiaGPT to create a more comprehensive and interactive learning environment.

He also recently submitted an application to YCombinator, a startup accelerator and venture capital firm in San Francisco.

But Albright is proud of AphasiaGPT in its current form. The app helps others with aphasia and also aids Albright with his own recovery.

“I’ve always said I’m in a dark tunnel,” he said, “but now I’m starting to see a light.”

The journey to the title

Brantmeier headed into the 2025 NCAA Singles Championships as a nos. 9-16 seed set to face Bridget Stammel from Vanderbilt in the first round. The senior took a convincing 6-1 win in the first set before dropping the second, 6-4. Brantmeier and Stammel headed into a deciding third set where the Tar Heel narrowly avoided the upset by taking the set, 7-5.

In the second round of the tournament, Brantmeier faced an ACC opponent in Sophie Llewellyn from SMU. Brantmeier once again opened with a dominant first set before dropping the second. Brantmeier regrouped to finish strong in the third set, winning 6-2. With her second-round win, Brantmeier earned All-America honors for the seventh time in her career.

Brantmeier headed into the third round of singles play on Thursday against Ava Esposito from Auburn and yet again battled to claim the victory in three sets (6-2, 3-6, 6-1).

In the biggest matchup of the tournament to that point for Brantmeier, the Tar Heel faced second-seeded Carmen Andreea Herea from Texas in the quarterfinals. Brantmeier jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first set before Herea worked her way back in to even the score at 5-5. The opponents would continue battling to force a tiebreaker to decide the first set, which Brantmeier eventually won, 10-8. The Whitewater, Wisconsin, native capitalized on the momentum to win the second set in dominant fashion, 6-0.

In the semifinals, Brantmeier competed against Jana Hossam Salah from USC. The semifinal matchup was another display of grit from the senior. Brantmeier and Hossam Salah split the first two sets, sending the match into a third. The Tar Heel stormed back after dropping the second to win the third, 6-2, clinching her spot in the finals. With the semifinal win, Brantmeier also qualified for the U.S. Open Singles Playoff next summer.

On Sunday against Folch, Brantmeier worked through the first set before pulling away late to take it, 6-3. In similar fashion, the second set was back and forth before Brantmeier pulled away for another 6-3 victory to seal the deal and earn the national champion.

Career accolades

Brantmeier has had a standout career at Carolina. She and the rest of the Tar Heelteam will look to put together a strong 2026 campaign after reaching the Final Four last season in the team competition.

The 2025 Singles National Championship is another accolade Brantmeier can add to her decorated resume:

• 2025 NCAA Division I Singles National Champion
•  All-America in both singles and doubles in fall of 2025
• 2025 ACC Player of the Year
• All-America honors in both singles and doubles in spring of 2025
• 2025 first-team All-ACC in singles and doubles
• 2025 ACC Championship Most Valuable Player
• 2025 Academic All-America of the Year
• 2025 NCAA Elite 90 Award
• 2024 All-America
• 2024 first-team All-ACC in both singles and doubles
• Fall 2023 ITA Singles and doubles title
• ACC Academic Honor Roll & ITA Scholar-Athlete
• Member of the 2023 NCAA national championship team
• 2023 ITA All-America
• 2023 NCAA All-Tournament Team
• 2023 NCAA Doubles National Runners-Up with Elizabeth Scotty
• 2023 first-team All-ACC in both singles and doubles
• 2023 Academic All-ACC

That’s determination.

This summer, the Tar Heel sophomore swim team member earned Puerto Rico’s first gold medal at the Junior Pan American Games, setting a Junior Pan Am record in the 100-meter breaststroke. Ruiz said he was excited to represent Puerto Rico and set an example for young swimmers across Latin America.

“Even if you come from those countries and you have to practice alone or something, do whatever it takes to make it,” Ruiz said. “It’s worth it at the end.”

Path to UNC

Ruiz took his first swimming lesson at 4 and was 6 before he learned to swim. But once he got the hang of it, he never wanted to leave the water.

“I could be at the beach for a whole weekend,” Ruiz said. “No food, no anything, just at the beach. I just love being in the water.”

Swimming competitively but without a high school team, Ruiz built his own structure. His discipline caught the attention of Javier Sossa, the UNC associate head coach at the time, even though he wasn’t sure Ruiz was fast enough.

When Ruiz improved the next year, Sossa reached out, impressed by his speed and his story.

“For me, as a Latin American, I think it was knowing what he has done in Puerto Rico without all the resources that other kids might have here in the U.S.,” Sossa said.

Ruiz immediately felt a connection to the program. After his third visit to Chapel Hill, he canceled his trips to other schools.

Settling into his team

Ruiz had to adjust to the Tar Heel team environment. “When you come here, you need to do everything as a group and as a team,” Ruiz said. “That had a big impact on me.”

Head coach Mark Gangloff said that the shift pushed Ruiz to thrive and helped the team.

“He wants to beat everybody in practice, which is great and perfect for the other people in the pool, because no one wants to lose,” Gangloff said. “So ultimately, he’s there elevating our training environment.”

Ruiz’s competitive nature stood out to his suitemate Adam Maraana, an international student from Israel. “He’s just a racer,” said Maraana. “He doesn’t care if it’s not his stroke, if it’s his weak event. No matter what it is, he just goes. He’s all in for what he’s doing.”

The two bonded over adjusting to culture and life at Carolina, helped by Ruiz’s sense of humor.

“Having someone like that just making you laugh at the hard moments or who tells you to focus when you have to, it’s just a gift,” Maraana said. “I wish I had that ability to just be all fluffy and giggle before my race, and then just in one single moment be like the best swimmer on Earth.

Making history for his country

When Ruiz brought home the gold for Puerto Rico, his success brought joy and pride to his parents, his hometown and other swimmers.

“We don’t get the chance to see too many Hispanic swimmers coming to college swimming in the NCAA, so I always tell the kids to give it a chance,” Ruiz said.

Ruiz continues to train with the same determination that brought him to Carolina.

“I want him to be able to represent Puerto Rico in the Olympics,” Gangloff said. “Ultimately, that’s the pinnacle of our sport.”

The production highlights nine female teens on a soccer team and the challenges that arise when navigating soccer drills, secrets and ambitions.

Pinto became involved in the production through Shelley Johnson ’06 (MA), a former Carolina assistant athletics director. Johnson reached out to Pinto about the cast needing a crash course on soccer fundamentals before the production.

Pinto left Carolina in May 2021 to start her professional soccer career in the National Women’s Soccer League with Gotham FC, finishing her classes and graduating in 2022. Now she’s in Cary playing for the North Carolina Courage, only 30 minutes from her hometown of Durham.

“I love the University. Working with UNC is really inspiring to me because it’s given so much to me and created some of the best opportunities in my life,” said Pinto. “I hope to now give back to the University for other students.”

After a road game, she went straight from the airport to Hooker Fields, where she met eight cast members and three understudies for the first cast meeting.

The cast needed to learn how to play soccer while also looking like natural, experienced players. Some cast members had never kicked a soccer ball before and didn’t want that to overshadow the performance or dialogue.

“We wanted the cast to have fun, begin the team-building process, level up their soccer skills and provide them with a few small wins in the skill-building department,” said Johnson. “This was not your typical first day of rehearsal. We wanted something memorable for the cast to set the tone for the work to be done and the overall experience.”

With Pinto, cast members went through a standard dynamic warmup then focused on agility skills, ball control exercises, wall passing, traveling, dribbling, throw-ins and juggling.

“The cast was super interactive and paid attention to details. It was really fascinating to see them super committed to learning each component that day,” said Pinto. “There are not many situations where I have to give instructions like a coach, but this was a little bit different because I was explaining every small detail of the skills they were learning and taught them by doing the motions. They were committed to fully embodying that role or player from not only the physical standpoint but also the mental standpoint.”

After the boot camp, the cast trained for 30 minutes every day during rehearsals, conducting a soccer style warmup, ball control and agility exercises, along with practicing specific passing drills that the script required. During the run of show, the cast warmed up athletically and theatrically.

Pinto says the experience helped her understand the arts’ cultural aspects along with the detail and why little movements matter. It brought her back to a drama course she took in 2020, when she also went to her first PlayMakers show.

“It’s cool how much variety they have in the PlayMakers plays. The fact that they’re doing something in sports is also unique,” said Pinto. “It’s a credit to the actors. They’re doing complex movements within a tight space on turf on stage. Being able to control the ball after one crash course and look like a real soccer player in a tight space is impressive.”

“This view,” he says. “It just doesn’t get better than this. I still pinch myself every time.”

(Submitted photo)

Game day in Chapel Hill is different for Renner, starting quarterback for the Tar Heels from 2011 to 2013. He’s now in his second year providing color commentary for football games on the Tar Heel Sports Network alongside play-by-play announcer Jones Angell. While his vantage point has changed, one thing remains the same.

“I still get butterflies when I walk into the stadium,” he said. “The energy, the fans, the music playing — it still feels the same as when I would show up to play. I love that I still get to come and see some of the same people who were here when I played and talk about how great this place is.”

Getting behind the mic every Saturday has brought Renner’s football career full circle. A three-sport athlete in high school, the native of West Springfield, Virginia, committed to playing both football and baseball at Carolina. The four-star recruit eventually focused solely on the gridiron but spent his first two years on the bench.

“Honestly, it was one of the most humbling experiences, and it made me a better leader. It helped me mature,” Renner said. “These days, so many athletes come and go when things don’t go their way. But I stuck it out, and it paid off. It’s part of the journey and part of college sports. It’s what defines you.”

When he finally did play, he broke school records for passing accuracy and touchdowns in multiple seasons. After a season-ending shoulder injury his senior year, he bounced between a handful of NFL practice squads, including the Denver Broncos, Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers.

“I got my Ph.D. at being a pro. I had the opportunity to be around and learn from great people, like Peyton Manning, Joe Flacco and Ben Roethlisberger,” he said. “I soaked up every second.”

In 2017, inspired by his father’s 40-year football coaching career, Renner became director of recruiting and defensive backs coach at Florida International University. Renner and the FIU football staff were let go in 2021, after a losing season.

“For 30 years, my life had pretty much been all about football. I had never stepped away from the sport in my entire life,” he said. “For the first time, I had to step back and consider, ‘What do I really want to do?’”

Renner credits his time as a student-athlete and the Carolina community for helping him prepare for life after football.

“They say it’s a four-year commitment but a 40-year decision, and I think I’m living proof of that,” he said. “Football can take you places, but when real life comes at you, it’s about the relationships and the community you built while you were in school. And that means so much to me.”

(@GoHeels/Miles McQuinn)

Tar Heel teammate Nick Wiler helped Renner transition to a job as account executive at software company KLDiscovery, focusing on sales and business development. Renner pulls double duty, working weekdays in Washington, D.C., and commuting to Carolina games on football weekends. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Carolina is one of the most incredible communities that you can be a part of,” Renner said. “Whenever you need them, they’re always there, and I try to do the same. I lean on that education every single day in my way of life.”

Chapel Thrill Game Day

St. Paul & The Broken Bones will perform in the last installment of the 2025 Chapel Thrill Concert Series, presented by the Rams Club. The free concert will take place at 1:30 p.m. directly in front of Wilson Library, in the heart of Polk Place.

The powerhouse soul ensemble has shared stages with The Rolling Stones, Lizzo and Black Pumas and performed at major festivals like Coachella, Glastonbury, Lollapalooza and Bonnaroo.

Game day information

Here’s everything else to know about game day.

The Old Well Walk will also return Saturday. At 1 p.m., the team will walk from the Old Well through Polk Place and around the Bell Tower to the stadium, allowing fans enjoying Chapel Thrill Game Day to cheer on the Tar Heels on as they prepare for the game.

In addition to the concert series, The Modelo Kickoff Club has doubled in size and moved to a premium position in front of the stage within Polk Place. The Kickoff Club remains the perfect spot for fans to grab a drink before the game. Entry is free, and alcohol will be available for purchase. Food trucks will also be available in and around Polk Place along with large LED screens, plus a new and dedicated student tailgate area allowing all of campus to join the pre-game fun.

Carolina will work with its tailgate activation partner REVELxp to execute Chapel Thrill Game Day and will provide turnkey tailgating on all four quads at the Bell Tower, the Kenan Amphitheater and Dorrance Field. Fans may upgrade their game day with hassle-free, full-service tailgates at some of the most scenic locations on campus by contacting REVELxp at 919-869-5486 or unc@revelxp.com.

Carolina alumni will also continue to host the pregame tradition of climbing 128 steps from the ground floor to the fourth floor of the iconic Bell Tower before home football games.

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Fan Zone, located in the Pit, remains a great place for fans to grab giveaways and enjoy fun activities for all ages. The area features kids’ activities, golf simulators, bounce houses, sponsor activations, autograph sessions with Carolina student-athletes, a large LED screen and more.

Pre-game schedule, Nov. 22

11:30 a.m.

Modelo Kickoff Club and tailgating open

Coca-Cola Fan Zone opens

Chapel Thrill DJ begins

1 p.m.

Old Well Walk begins

1:30 p.m.

Chapel Thrill concert in Polk Place with headliner St. Paul & The Broken Bones

2 p.m.

Carolina Drumline cadences (in The Pit)

3 p.m.

Modelo Kickoff Club, student tailgating and Coca-Cola Fan Zone close

3:05 p.m.

Senior Day ceremony begins

3:30 p.m.

Kickoff

Fans looking for tickets to any of the Tar Heels’ remaining home games can visit SeatGeek, the official marketplace of Carolina Athletics.

The installation serves as a place of reflection for the courage, sacrifice and selflessness demonstrated by players, coaches and staff of the Tar Heel football program who answered the call to serve their country.

“The new memorial reflects the University’s enduring values of service and honor,” said Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. “It ensures that generations of Tar Heels will remember those who served both on the gridiron and on behalf of our great nation. We are proud to be part of recognizing their service.”

The wall includes the name, branch and years of service for each honoree, along with their position and years with the Carolina football program.

More alumni and former coaches with ties to the football program will be added to the wall in the future. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

This idea sprang from one of the first conversations Carolina football head coach Bill Belichick had with Roberts after arriving on campus in December 2024.

“It’s really an honor to be a part of anything related to honoring our veterans and military, so it’s a great privilege for me to do that on behalf of the University of North Carolina and the football program,” said Belichick. “When I met with Chancellor Roberts as I came here, we talked about a lot of things that involved supporting student athletes and recognizing people who have contributed to this football program through the years. One of the things we talked about was honoring the people in our program who have served, so I’m very proud to be part of the recognition that we are putting up here in the football building.

“We’re very appreciative of what our military does to defend our freedom,” he continued. “Thank you to all of our service members for actively helping us and those who have served in the past.”

Currently, 61 names are displayed on the wall with the intention to expand as more Carolina football alumni are identified or complete their military service.

One name soon to be added to the wall is Steve Belichick, Bill Belichick’s father, who served in the U.S. Navy for four years during World War II and then later coached in the Carolina football program for two years.

Coach Bill Belichick suggested finding more ways to honor those who have served in the armed forces during an early conversation with Chancellor Lee H. Roberts. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Two current Carolina football staff members are on the wall: special teams coordinator Mike Priefer and assistant director of sports performance Trent Baker. Priefer graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1989 and served in the Navy for eight years across a variety of roles, including instructor, club sports officer and football coach. Baker served with the Navy SEALs from 2001 to 2023 in roles like junior operator, operations leader and program manager.

“I’m humbled and honored to be on a wall like this. There’s a lot of history embedded with football in our nation’s history,” said Baker. “There’s lots of stories that need to be told. I’m just humbled to be there because I’m standing on the shoulders of giants, the history and warfare from Vietnam down to World War II on that wall is pretty impressive.”

Another member of the wall is Kevin Shwedo ’78, a former deputy commanding officer for the United States Army Training Center at Fort Jackson, who served in the Army for 32 years and held various leadership and development positions.

“Coach Belichick at age 2 moved to Chapel Hill, but two years later, his dad coached at the Naval Academy for 33 years. If you want to know why he has a special love for servicemen and women, it has everything to do with his growing up,” said Shwedo. “When I was playing here, my coach was Chuck Priefer, and I am honored to be on the same wall as Mike Priefer now. The fact of the matter is you never quit. Once you get out of that environment, you’ve got a competitive edge over everybody. That started here in Chapel Hill with the football team and now it’s an honor to be on that wall.”

Warren Green ’06, a former Carolina football long snapper, is also on the wall. Green has been serving for 19 years as an AH-64 Apache helicopter pilot.

“I think having the wall in the football facility is a great way to show current players that there are opportunities after football to continue being part of a team with a purpose that requires discipline, resilience and leadership qualities they’ve learned while being a student-athlete,” said Green. “UNC has always held a special place in my heart. To be recognized by the University and football program almost 20 years after graduating goes to show you are always part of the Tar Heel family. I will always be grateful for the impact the University and football program had on my life.”

With the victory, Carolina became the first school to reach 300 ACC titles across all sports.

 

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The Tar Heels (19-1), who seem to be hitting their stride at the perfect time, seized control of the game early and never looked back. Mendez’s opening goal came in the fourth minute of play. Her second score doubled the Tar Heel lead, and a goal by Charly Bruder made it 3-0 in the second period.

Holding a 3-1 lead at the half, Carolina locked down Virginia with its defense. The Tar Heels didn’t allow a single shot from the Cavaliers after the break.

True first-year Reese Anetsberger, assisted by Mendez, closed out the scoring for Carolina with a goal just one minute into the second half.

Merritt Skubisz started in goal and made three saves in the first half before giving way to Katie Wimmer, who held the Cavaliers scoreless for the final 30 minutes.

Carolina’s 28 ACC titles are more than all other teams combined, and nine consecutive championships is the longest streak in conference history.

The Tar Heels, who’ve won 11 national titles, now turn their attention to the NCAA tournament. The 18-team field and bracket will be announced Nov. 9.

Several events are planned to honor Tar Heel veterans. Flags of every military branch will be flown inside the stadium, and military members will be recognized during the game. Read more about Carolina’s commitment to serving those who serve.

Chapel Thrill Game Day

Multi-platinum-selling soul pop group Fitz and The Tantrums will perform a free concert in Polk Place as part of the Chapel Thrill Concert Series presented by the Rams Club. The concert will start around 2:30 p.m. in front of Wilson Library.

Fitz and The Tantrums’ breakthrough album came in 2013 with More Than Just a Dream, which was followed by a slew of massive hit singles, including “Out of My League,” “The Walker” and “HandClap.”

Carolina’s football team will walk from the Old Well to Kenan Stadium before taking on Stanford. (Jon Gardiner/UNC-Chapel Hill)

Game day information

Here’s everything else to know about game day.

The Old Well Walk will also return Saturday. At 2 p.m., the team will walk from the Old Well through Polk Place and around the Bell Tower to the stadium, allowing fans enjoying Chapel Thrill Game Day to cheer on the Tar Heels on as they prepare for the game.

In addition to the new concert series, The Modelo Kickoff Club has doubled in size and moved to a premium position in front of the stage within Polk Place. The Kickoff Club remains the perfect spot for fans to grab a drink before the game. Entry is free, and alcohol will be available for purchase. Food trucks will also be available in and around Polk Place along with large LED screens, plus a new and dedicated student tailgate area allowing all of campus to join the pre-game fun.

UNC will work with its tailgate activation partner REVELxp to execute Chapel Thrill Game Day and will provide turnkey tailgating on all four quads at the Bell Tower, the Kenan Amphitheater and Dorrance Field. Fans may upgrade their game day with hassle-free, full-service tailgates at some of the most scenic locations on campus by contacting REVELxp at 919-869-5486 or unc@revelxp.com.

Carolina alumni will also continue to host the pregame tradition of climbing 128 steps from the ground floor to the fourth floor of the iconic Bell Tower before home football games.

Meanwhile, the Coca-Cola Fan Zone, located in the Pit, remains a great place for fans to grab giveaways and enjoy fun activities for all ages. The area features kids’ activities, golf simulators, bounce houses, sponsor activations, autograph sessions with Carolina student-athletes, a large LED screen and more.

Pre-game schedule, Nov. 8

12:30 p.m.

Modelo Kickoff Club and tailgating open

Coca-Cola Fan Zone opens

Chapel Thrill DJ begins

2 p.m.

Old Well Walk begins

2:30 p.m.

Chapel Thrill concert in Polk Place with headliner Fitz and The Tantrums

3:30 p.m.

The Marching Tar Heels perform at the Pit

4 p.m.

Modelo Kickoff Club, student tailgating and Coca-Cola Fan Zone close

Fans looking for tickets to any of the Tar Heels’ remaining home games can visit SeatGeek, the official marketplace of Carolina Athletics.