North Carolina (22-5-0) has won 22 of 43 NCAA women’s soccer titles. The Tar Heels also won the 1981 AIAW title and won a total of 23 national championships. No women’s soccer team has won more than four.
Wake Forest (16-4-4) was playing in the championship game for the first time in program history. The Demon Deacons were seeking just the 11th national championship in school history. UNC has 51 NCAA team championships in eight sports.
Thomas drew three defenders and was brought down by Dempsey Brown just outside the 18-yard box, who received a yellow card. Thomas found a gap in the wall and slotted it past goalkeeper Valentina Amaral for her ninth goal of the season.
Interim head coach Damon Nahas is the second coach in NCAA women’s soccer history to win a national championship in her first year as a head coach, joining UCLA’s Margueritte Aozasa from 2022.
North Carolina was making its 32nd College Cup appearance, including five of the past seven. No other team has more than 14. UNC was in the national title game for the 28th time, and has been the runner-up on six occasions.
It was North Carolina State’s first title game between the two teams since 1992 when North Carolina beat Duke 9-1.