The 2026 NCAA Tournament begins on Friday, May 29. Here is World Baseball Network’s preview of the 2026 Chapel Hill regional.
Chapel Hill Regional – Boshamer Stadium
No. 1 – North Carolina Tar Heels (45-11-1, 22-8 ACC) – Number Five National Seed
The North Carolina Tar Heels head into the NCAA Tournament as a top-five national seed after losing in the ACC Tournament title game to Georgia Tech.
The Tar Heels feature an exciting hitter in Owen Hull, who transferred into Chapel Hill from George Mason. In 2026, Hull has a .374 batting average with 20 doubles and 75 RBIs.
Jake Schaffner and Macon Winslow have also had big seasons hitting the baseball for North Carolina. Schaffner has a .362 batting average, and Winslow has a .310 batting average this season. Both of those players have combined for 30 doubles and 95 RBIs this season.
Walker McDuffie is a big-time weapon within the Tar Heels’ pitching staff. In 2026, he has a 2.82 ERA with 79 strikeouts in 60 2/3 innings of work. McDuffie can go multiple games in a row for North Carolina, which makes him a huge weapon in the Chapel Hill regional.
Another pitcher to make note of within North Carolina’s pitching staff is Caden Glauber. The right-hander from Fort Mill, S.C. won the 2026 ACC Freshman of the Year award. In 70 innings of work, he has a 1.93 ERA and 80 strikeouts. Glauber has also allowed an opposing batting average of .179 this season.
No. 2 – Tennessee Volunteers (38-20, 15-15 SEC)
The Tennessee Volunteers have made it to the NCAA Tournament in Josh Elander’s first season as the head coach in Knoxville. Tennessee has ended the 2026 college baseball season on a strong note. The Volunteers won three of their last four SEC weekend series to close the season. This includes two series wins over national seeds Alabama and Texas.