Circle that Game

UNC athletics dominate

Carolina+blue+has+been+a+statement+in+collegiate+sports+for+over+200+years.+UNC+is+considered+a+top+athletic+program%2C+and+other+teams+always+have+to+be+aware+and+ready+when+they+are+going+to+play+Carolina.%0A

WikimediaCommons.com

Carolina blue has been a statement in collegiate sports for over 200 years. UNC is considered a top athletic program, and other teams always have to be aware and ready when they are going to play Carolina.

Robbie Cicciari, Staff Reporter

Throughout the years,  one if not the most prolific athletic programs in history has been the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Every year, you can count on at least one, and most likely more of their teams, being in the talks for the National Championship for their respective sport. What makes this program so remarkable though? Could it be the Hall of Fame coaches? The Alumni?  The current players and soon to be professional stars? Or is it just the culture set in place by the university and the standards held to the players as they know what it means to put on the Carolina blue. Sophomore Elyssa Holman added, “UNC has a top tier athletic program that is consistently diverse and competitive.”

 This year alone, UNC has had its football team finish second in the Coastal Division of the ACC; the basketball team finished first in the ACC regular season and ranked sixth in the country while obtaining a #1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament. Their lacrosse team, among other sports teams, is also nationally ranked. Some of the current players that have been leading the way for the Heels are players like quarterback Mitch Trubisky, who is a projected first round draft pick, and wide receiver Ryan Switzer on the football team. Joel Berry and Justin Jackson are leading men’s basketball team, during their  current march madness run, and Janelle Bailey a superb young star, is leading the women’s team. These elite players helped preserve the rich history that has been set by the alumni years before them.

 World phenoms like Michael Jordan and Mia Hamm have played at the university along with very successful athletes like Lawrence Taylor, Vince Carter, and Julius Peppers. All of these greats have made the past of the program so incredible and continue to help it  become better as they come back and help the players. Recently the most famous of all Tar Heels Michael Jordan has come back to the university and is now sponsoring the football team along with the basketball.

 When talking about the past of UNC athletics you still can not overlook the allegations and punishments handed down to the university by the NCAA in regards to fake classes and student-athletes not actually attending class.  Even though these sanctions are being held against the university, and punishments were handed out, the program is still thriving and maintaining their top tier performances.

 With all these past players came past games. These lead to major rivalries being created. UNC battles with in-state rivals NC State and Duke year after year in every sport. The great history of this program is shown through these classic games, and most often times these games are huge building blocks and gauges for these teams to winning national championships. The university in all has won 42 team national championships and 51 individual ones, making them the seventh most winning program ever.

 This university has one of the richest histories to date and is getting bigger and better every year. They just seem to never go away in games, seasons, and especially from year to year. You always have to watch out for UNC on your schedule and make sure you circle that game.