The university's teams are nicknamed the "Tar Heels," in reference to the state's eighteenth century prominence as a tar and pitch producer.[168] The nickname's cultural relevance, however, has a complex history that includes anecdotal tales from both the American Civil War and the American Revolution.[168] The mascot is a live Dorset ram named Rameses, a tradition that dates back to 1924, when the team manager brought a ram to the annual game against Virginia Military Institute, inspired by the play of former football player Jack "The Battering Ram" Merrit. The kicker rubbed his head for good luck before a game-winning field goal, and the ram stayed.[169] There is also an anthropomorphic ram mascot who appears at games.[170] The modern Rameses is depicted in a sailor's hat, a reference to a United States Navy flight training program that was attached to the university during World War II.[171]
There was a mass exodus out of Jeff Capel’s program, starting with standout forward Justin Champagnie, who turned pro, and continuing with four transfers, headlined by guards Xavier Johnson and Au’Diese Toney. Texas Tech transfer Jamarius Burton and Femi Odukale will be expected to handle the ball this season, while a trio of post transfers, including top JuCo forward Chris Payton, will be counted on to provide the Panthers with options in the paint.
On campus, the Department of Housing and Residential Education manages thirty-two residence halls, grouped into thirteen communities. These communities range from Olde Campus Upper Quad Community which includes Old East Residence Hall, the oldest building of the university, to modern communities such as Manning West, completed in 2002.[228][229] First year students are required to live in one of the eight "First Year Experience" residence halls, most of which are located on South Campus.[230] In addition to residence halls, the university oversees an additional eight apartment complexes organized into three communities, Ram Village, Odum Village, and Baity Hill Student Family Housing. Along with themed housing focusing on foreign languages and substance-free living, there are also "living-learning communities" which have been formed for specific social, gender-related, or academic needs.[231] An example is UNITAS, sponsored by the Department of Anthropology, where residents are assigned roommates on the basis of cultural or racial differences rather than similarities.[232] Three apartment complexes offer housing for families, graduate students, and some upperclassmen.[233] Along with the rest of campus, all residence halls, apartments, and their surrounding grounds are smoke-free.[234] As of 2008, 46% of all undergraduates live in university-provided housing.[235]
Tar Heels have made their mark on the basketball court with Southern Methodist University head coach Larry Brown,[260] title winning coach Roy Williams,[261] Charlotte Hornets general manager Mitch Kupchak,[262] college player of the year award winners George Glamack,[263] Lennie Rosenbluth,[264] Antawn Jamison,[265] and Tyler Hansbrough,[266] Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame inductees Michael Jordan,[267] Billy Cunningham,[268] and Robert McAdoo,[269] great defender Bobby Jones,[270] and NBA All-Star Vince Carter.[271] Other notable Tar Heels include football players Lawrence Taylor,[272] Julius Peppers, Harris Barton, Hakeem Nicks and Dré Bly,[273] soccer stars Mia Hamm,[274] Ashlyn Harris, Heather O'Reilly, Meghan Klingenberg, Whitney Engen, Allie Long, Lori Chalupny, Crystal Dunn and Tobin Heath,[275] baseball standouts Dustin Ackley[276] and B.J. Surhoff,[277] and Olympians April Heinrichs[278] and Vikas Gowda.[278] Vic Seixas is a member of the International Tennis Hall of Fame, and won 15 Majors.[279]
The Seattle Mariners hold a club option for Kyle Seager’s contract in 2022. If they exercise it, he’ll be back for one last dance with the team that drafted him in 2009, hoping he’d be a solid utility player. If they decline, he will be a free agent. In a season that could’ve been filled anxiety about an uncertain future, there is a relaxed peace to Seager. (The Spokesman-Review)
The batting average with him is rather insignificant. If you want to know if Aaron Sabato of the Cedar Rapids Kernels is doing the things the parent Minnesota Twins drafted him for in the first round last year, you need to focus on his slugging percentage and his OPS. "If I put the bat on the ball, I can hit it just as hard as anybody in professional baseball." (Cedar Rapids Gazette)
The University of North Carolina men's basketball team will begin Atlantic Coast Conference play December 5 at Georgia Tech in the first regular-season ACC game for first-year UNC head coach Hubert Davis. Carolina's ACC opener will come in its eighth regular-season game, four days after the Tar Heels host Michigan in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge. (GoHeels.com)
