The Hokies received some good news in June when second-team All-ACC forward Keva Aluma announced his decision to pull out of the NBA Draft and return to Blacksburg. That gives Tech head coach Mike Young his top four scorers from last season’s squad in Tyrece Radford, Nahiem Alleyne and Justyn Mutts. Wofford’s Storm Murphy, who earned All-SoCon first-team honors at point guard, transferred in after averaging 17.8 points and 4.3 assists for the Terriers. Clemson transfer Lynn Kidd will provide some size in the post for a Hokies’ squad talented enough to make a run in March.
The ACC schedule-makers produced a helpful first league schedule for new UNC basketball coach Hubert Davis. Davis’ first Tar Heels team plays Florida State, Virginia, Syracuse, and Pittsburgh only at the Smith Center. Trips to Charlottesville, Va., and Tallahassee, Fla., which have been rough ones for UNC in recent years, aren’t part of the schedule. (Tar Heel Tribune)
Many Tar Heels have become business leaders. The leaders include Jason Kilar,[280] former CEO of Hulu; Howard R. Levine,[281] chairman of the board and CEO of Family Dollar; Paul Kolton,[282] chairman of the American Stock Exchange; Julian Robertson,[283] founder of Tiger Management Corp.; Bill Ruger,[284] founder of Sturm, Ruger; Warren Grice Elliott, former president of Atlantic Coast Line Railroad; Allen B. Morgan, Jr.,[285] founder and former CEO of Morgan Keegan & Company; Ken Thompson,[286] former chairman and CEO of Wachovia; Hugh McColl,[287] former CEO of Bank of America; Sallie Krawcheck,[288] former CFO of Citigroup Inc ,William Johnson,[289] the current president and CEO of Progress Energy, John A. Allison IV, former CEO of BB&T,[citation needed], Marvin Sands, founder and CEO of Constellation Brands,[290] Ritch Allison, CEO of Dominos Pizza, Chuck Robbins, CEO of Cisco, Jonathan Reckford, CEO of Habitat for Humanity, and Michelle Buck, CEO of The Hershey Company, William H. Rogers Jr., CEO of SunTrust Banks,[291] William B. Harrison Jr., former CEO of JPMorgan Chase,[292] and Peter Grauer, Chairman of Bloomberg.[293]
Earl Grant, formerly of College of Charleston, has a massive rebuilding job ahead in Chestnut Hill after Jim Christian was shown the door following seven seasons. Four-year starter Steffon Mitchell graduated and a trio of sophomores – C.J. Felder, Jay Heath and Wynston Tabbs -- transferred. Grant was active in the transfer portal, bringing in Mississippi State center Quinten Post, College of Charleston guard Brevin Galloway and Drexel forward T.J. Bickerstaff to supplement his thin roster.
That same year, the public universities in North Carolina had to share a budget cut of $414 million, of which the Chapel Hill campus lost more than $100 million in 2011.[53] This followed state budget cuts that trimmed university spending by $231 million since 2007; Provost Bruce Carney said more than 130 faculty members have left UNC since 2009.,[54] with poor staff retention.[55] The Board of Trustees for UNC-CH recommended a 15.6 percent increase in tuition, a historically large increase.[54] The budget cuts in 2011 greatly affected the university and set this increased tuition plan in motion[53] and UNC students protested.[56] On February 10, 2012, the UNC Board of Governors approved tuition and fee increases of 8.8 percent for in-state undergraduates across all 16 campuses.[57]
Colin Moran was batting .297 with four home runs and 19 RBI in his first 32 games, so Pirates manager Derek Shelton worried the fracture of the left pisiform bone, located on the outer half of the base of his hand, would affect not only his swing but the grip strength of one of the Pirates’ top power bats. The injury hasn’t hindered the lefty-hitting Moran. (Pittsburgh Tribune-Review)
As he joins the Tar Heels, Brady Manek will have someone from afar watching him closely. The fifth-year transfer met local media for the first time this week, and the 6-9 shooter said some interesting things about why he left Oklahoma to play his final college season in Chapel Hill. One, he is among the best big marksmen who ever played in the Big 12. (Chapelboro.com)