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Sports radio host to speak at Raleigh Sports Club

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Sports radio host Adam Gold, of 99.9 The Fan, will speak at the Raleigh Sports Club meeting Wednesday. Gold, a Maryland graduate, has been talking sports for more than a decade in the Triangle. He is the co-host of the afternoon and evening show on 99.9 FM The Fan ESPN Radio.

In addition to Triangle sports, he’ll no doubt be asked about Maryland jumping to the Big Ten.

The RSC will honor Hunter Starr, a cross country star, at Corinth Holders as the Student Athlete of the Week. He will be recognized for his academic and athletic accomplishments.

The RSC meetings emphasize friendship, fellowship, weekly door prizes, pick sheets, and great food. This is the 49th year of The Raleigh Sports Club.

The Raleigh Sports Club weekly Wednesday luncheon meetings are from 11:30-1 p.m. at Highland United Methodist Church at 1901 Ridge Road in Raleigh. The Forks Cafeteria caters a Southern Buffet with lines opening at 11:30 a.m.

Member attendance fee is $15 while guests are $25. For more details go to www.raleighsportsclub.org.

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Cary to co-host NCAA Division II baseball finals through 2015

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Mount Olive College and Town of Cary, which have co-hosted each of the last four NCAA II Baseball National Finals, have been awarded the 2014 and 2015 Division II Baseball National Finals, it was announced by the NCAA. The two-year extension will mark seven consecutive years the championship is at USA Baseball National Training Complex in Cary, N.C., making it the third longest run in the 45-year history of the NCAA II Baseball Championship.

“The USA Baseball National Training Complex is just a tremendous facility for us to showcase our championship,” Division II Baseball Committee Chair Jim Givens said in a statement from the NCAA. “The people of Cary and Mount Olive have really embraced this event and allow us to have a wonderful experience for our student-athletes, coaches and fans.”

Mount Olive won the 2008 NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship in Sauget, Ill. The NCAA opened the bidding for the Division II Baseball National Finals when 2008 host Southern Illinois-Edwardsville reclassified to Division I. Mount Olive and Town of Cary were awarded the bid in 2009 and have now earned three two-year extensions.

Mount Olive was both co-host and tournament participant in the 2011 National Finals. The Trojans tied for third, falling in the semifinal round to eventual national champion West Florida.

“It has been a great opportunity for the college to serve as the host institution for the NCAA DII baseball championship, so we are pleased to receive a two-year extension as host,” said Mount Olive College Director of Athletics Jeff Eisen. “We also appreciate this expression of confidence from the NCAA for the job that we and the Town of Cary have done as the hosts for the last four years.”

In the first four years the championship has been held in Cary, four first-time champions have been crowned. In addition to West Florida’s title in 2011, Lynn (Fla.) won the 2009 national championship, Southern Indiana took the crown in 2010 and West Chester (Pa.) won last year’s national title.

The first NCAA Division II Baseball National Championship took place in 1968, with the National Finals held in Springfield, Mo. After a four-year run in Springfield, Mo., the championship moved to Springfield, Ill., for eight years, the second longest run for the championship. The championship then moved to Riverside, Calif., in 1980 and stayed for five years, which will become the fourth longest run after the 2014 National Finals. Montgomery, Ala., played host to the National Finals for a record 23 consecutive years from 1985-2007.

The 2013 NCAA Division II Baseball National Finals will be held May 25-June 1. Tickets will go on sale in the spring.

– News release

Duke, Featured stories, N.C. State, UNC

Five Tar Heels make inaugural All-ACC coaches football team

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The Atlantic Coast Conference Wednesday announced the inaugural All-ACC Football Team as selected by the league’s 12 head coaches.

This year, for the first time under the auspices of the ACC, the league’s 12 head football coaches voted for an All-ACC football team, as well as Players of the Year, Rookies of the Year and a Coach of the Year award. Coaches were not allowed to vote for their own players and cast ballots for two points for first-team and one point for second-team selections.

Clemson, Florida State and North Carolina each had five players chosen to the first team, though UNC actually had six first-team picks as running back Giovani Bernard was named to the first-team offense as a running back, while also earning first-team specialist accolades. All of Clemson’s first-team honorees were on offense, while four of FSU’s five were on defense.

The Seminoles, who defeated Georgia Tech, 21-15, last Saturday in the ACC Championship football game in Charlotte, led all teams with 12 players selected to either the first or second team, followed by North Carolina (9) and Clemson (7).

In all, 10 of the ACC’s 12 schools placed a player on the first team with all 12 schools having at least one first- or second-team selection.

The 2012 Coaches All-ACC team was similar to the All-ACC squad announced last week by the Atlantic Coast Sports Media Association (ACSMA), as the two voting bodies agreed on all of the major award winners.

Clemson’s junior QB Tajh Boyd (Hampton, Va.) was selected by the ACC Coaches as Offensive and Overall Player of the Year for a record-breaking campaign which saw Boyd lead the Tigers to a 10-2 record, a No. 14 ranking in the BCS while setting ACC single game (8) and season (41) records for touchdown responsibility.

Florida State junior defensive end Bjoern Werner (Berlin, Germany) was selected the league’s Defensive Player of the Year after leading the conference in quarterback sacks (13.0) and placing second in tackles for loss (18.0).

Miami true freshman running back Duke Johnson (Miami, Fla.), who set a single-game ACC freshman standard with 368 all-purpose yards while also placing third in the league in rushing with 947 yards and a 78.9 yards-per-game average, was named the ACC’s Offensive Rookie and Overall Rookie of the Year.

The runner-up to Johnson in the Rookie of the Year voting, Maryland true freshman wide receiver and kick returner Stefon Diggs (Gaithersburg, Md.) was named to the All-ACC second team as specialist.

Florida State true freshman cornerback Ronald Darby (Oxon Hill, Md.), a key member of Florida State’s defense which is ranked second nationally in total defense, third nationally in pass defense and third nationally in pass efficiency defense, was named the ACC’s Defensive Rookie of the Year.

Duke’s David Cutcliffe, who led the Blue Devils to a bowl game for the first time since 1994 with a berth in this year’s Belk Bowl, was named ACC Coach of the Year after being selected on seven of the 12 ballots.

The Coaches All-ACC first-team differed from the ACSMA team only at three positions, choosing Duke senior wide receiver Conner Vernon over Boston College’s Alex Amidon; North Carolina offensive tackle James Hurst over Clemson’s Brandon Thomas, and Virginia Tech linebacker Jack Tyler instead of Virginia’s Steve Greer. Amidon, Thomas and Greer were all second-team picks.

In all, there were four unanimous first-team selections (22 points) in Clemson’s Boyd and wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins, and North Carolina’s Bernard on offense and Florida State defensive end Cornellius Carradine on defense.

A total of six players named to this year’s Coaches’ first-team were named to the 2011 All-ACC ACSMA squad in Clemson’s Boyd and center Dalton Freeman; Georgia Tech guard Omoregie Uzzi; North Carolina’s Bernard; Florida State place-kicker Dustin Hopkins and Maryland defensive tackle Joe Vellano.

ACC Player of the Year (votes in parentheses)

Tajh Boyd, Clemson, QB, 6-1, 225, Jr.-R, Hampton, Va. (7)


ACC Offensive Player of the Year

Tajh Boyd, Clemson, QB, 6-1, 225, Jr.-R, Hampton, Va. (7)

ACC Defensive Player of the Year

Bjoern Werner, Florida State, DE, 6-4, 273, Jr., Berlin, Germany (9)

ACC Rookie of the Year

Duke Johnson, Miami, RB, 5-9, 183, Fr., Miami, Fla. (8)

ACC Offensive Rookie of the Year

Duke Johnson, Miami, RB, 5-9, 183, Fr., Miami, Fla. (8)

ACC Defensive Rookie of the Year

Ronald Darby, Florida State, CB, 5-11, 176, Fr., Oxon Hill, Md. (5)

ACC Coach of the Year

David Cutcliffe, Duke (7)

2012 Coaches All-ACC Football Team


Offense

First Team

QB—Tajh Boyd, Clemson, 6-1, 225, Jr.-R, Hampton, Va. (22)

RB—Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, 5-10, 205, So.-R, Davie, Fla. (22)

RB—Andre Ellington, Clemson, 5-10, 190, Sr.-R, Moncks Corner, S.C. (21)

WR—DeAndre Hopkins, Clemson, 6-1, 200, Jr., Central, S.C. (22)

WR—Conner Vernon, Duke, 6-1, 195, Sr., Miami, Fla. (14)

TE—Brandon Ford, Clemson, 6-4, 235, Gr., Wando, S.C. (17)

T—James Hurst, North Carolina, 6-7, 300, Jr., Plainfield, Ind. (14)

T—Oday Aboushi, Virginia, 6-6, 310, Sr., Brooklyn, N.Y. (13)

G—Jonathan Cooper, North Carolina, 6-3, 295, Sr., Wilmington, N.Y. (21)

G—Omoregie Uzzi, Georgia Tech, 6-3, 300, Sr.-R, Lithonia, Ga. (14)

C—Dalton Freeman, Clemson, 6-5, 285, Gr., Pelion, S.C. (17)

Second Team

QB—EJ Manuel, Florida State, 6-5, 245, Sr., Virginia Beach, Va. (12)

RB—Chris Thompson, Florida State, 5-8, 190, Sr., Greenville, Fla. (13)

RB—Duke Johnson, Miami, 5-9, 183, Fr., Miami, Fla. (10)

WR–Alex Amidon, Boston College, 5-11, 186, Jr., Greenfield, Mass. (11)

WR–Michael Campanaro, Wake Forest, 5-10, 190, Jr.-R, Clarksville, Md. (10)

TE—Eric Ebron, North Carolina, 6-4, 235, So., Greensboro, N.C. (13)

T—–Brandon Thomas, Clemson, 6-3, 300, Jr.-R, Spartanburg, S.C. (10)

T—–Emmett Cleary, Boston College, 6-7, 313, Sr.-R, Arlington Heights, Ill. (9)

G—–R.J. Mattes, NC State, 6-6, 313, Sr.-R, Concord, N.C. (11)

G—–Tre’ Jackson, Florida State, 6-4, 310, So., Jessup, Ga. (9)

C—–Bryan Stork, Florida State, 6-4, 299, Jr., Vero Beach, Fla. (9)

Honorable Mention (2 or more points)

Offense—QB Mike Glennon, Sr.-R, NC State (2); RB—Orwin Smith, Sr., Georgia Tech (2); WR—Sammy Watkins, So., Clemson (5); Rashad Greene, So., Florida State (3); Jamison Crowder, So., Duke (2); Marcus Davis, Sr.-R, Virginia Tech (2); TE—Nick O’Leary, So., Florida State (4); T—Cameron Erving, So., Florida State (7); Brennan Williams, Sr., North Carolina (5); Menelik Watson, Fr., Florida State (3); Morgan Moses, Jr., Virginia (3); Seantrel Henderson, So., Miami (3); Vinston Painter, Sr., Virginia Tech (2); G—Josue Matias, So., Florida State (7); Brandon Linder, Jr., Miami (4); Michael Via, Sr., Virginia Tech; C—Cameron Wentz, Sr., NC State (3); Shane McDermott, Sr.-R, Miami (3); Jay Finch, Jr., Georgia Tech (2); PK—Ross Martin, Fr., Duke (3); Casey Barth, Sr.-R, North Carolina (3); SP—Duke Johnson, Fr., Miami (8); Jamal Golden, So., Georgia Tech (2).


Defense

First Team

DE—Cornellius Carradine, Florida State, 6-5, 267, Sr., Cincinnati, Ohio (22)

DE—Bjoern Werner, Florida State, 6-4, 273, Jr., Berlin, Germany (21)

DT—Joe Vellano, Maryland, 6-1, 285, Sr., Rexford, N.Y. (20)

DT—Sylvester Williams, North Carolina, 6-3, 315, Sr., Jefferson City, Mo. (16)

LB—Nick Clancy, Boston College, 6-3, 232, Sr., Plainfield, Ill. (18)

LB—Jack Tyler, Virginia Tech, 5-11, 230, Jr., Oakton, Va. (13)

LB—Kevin Reddick, North Carolina, 6-3, 240, Sr., New Bern, N.C. (13)

CB—Ross Cockrell, Duke, 6-0, 180, Jr., Waxhaw, N.C. (18)

CB—Xavier Rhodes, Florida State, 6-2, 215, Jr., Miami, Fla. (17)

S——Lamarcus Joyner, Florida State, 5-9, 204, Jr., Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (18)

S——Earl Wolff, NC State, 6-0, 207, Gr., Raeford, N.C. (14)

Second Team

DE—James Gayle, Virginia Tech, 6-4, 250, Jr.-R, Hampton, Va. (10)

DE—Kareem Martin, North Carolina, 6-6, 260, Jr., Roanoke Rapids, N.C. (5)

DT—Nikita Whitlock, Wake Forest, 5-11, 260, Jr.-R, Wylie, Texas (9)

DT (Tie) Timmy Jernigan, Florida State, 6-3, 297, So., Lake City, Fla. (6)

DT (Tie) Everett Dawkins, Florida State, 6-2, 295, Sr., Spartanburg, S.C. (6)

LB—Christian Jones, Florida State, 6-4, 240, Jr., Winter Park, Fla. (12)

LB—Steve Greer, Virginia, 6-2, 225, Sr.-R, Solon, Ohio (12)

LB—Demetrius Hartsfield, Maryland, 6-2, 240, Sr.-R, Raleigh, N.C. (9)

CB—David Amerson, NC State, 6-3, 194, Jr., Greensboro, N.C. (12)

CB—Antone Exum, Virginia Tech, 6-2, 219, Jr.-R, Glen Allen, Va. (8)

S—–Walt Canty, Duke, 6-1, 220, Sr., Roebuck, S.C. (8)

S—–Brandan Bishop, NC State, 6-2, 205, Sr., Boca Raton, Fla. (7)

Honorable Mention

Defense—DE—Kenny Anunike, Sr.-R, Duke (4); A.J. Francis, Sr.-R, Maryland (4); Anthony Chickillo, So., Miami (3); Mallaciah Goodman, Sr., Clemson (2); DT—Anthony Hopkins, Sr-R., Virginia Tech; Anthony McCloud, Sr., Florida State (3); Grady Jarrett, So., Clemson (2); T.J. Barnes, Sr.-R, Georgia Tech (2); LB—Jeremiah Attaochu, Jr., Georgia Tech (6); Bruce Taylor, Sr., Virginia Tech (5); LaRoy Reynolds, Sr., Virginia (4); Kenny Tate, Sr.-R, Maryland (4); Kevin Pierre-Louis, Jr., Boston College (2); Darin Drakeford, Sr., Maryland (2); Denzel Perryman, So., Miami (2); CB—Kevin Johnson, So.-R, Wake Forest (4); Kyle Fuller, Jr., Virginia Tech (4); Tim Scott, So., North Carolina (3); Demetrious Nicholson, So., Virginia (3); S—Rashard Hall, Gr-R, Clemson (6); Tre Boston, Jr., North Carolina (6); Jonathan Meeks, Sr., Clemson (4); Vaughn Telemaque, Sr.-R, Miami (4); A.J. Marshall, Jr., Wake Forest; P—Gerald Levano, Sr.-R, Boston College (5).

Special Teams

First Team

PK—Dustin Hopkins, Florida State, 6-2, 190, Sr. Houston, Texas (20)

P——Will Monday, Duke, 6-4, 200, Fr.-R, Flowery Branch, Ga. (17)

SP—-Giovani Bernard, North Carolina, 5-10, 2-5, So.-R, Davie, Fla. (13)


Second Team

PK—Chandler Catanzaro, Clemson, 6-2, 200, Jr.-R, Greenville, S.C. (9)

P——Tommy Hibbard, North Carolina, 5-10, 195, So., Charlotte, N.C. (14)

SP—Stefan Diggs, Maryland, 6-0, 185, Fr., Gaithersburg, Md. (11)

– News release

Featured stories, Redskins

Redskins fans are deservedly excited after beating Giants but the RG3 worship?

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Fans of the Washington Redskins are going nuts after their team pulled to 6-6 with a 17-16 exciting victory over the first-place New York Giants.

It was an important victory for the team and the franchise. The Redskins’ players were just as celebratory as the fans. Announcer and former 49ers QB Steve Young after the Redskins win over the Giants said, “Did you see that sideline erupt? I haven’t seen a sideline erupt like that. In college, I see that a lot but in the pros you don’t see that often.”

I must say though, the constant RG3 chants, in honor of rookie sensation QB Robert Griffin III, should be a little embarrassing to Redskins fans and are dismissive of other Redskins’ achievements. Alfred Morris muscled over several Giants to get a first down to basically wrap it up and the cameras immediately switch to Redskins fans chanting “RG3, RG3!” Jeez. I mean, give Morris some love.

Griffin played well but wasn’t as spectacular as other games this season. He threw for only 163 yards but he had an outstanding QB rating of 101.9. He had a pair of key runs and threw a great pass for a first down on the last drive of the game that ran out the clock. But was he deserving of the all-encompassing praise? It seemed to be more of a team effort than some other wins this season.

Even after Griffin fumbled and the Skins lucked into a score by another player on the recovery, the fans immediately yelled “RG3, RG3!” Then, at the end while the post-game show was going on, well before Griffin was interviewed so it wasn’t because he was there, Redskins fans were chanting “RG3, RG3” again instead of yelling “We’re No. 1” or “Let’s go Redskins” or “We want Dallas” or “Hail to the Redskins.”

Many of the Redskin fans’ tweets just after the game revolved around Griffin rather than the Redskins as a team. One tweeter wrote, “OMG, OMG, OMG, RGIII” Another tweeted “Merry Griffmas!” And “the Griff that stole the Giants’ Christmas.” “And Playoff bound baby. Thank you Robert Griffin.” And “We whooped the G-men Griffin style.” And “rgIII is a beast, need I say more.” It went on and on but you get the idea.

The Jesus savior worship not only isn’t healthy but what happens if and when he is injured? A one-man team plays all alone. Luckily Griffin understands that and has his head on his shoulders right but could you imagine how this over-the-top response to Griffin would affect another first-year QB?

To his credit, Griffin deflected a question at the post-game media interview about the fans chanting RG3 and showed he’s a team player. “To have the fans all behind you, not just the quarterback but behind the team, is exciting,” he said. “There is a lot of excitement surrounding this team and I think everybody feels it.”

The key now for the Redskins as a team – not as an excuse to watch a singular exciting player’s accomplishments – is to win the division because the wild card will be tough. For one, Seattle, the beneficiaries of a botched TD call by replacement officials against the Packers early in the year, has seven wins. Whoever doesn’t win the Central Division – the Packers or the Bears – will get one of the two wild card berths. Several other teams, including the Rams who earlier defeated the Skins, are tied or within a game of the Skins in the playoff hunt. An 8-8 finish will be rewarding while a 10-6 record would get them in the playoffs. A 9-7 record might get the Skins in the playoffs but probably as a wild card.

I don’t mean to play the what if game but the Redskins should be 8-4 – at least. The Redskins most likely would have beaten the Rams without that stupid ball-throwing penalty on Josh Morgan at the end of that game and the Skins should have beaten the Giants the first time they played. And can you believe now that the Panthers defeated the Redskins in Washington? The Panthers were beneficiaries of a botched officiating call where the Panthers scored a TD after an official blew a whistle thinking the runner was out of bounds. Redskins defenders stopped running and the league later admitted that the runner should have been down once the whistle was blown.

The Bengals and Falcons losses were really close too. The Steelers were really the only team that manhandled the Redskins.

The Redskins, winners of three in a row, will be underdogs again next Sunday at home against the Baltimore Ravens before being favored at Cleveland and at Philadelphia. Finally, the Skins finish against the rival Cowboys at home in a game that could determine a playoff spot. Think the RG3 chanters will be in full voice for that one?

Featured stories, UNC

UNC celebrates 22nd women’s soccer national championship

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The North Carolina women’s soccer program claimed its 22nd national championship, and perhaps the most improbable of those 22, with a convincing 4-1 victory over sixth-ranked Penn State before a crowd of 6,930 fans at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego Sunday afternoon. A national championship celebration is planned for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Carmichael Arena.

Coach Anson Dorrance has now led his team to 21 NCAA crowns and one AIAW (pre-NCAA) title in the 31-year history of the program. Sunday’s convincing win over Big 10 Conference champion Penn State was the latest chapter in the book Dorrance and his players have written over the past three decades.

UNC was led in the championship game by tournament Most Outstanding Offensive Player Kealia Ohai, who scored in the opening minute of the game, and Most Outstanding Defensive Player Satara Murray, who assisted on Ohai’s goal and then scored one of her own to give the Tar Heels separation at 3-1 in the second half. Murray’s remarkable accomplishment was all the more astounding for the fact she had never recorded a goal or an assist in any game heading into Sunday while starting for two years on defense. Toss in a game-winning goal in the opening minute of the second half from freshman defender Hanna Gardner and big-time senior performances from Amber Brooks, Alyssa Rich, Adelaide Gay and Ranee Premji and it was a fitting end to the Tar Heel season which had many ups and downs.

In addition to Murray and Ohai, the All-Tournament Team included senior midfielder Amber Brooks, junior midfielder Crystal Dunn and senior goalkeeper Adelaide Gay. Penn State, playing in its first NCAA final in its history, was represented by Maddy Evans, Maya Hayes, Christine Nairn and Taylor Schram while NCAA semifinalists Stanford and Florida State had Emily Oliver and Tiffany McCarty, respectively, on the team.

In the national final, Ohai picked up right where she left off in Friday’s NCAA semifinal game when she scored a golden goal in the 105th minute to lift the Tar Heels past top-ranked Stanford 1-0. Just 1:11 into the title game, she scored her team-leading ninth goal of the campaign. Satara Murray floated a long ball over the back line of the Penn State defense, Ohai beat her defenders and ran on to the ball and buried a shot from 18 yards out into the upper right corner.

Penn State, which finished 21-4-2, was resilient, however, but wasted a couple of great scoring opportunities early. The Nittany Lions broke through for the tying strike in the 19th minute. Christine Nairn had time and space to feed a ball to Taylor Schram on the left wing and the PSU forward shot over Tar Heel goalie Addy Gay to finish into the far corner at 18:24.

Dorrance immediately switched from Carolina’s usual 3-4-3 formation to a 4-2-3-1 and the tactical switch proved crucial to UNC’s eventual success. After PSU got three dangerous shots early, the Tar Heels limited the Lions to one shot in the final 26 minutes of the half, a strike from 40 yards by Nairn in the 37th minute that Gay knocked down. Meanwhile, UNC’s best scoring opportunity of the remainder of the half came off the foot of Alyssa Rich in the 34th minute as she went far post with a laser from the 18-yard line that Penn State goalie Erin McNulty was able to knock away.

Carolina started the second half in the 4-2-3-1 and that shape did not allow another Penn State shot until the 70:45 mark, giving the Lions just one shot between the 19th minute of the game and the 71st minute. Meanwhile, UNC has struck twice off of corner kicks to claim a 3-1 lead.

That Carolina would score twice off corners was ironic as it had tallied only three goals off 148 corner kicks coming into the game. The eventual game-winning goal was set up by Ohai as she made a run past the defense on the right side, forcing the corner less than 20 seconds into the period. Freshman international Katie Bowen then placed her kick perfectly to the six-yard line where fellow freshman Hanna Gardner skied to drive it emphatically into the back of the twine. The goal was her second of the year and came just 48 seconds into the second stanza.

Carolina continued to pressure the Penn State goal mouth and earned another corner kick in the 64th minute. Bowen again was accurate with her placement. Gardner’s initial shot was knocked down by McNulty as was Rich’s follow-up shot. But McNulty could not stop the third shot as Murray buried the ball into the back of the netting for a 3-1 lead at 63:20. It was Murray’s first goal of her career after two seasons as the starting right back.

The Tar Heels ended any doubt as to the outcome in the 75th minute as senior Ranee Premji came off the bench to score her fourth goal of the season at 74:18. Dunn set up the goal with a run to the end line on the left wing, centering the ball to the Canadian international Premji for a one-touch putaway.

Carolina ended the game with a 24-12 edge in shots (9-4 first half, 15-8 second half). The Tar Heels had an edge in corner kicks as well 8-4. Twenty-one of the 22 players dressed in the game for the Tar Heels saw action. Adelaide Gay, the senior walk-on and transfer from Yale, who came back for a fifth year and started 40 of the last 41 games of her career for Carolina, played 85:33 and made two saves while allowing one goal. Senior Hannah Daly came off the bench to end her career in style by playing the final 4:27, making one save. McNulty for Penn State had a very solid game despite giving up four goals. The Florida State transfer had seven saves and none of them was routine.

Carolina finished its season 15-5-3 overall after being 5-3-2 on September 27 coming off a 1-0 loss to then top-ranked Florida State. But after that loss to the Seminoles, Carolina ran went 10-2-1 the rest of the way. After a 1-0 loss to Virginia in the ACC Tournament quarterfinals on October 28, a game in which the Cavaliers dominated play, the Tar Heels had 13 days to get ready for the NCAA Tournament and it showed their preparation was adroit as they went on a six-game run to win the title. No team in history had survived three NCAA Tournament overtime games to win the crown and Carolina did just that against Baylor in the third round, BYU in the quarterfinals and Stanford in the semifinals.

The five losses by UNC are the most ever for an NCAA champion. UNC had gone 21-3 in 2000 and 23-3-1 in 2009 in winning NCAA crowns and Southern California was 23-3 when it won the championship in 2007.

Carolina three-goal margin of victory was the largest in an NCAA final since 2005 when Portland blanked UCLA 4-0 and the largest separation for Carolina in an NCAA title game since 2003 when the Heels beat Connecticut 6-0.

Many Carolina players — Kealia Ohai, Cyrstal Dunn, Katie Bowen, Bryane Heaberlin and Summer Green — missed large chunks of the season with national team commitments and starting center back Caitlin Ball also missed 10 games with an injury. Add to that the fact two-year starting left back Megan Brigman was lost for the season four minutes into the season opener at Portland and Dorrance alluded to the reality that it took this Carolina team a while to find its chemistry.

The Carolina team will return to Chapel Hill Monday morning as four different groups are schedule on red-eye flights from San Diego later this evening with bus arrivals at Finley Field between 9:45 and 11:45. A national championship celebration is planned for Thursday at 5:30 p.m. at Carmichael Arena. The general public and university community is invited.

Letter from Bubba Cunningham, UNC athletic director:

Carolina Fans:

Congratulations to the University of North Carolina women’s soccer team and head coach Anson Dorrance and his staff. Carolina defeated Penn State 4-1 Sunday in San Diego to claim the program’s 22nd national championship!

Please join us on Thursday, Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m. in Carmichael Arena to celebrate this amazing accomplishment. Doors will open at 5 and the celebration will include the UNC band and cheerleaders, highlight videos and remarks from Chancellor Holden Thorp and Coach Dorrance.

I look forward to seeing you in Carmichael Arena Thursday at 5:30 as we all celebrate this amazing accomplishment together as a campus community.

Congratulations women’s soccer, Coach Dorrance and staff, and Go Heels!

Bubba Cunningham
Director of Athletics

Featured stories, N.C. State

What they’re saying about Doeren becoming NC State’s new football coach

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“N.C. State announced (Dave) Doeren’s hiring Saturday — less than 24 hours after he guided the 19th-ranked (Northern Illinois) Huskies to their second consecutive Mid-American Conference championship, and just six days after firing Tom O’Brien.”
– Associated Press

“This season, Northern Ilinois averaged 40.8 points per game and is in the top 15 nationally in rushing offense (ninth), scoring offense (10th), third-down conversions (15th), and total offense (15th).”
– Andrea Adelson, ESPN.com

“Doeren was also reportedly on Purdue’s and Auburn’s lists, with good reason. He’s 23-4 in two years since taking over for Jerry Kill, with two straight MAC championships and a bowl victory to his name. His strength is on the defensive side of the ball, believe it or not, with his previous experience at Wisconsin, Kansas and elsewhere coming on that side of the ball.”
– Jason Kirk, SB Nation

“Doeren compiled a 23-4 record in two seasons at NIU. That brief stretch includes two MAC titles. Incoming recruits have been told that Huskies’ offensive line coach Rod Carey will replace Doeren.”
– Rana L. Cash Sporting News

“Northern Illinois has become an ideal career launching point for ambitious football coaches ultimately seeking a higher national profile, stronger competition, improved facilities and more money.”
– Fred Mitchell, Chicago Tribune

“Coach Dave Doeren is a highly motivated overachiever who shares our goals to pursue aggressively a high level of achievement in the classroom and on the field of competition.”
– Debbie Yow, NC State athletic director

“What Dave has done here in two seasons has been unprecedented. His record on the field speaks for itself, and the family atmosphere and culture of hard work he has fostered have led directly to our success. Under Dave and his staff, Northern Illinois has gone from being a great team to being a great program.”
– Jeff Compher, Northern Illinois athletic director

“I am honored and excited to join the Wolfpack. NC State has world-class facilities and fans that are second to none,” Doeren said in a statement. “I want to thank chancellor (Dr. Randy)Woodson and Debbie Yow for this tremendous opportunity. My family and I can’t wait to get to Raleigh and become Wolfpackers. While I look forward to our future at State, I want to acknowledge and thank the Northern Illinois players and fans for their support the last two years, especially president (John) Peters and Jeff Compher.”
– Dave Doeren, new NC State coach

“He’s a very good recruiter. He’s bright, energetic and a tireless worker. I really think everyone in Raleigh is going to like Dave.”
Former Kansas Jayhawks head coach Mark Mangino

“If there’s a question about his ability to live up to Yow’s promise, it would be over Doeren’s ability to recruit at an ‘Alabama’ level – or even at a level higher than O’Brien, who struggled keeping pace with his ACC and SEC regional rivals on the recruiting trail.”
Paul Myerberg, USA TODAY Sports

Featured stories, UNC

Overtime goal lifts UNC women’s soccer into NCAA title game

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Junior forward Kealia Ohai’s overtime goal in the 105th minute Friday night lifted 14th-ranked North Carolina into the 2012 NCAA Division I Women’s Soccer Tournament championship game as the Tar Heels knocked off top-ranked Stanford 1-0 in double overtime in the national semifinals. The game was played before 7,289 fans at Torero Stadium on the campus of the University of San Diego.

Carolina will play in its 24th NCAA championship game in the 31-year history of the tournament on Sunday when it meets sixth-ranked Penn State Sunday at 1 p.m. PST (4 p.m. EST) at Torero Stadium. The Nittany Lions advanced to their first-ever NCAA final by defeating fellow No. 1 seed Florida State 2-1 in overtime in the first semifinal game Friday night.

Friday night’s semifinal game was a hard fought game throughout the 90 minutes of regulation. Both teams had good chances to score although the Tar Heels might have had an edge in possession. Through regulation UNC had outshot the Cardinal 14-13 and had a 3-2 edge in corner kicks. UNC was on frame through most of that time with Stanford’s Emily Oliver making seven saves in regulation and UNC’s Adelaide Gay making four.

But the overtime was a different story as the Tar Heels took over the game and plowed through for the eventual game-winner in the 105th minute. UNC outshot the Cardinal 6-0 in the two overtime periods and were it not for three extra sessions saves by Oliver the Tar Heels might have prevailed earlier. Carolina also benefitted in overtime from having fresher legs as UNC head coach Anson Dorrance used six substitutes during the game to only three for Stanford.

The winning goal was set up on a run down the middle of the pitch by New Zealand National Team player and Carolina freshman midfielder Katie Bowen. Bowen fed a ball to the feet of Crystal Dunn, who has been all-everything for UNC in the NCAA Tournament. Dunn gathered the ball in and despite having a defender on her hip she kept her balance and sprung Ohai free on the right side of the penalty area. Ohai never hesitated, used her speed to get behind everyone and from 12 yards out on the right she lasered a shot across the frame. The ball struck the left stanchion but was hit with such pace that it bounced across the goal and into the right side netting.

It was Ohai’s team-leading eighth goal of the season and her second game-winner of the campaign.

Carolina has been making history in the NCAA Tournament in many forms after finishing the regular season 10-5-2 overall. The Tar Heels have now advanced in three successive overtime games. Prior to this year Carolina had never played more than one overtime game in any single NCAA Tournament. After wins over Radford and Illinois, the Tar Heels got by #9 Baylor 4-2 on penalty kicks after playing to a 1-1 double overtime tie. Last Friday in the quarterfinals, UNC prevailed 2-1 over #3 BYU on a golden goal by Dunn in the 107th minute of play off an assist by Ohai. On Friday, it was the combination of juniors Ohai and Dunn that again produced overtime magic for the Tar Heels.

Both teams felt each other out in the first half with the Tar Heels posting seven shots to five for Stanford. Oliver had four first half saves for Stanford and Gay had three for Carolina. UNC had good opportunities from distance in the first half but was not able to get anything past Oliver. Meanwhile, the UNC defense and Gay rose up to deny the Cardinal. In the 13th minute, Stanford earned a corner kick by Courtney Verloo leading to a header from the six-yard line by Mariah Nogueira that was calmly played off the goal line at the last second by UNC sophomore defender Caitlin Ball. Then in the 37th minute, Stanford’s Lo’eau LaBonta tried to catch Gay off her line after a clearance by the UNC goalkeeper, launching a 45-yard shot that was destined for the back of the net before Gay hustled back and made a remarkable save on the ball.

In the second half, Stanford was vexed by its inability to put its best chances on frame. A shot by Chioma Ubogagu rolled tantalizingly across the crease in the and wide in the 48th minute. Two minutes later, after a Cardinal corner kick was redirected back into the penalty area, LoBonta got behind the Tar Heel defense and sent a shot from six yards that popped just over the bar.

At the 52:56 mark, UNC appeared to be ready to take the lead as senior Maria Lubrano fired a shot from 18 yards out on the left side that was headed with pace into the upper right 90 before being tipped away at the last second by Oliver. In the 83rd minute, Sydney Payne of Stanford had a look from the left side of the box from 15 yards that went just wide right.

That set up overtime where it was all Carolina. In the 94th minute, Oliver made an amazing save on a shot by Amber Brooks from the 15-yard line, just tipping over the rocket off the foot of Brooks from point blank range. In the second overtime, Oliver came up big on an excellent chance by Ohai in the 102nd minute and stopped a shot from Dunn in the 103rd. Eventually the Tar Heels broke through and improved their record in NCAA semifinal matches to 24-2.

North Carolina (14-5-3) defeated Stanford (21-2-1) for the second time in the last four years in the NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels also beat the Cardinal 1-0 in the 2009 NCAA championship game in College Station, Texas. The Tar Heels are now 9-0-3 all-time against the Cardinal.

Carolina has now defeated four teams (in five games) in the NCAA Tournament who had not lost a game since the weekend of August 25-26. Radford, Baylor, BYU and Stanford were all one-loss teams on the 2012 seasons before being eliminated by the Tar Heels.

– News release

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Carrboro among teams going for state football titles this weekend

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The Triangle area is down to its last team in the state high school football playoffs. Undefeated Carrboro at 15-0 takes on South Iredell (13-2) in the 2-AA finals Saturday at 7 p.m. at Raleigh’s Carter Finley Stadium.

Garner, who had played inspired ball for retiring coach Nelson Smith, led Jack Britt 8-0 in the fourth quarter but gave up two late touchdowns to lose and end Smith’s career. Orange was manhandled by Havelock 42-7. Last week I was 2-1 in predictions. I finished the regular season at 112-23. Together with playoff predictions, I’m 135-29. That’s about 83 percent correct. I predict Carrboro, which is in only its sixth year of existence, to defeat South Iredell. Regardless, nine seniors who have helped the Jaguars to a 33-8 record over the last three years will see their last action. Other championship games are listed below.

KENAN STADIUM, CHAPEL HILL

CLASS 4-A CHAMPIONSHIP— Friday, 7:30 p.m.
NEW BERN HIGH SCHOOL BEARS (14-0)
vs.
PORTER RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL PIRATES (13-1)

CLASS 4-AA CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 11 a.m.
JACK BRITT HIGH SCHOOL BUCCANEERS (13-2)
vs.
DAVID BUTLER HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOGS (14-0)

BB&T FIELD, WINSTON-SALEM

CLASS 2-A CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 11 a.m.
TARBORO HIGH SCHOOL VIKINGS (14-0)
vs.
EAST LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL MUSTANGS (15-0)

CLASS 3-A CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 3 p.m.
HAVELOCK HIGH SCHOOL RAMS (14-1)
vs.
CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL SPIDERS (13-2)

CLASS 3-AA CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 7 p.m.
NORTHERN GUILFORD HIGH SCHOOL NIGHTHAWKS (14-0)
vs.
CHARLOTTE CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL COUGARS (13-1)

CARTER-FINLEY STADIUM, RALEIGH

CLASS 1-A CHAMPIONSHIP–Saturday, 11 a.m.
PLYMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL VIKINGS (14-1)
vs.
MURPHY HIGH SCHOOL BULLDOGS (13-2)

CLASS 1-AA CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 3 p.m.
SOUTHWEST ONSLOW HIGH SCHOOL STALLIONS (13-1)
vs.
SWAIN COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL MAROON DEVILS (15-0)

CLASS 2-AA CHAMPIONSHIP—Saturday, 7 p.m.
CARRBORO HIGH SCHOOL JAGUARS (15-0)
vs.
SOUTH IREDELL HIGH SCHOOL VIKINGS (13-2)

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It’s the time of year for Carolina football to look for diamonds in the rough

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The season for many college football players is over. But some of those players are looking to move up to bigger schools plus high school players without scholarships want to keep their dreams alive. College coaches everywhere are looking for walk-on players to be diamonds in the rough but none more urgently than North Carolina.

Getting walk-ons can be especially important to schools such as UNC which has had some scholarships removed by NCAA sanction.

Walk-ons don’t get all the advantages of scholarship players of course, but they do get most of them. Walk-ons don’t get meals or housing paid for, but generally have the same access to all the other services. such as academics and career counseling, and all the facilities, such as the weight room and the academic center.

Several former walk-ons (many eventually earn scholarships) and current walk-ons started or otherwise played this year at Carolina. The most notable are Tommy Heffernan, who started nine games at linebacker this season, and Tommy Hibbard, who has been the starting punter for the past two seasons.

Due to the injury to Casey Barth, walk-on Thomas Moore was the place kicker for the final two games of the season. Defensive back and walk-on Pete Mangum started a game this season as did wide receiver Nic Platt. Other walk-ons who saw significant action were defensive back Jeff Schoettmer and guard Peyton Jenest. Special teamers Adam Curry and Alan Champagne also saw action.

Look for even more walk-ons to have an impact at Carolina over the next three years until the Heels have their full complement of scholarships. There are 15 slots that need to be filled by non-scholarship players.

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Indiana “Globetrotters” whip the North Carolina “Generals” by 24

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With those striped warm-up pants, the Indiana Hoosiers looked like the Harlem Globetrotters. With their accommodating play, the North Carolina Tar Heels looked like the Washington Generals. The outcome looked familiar too as No. 1 Indiana (Globetrotters) blew out No. 14 North Carolina (Generals) 83-59.

It was the third worst defeat for a Roy Williams-coached UNC team.

“It wasn’t a very good night for us,” Williams said. “I’d have liked to watch them play if it wasn’t against my team.”

The game was actually tied at 31-31 with 4:14 left in the first half. And then it all fell apart.

The Hoosiers, behind Cody Zeller, went on a 15-6 run to end the first half to make it 46-37 at the break.

Things only got worse at the start of the second half. During the first 10 minutes of the second half, Carolina went one of 18 from the floor and suddenly the Tar Heels were down by 28.

For more on the game, please click here.