Tag: UNC

Chelsea-Wrexham match delivers an epic night in Kenan Stadium

UNC hosted the first-ever stateside matchup between Chelsea and Wrexham, and fans got their money’s worth—a look inside the historic game.

July 19th, history was made as Kenan Memorial Stadium opened its doors to a sold-out crowd with 50,596 in attendance for the first-ever stateside meeting between Chelsea and Wrexham.

As fans lined up at the gates for the doors to open, high-fives and chatter filled the void of waiting. The temperature was perfect, with Carolina blue skies in 80-degree weather with a nice breeze.

Once doors opened, it was on as fans poured in the entrances rocking dark blue for Chelsea and red for Wrexham; it felt like Kenan Stadium was under attack by UNC in-state rivals. However, a Tar Heel chant broke out, echoing louder than UNC’s bell tower, to end any color alliance.

The game started with the national anthem performed by North Carolina’s oldest cappella group with current and alums members of the UNC Clef Hanger. The coin toss was as particular as the atmosphere, with North Carolina’s women’s soccer coach, Anson Dorrance, doing the honors of the game’s ritual coin flip.

Fans were greeted with an early treat as Chelsea’s Ian Maatsen got things going early with a goal before the three-minute mark. The thrill continued throughout the first period as fans cheered at fast breaks, held their breath for lob passes, and booed refs for suspect calls. Before the half was over, Maatsen scored his second goal to give Chelsea the 2-0 lead.

The quick 15-minute half-time show, or lack of one, did not bring the house down, but that did not waiver the energy in the second half.

Despite both teams going scoreless in the first 35 minutes of the second period, fans still found ways to erupt, whether due to a sweet pass or insane crossover. At the 81 minute, the blue sea erupted again with Conor Gallagher’s goal to give Chelsea the 3-0 lead. Chelsea added salt to injury by tacking on two more goals in the 89th and 90th minute to push the lead to 5-0.

Fans stayed seated and cheered until the end, even with the shutout on the horizon.

Chelsea would go on to win 5-nil. The excitement would not end there as men’s basketball coach Hubert Davis and football coach Mack Brown presented the Man of the Match to Maatsen, voted by the fans.

It is no telling if UNC will get another chance to host such an event, but with the atmosphere brought tonight by fans, it would be hard not to.

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UNC diver Vazquez Montano wins Silver at World Aquatic Championships

Aranza Vazquez Montano, a diver at UNC, won two individual medals and helped win a team medal at the World Aquatic Championships this week.

The college sports season is just a month away, with fans anticipating the start of football, volleyball, soccer and field hockey season.

There’s plenty to be excited about if you’re a UNC fan, particularly around the Drake Maye-led football team coming off an appearance in the ACC Championship Game.

Carolina fans should also be excited about one of its Winter athletes.

Diver Aranza Vazquez Montano, a rising senior, claimed her second medal of the 2023 World Aquatic Championships on Tuesday by winning silver in diving’s mixed three-meter and 10-meter team event.

Vazquez helped Mexico score 455.35 points in its second-place, 10-meter team finish. She won her first medal earlier that day, finishing third in the one-meter springboard competition.

There was another Tar Heel connection in the competition, as former diver Anton Down-Jenkins helped New Zealand to a 13th-place finish.

Vazquez will have a few more chances to add onto her medal total, as the Championships run until Sunday, July 30. She can compete in Wednesday’s 10-meter Women’s Platform event, two 3-Meter Springboard events on Thursday, a 3-meter Springboard event on Friday and a 3-meter Springboard Mixed Synchro event on Saturday.

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Twitter reacts to Trent Dilfer comparing Drake Maye to Joe Burrow

Twitter reacts to Trent Dilfer comparing Drake Maye to Joe Burrow when talking about the 2024 NFL draft.

The college football season has yet to be played, but that has not stopped UNC quarterback [autotag]Drake Maye[/autotag] from already receiving NFL draft comparisons.

Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer is the latest to praise the Tar Heel by comparing Maye to 2020 NFL 1st overall pick Joe Burrow. In an article written by Albert Breer, Dilfer described Burrow when talking about Maye and what he brings to the table.

“Yes, thank you, he’s Burrow,” Dilfer said. “That’s exactly who he is; he’s Joe Burrow, who we know is one of the great players in the NFL. So there’s nothing negative here. It’s more like, let’s get our analogies right. Burrow’s a very good athlete, he was a very good high school basketball player, he’s a great competitor, but what separates Joe Burrow is this innate quality, this nuance to his game, that people want to say is something that’s it’s not because you don’t know how to define it, instead of just saying I don’t know how to define it.
“It’s nuanced. … Joe makes everything look easy.”

Burrow heads into the season as one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, with many speculating the first overall pick coming down between USC’s Caleb Williams and Maye.

Unsurprisingly, the Joe Burrow comparison made its rounds on social media, catching quite the reaction.

Let us look at how Twitter reacted to Dilfer, comparing Maye to Burrow.

Twitter reacts to Brady Manek’s summer league performance

Twitter reacts to Brady Manek’s strong summer league performances with the Atlanta Hawks.

The annual NBA Summer League is underway, and a few former UNC basketball players are getting a shot to prove they belong, including fan favorite [autotag]Brady Manek[/autotag].

Manek signed with the Atlanta Hawks days before the summer league kicked off, and fans are already pushing for the modern-day Larry Bird to snag a roster spot after strong performances. Manek had a strong performance to kick off his Hawks journey, finishing with 17 points, including five 3s.

On Sunday night, Manek performed under the bright lights again, finishing with 10 points and six rebounds while shooting 57.1% from the field. Along with the strong offensive performance, Manek showed his ability to defend with two blocks.

Unsurprisingly, these performances provoked quite a reaction: Fans admired Manek’s game with his unique look. The ability to stretch the floor and charm the fans had been why UNC fans gravitated toward Manek when he transferred, and NBA fans are getting a taste.

Let us look at how Twitter reacted to Manek’s big performances.

Twitter reacts to Cole Anthony’s sideline interview at NBA summer league

Twitter reacts to Cole Anthony’s sideline moment from the NBA summer league games.

It has been an eventful offseason for [autotag]Cole Anthony[/autotag], from working out with Elliot Cadeau and Seth Trimble to being miked up on the sideline of the summer league games.

Saturday night put Anthony back into the spotlight, but this time not for his work ethic on the court. Instead, it was for his personality off the court. During the Orlando-Detroit game, Anthony was interviewed, and while in mid-sentence, the former Tar Heel showed some hype for a fellow teammate after a thunderous play.

Anthony’s reaction mid-interview was shared on Twitter from different media outlets as fans discussed how entertaining he is.

Anthony is entering his fourth season with Orlando and has displayed some magical games in the 172 games he has played for the organization. Last season, Anthony averaged 13 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 3.9 assists.

Let us look at how Twitter reacted to Anthony’s sideline moment.

Meet Amari Gainer, a much-needed boost to the Tar Heel defense

Linebacker Amari Gainer can give the UNC football defense a big boost this season.

The University of North Carolina football team’s offense grabbed national attention last year – mainly thanks to talented quarterback Drake Maye and his trusty wide receiver duo of Josh Downs and Antoine Green.

The Heels finished their season ranked Top 20 in the FBS in several categories – sixth in passing yards (4,330), 11th in passing yards/game (309.3), 12th in total yards (6,479) and 19th in total yards/game (462.8)

Defense, unfortunately, was the polar opposite.

Carolina allowed 5,697 yards across 13 games, the seventh-worst mark in the FBS. Its 438.2 yards per game allowed was slightly better, but it still ranked 17th-worst.

To help shore up their defense, the Heels snagged a linebacker through the transfer portal, graduate transfer Amari Gainer from Florida State.

Gainer, who chose Carolina over the likes of national powers Alabama, Ohio State, 2021 CFP semifinalist Cincinnati and Big 12 school West Virginia, is a player UNC defensive coordinator Gene Chizik is pretty excited about.

“He’s very conscientious as a football player,” Chizik said, according to TarHeelIllustrated’s Andrew Jones. “He loves the game, he’s a violent player, he plays really hard. It really is important for him to learn what’s going on. So, he never takes a rep off, it doesn’t matter if he’s in there or not. When you see him with me, even when he’s not in, we’re talking things through every single rep.”

Gainer is also excited about joining Carolina, calling it the perfect spot to prepare himself for the next level.

“When it comes down to it, it’s about going to the next level,” Gainer said, according to Jones. “As far as connections and relationships, it was hard, but life’s hard. Making that jump, making that decision was a risk betting on myself. Going back to my natural position at outside linebacker kind of played a pivotal role into me being here.”

Despite limited action last year, with just 17 tackles and a sack across seven games, Gainer registered 210 tackles across 46 games at Florida State. He was the Seminoles’ career-leading tackler among members on last year’s squad.

According to Jones, Gainer will slot in at the jack linebacker slot (outside linebacker). He’ll join a linebacking corps with 100-tackle players Cedric Gray and Power Echols, giving Carolina what should be one of the most vaunted units in college football.

Even though the Heels only have him for one year, Gainer should get fans excited and give them plenty of hope in improving a bottom-ranked defense.

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Twitter users react to which UNC moment gave them chills

Twitter reacts to which UNC moment brought the most goosebumps.

The North Carolina Tar Heels are known as the school of national champions. They have made memorable moments, from the infamous Jordan shot to the insane buzzer-beater in 1994 by the women’s basketball team.

Sports are known to bring a chill, scare, and even tears. Many moments have brought the most casual fan into a full-on panic when it comes to UNC athletics.

Nevertheless, which one reigns supreme? Which moment gave you the biggest goosebumps?

The question was asked on Twitter and brought quite a reaction to the favorable and hurtful memories that UNC fans have endured over the years. Fans debated and relived the moments that brought them chills, whether it was due to a meltdown or a squeezed victory.

Let us look at how Twitter reacted to this question, and you be the judge of which one stood out the most for you.

Alabama MBB’s ACC-SEC Challenge opponent revealed

Alabama’s opponent for the SEC/ACC challenge revealed

The Alabama basketball team is set to host the Clemson Tigers on Nov. 28 as part of the ACC vs SEC Challenge. It will be the first year of this challenge as the SEC has typically played the Big 12 in the past while the ACC has played the Big Ten.

Since taking over the Crimson Tide program, head coach [autotag]Nate Oats[/autotag] has stressed the importance of playing the best opponents possible out of conference to help prepare for SEC play, and the Tigers will certainly help that.

It isn’t the most exciting match-up for Alabama fans as the majority were hoping for a game against Miami, Duke or North Carolina. The Tide has not fared very well against Clemson in the past going 2-7 against them all time. Their most recent match-up came on Dec. 12, 2020, in Atlanta where Clemson beat Alabama 64-56.

The challenge includes 14 matchups between the two conferences that will be highlighted this year by Tennessee vs. North Carolina, Miami vs. Kentucky and Duke vs. Arkansas.

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Twitter reacts to UNC’s ACC vs. SEC matchup

Twitter reacts to UNC men’s and women’s basketball ACC vs. SEC matchups.

The North Carolina men’s basketball team will play host to Tennessee in the first season of the ACC-SEC Challenge, while the women’s basketball program opens its doors for a game against South Carolina. Both matchups have already caused quite a reaction on Twitter.

The men’s team will welcome the Volunteers into Dean E. Smith Center on Nov. 29, 2023. A day later, the women’s basketball team will host the Gamecocks. Both are prime matches that will play a role in seeding come March Madness.

Both teams enter the upcoming season with a new-look roster after the damage done by the transfer portal. The men’s team will be without arguably their most impactful player of the last few seasons, Caleb Love, and the women’s program lost its second-best scoring option, Kennedy Todd-Williams.

Despite the losses, both teams’ additions make them a threat to cut down the nets at the end of the year. Picking up a win against two top SEC schools can boost confidence and seeding when it is time.

Unsurprisingly, fans had opinions about the game announcements, their excitement and what it means for the school in the future.

Let us look at how Twitter reacted to ACC-SEC matchups.

Fiona Crawley named 2023 ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year

North Carolina’s Fiona Crawley named 2023 ACC Women’s Tennis Player of the Year.

North Carolina Tar Heel [autotag]Fiona Crawley[/autotag] has been named 2023 Atlantic Coastal Conference Women’s Tennis Player of the Year.

The announcement came Friday morning, with the conference sending out its yearly awards, blasting the honors on social media. Crawley repped the Tar Heels on the list while NC State took the other two honors, with Diana Shnaider named freshman and Simon Earnshaw winning coach of the year.

Crawley finished the season as the No. 1 player in the nation with a 46-3 record. Earning ITA All-America honors in singles and doubles, the Junior from San Antonio, Texas, had a remarkable year, adding to her UNC legacy.

In May, UNC stayed true to its identity of being a school of national champions, with the women’s tennis program winning its first NCAA Championship.

Crawley was instrumental to the success of UNC this year and, much like other athletes at UNC, continues to carve out her Tar Heel legacy.

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