UNC athletics in good hands with proven head coaches

The UNC athletic department is in good hands with proven, national title-winning head coaches.

It’s been exactly a month since the momentous announcement of Roy Williams’ retirement. A flurry of activity around the men’s basketball program commenced as a result. The Tar Heels will have a new head coach pacing the sidelines and leading the best damn basketball program in the country for the first time in 18 years.

It’s an exciting time for the University of North Carolina to announce it’s first ever African-American head coach, Hubert Davis. A rearrangement of assistant coaching roles followed, including the departure of Steve Robinson, Roy’s right hand man and head assistant. Meanwhile, several players left the program through the transfer portal, and the new coaching staff was able to attract some key additions through the portal as well in Brady Manek and Justin McKoy.

Through all of this transition, which includes an offseason of wonder and guesswork as to what style we will see from the Davis-lead Tar Heels, it’s been comforting to know that Mack Brown is leading the UNC football program. I mention Brown first because of the profile of football, but I’d be remiss if I didn’t shout out Anson Dorrance, who is truly the stalwart of the athletic department. Coach Dorrance is in his 44th season with the Tar Heels — leading the women’s soccer program since 1979 with an astounding 20 championships!

When Roy Williams was still at the helm, and with Mack Brown back, UNC, by my count, employed nine national title-winning coaches at one time. Chris Miltenberg (Cross-Country) , Karen Shelton (Field Hockey), Joe Breschi (Men’s Lacrosse), Jenny Levy (Women’s Lacrosse), Sam Paul (Men’s Tennis), Brian Kalbas (Women’s Tennis), in addition to the aforementioned Dorrance, were simultaneously employed by the University of National Champions. Add to that Coleman Scott, (wrestling) who coaches current national champion Austin O’Connor. The golf programs at UNC are also strong, winning tournaments annually.

This is simply incredible, and I highly doubt any other university can boast such a robust array of championship-winning leaders as head coaches. I don’t know about you, but this has helped me sleep at night. This has helped ease some of the anxious feelings about a multitude of change within the basketball ranks. The quality of character amongst these coaches is as impressive as their records and superlatives.

I know a lot of us still dearly miss knowing that Roy Williams is going to make his daily walks around campus, entertain us with some folksy quips, not call timeouts, and dominate the Wolfpack next season. We will have all of the feels resurface as basketball season opens with Late Night, followed by the season-opener on November 16 against the College of Charleston Cougars.

That will be a great day to be a Tar Heel, and so is today. And every other day, for that matter. Thankfully, we can rest easy knowing that the athletic teams at North Carolina are in such good hands across the board, and yes, that includes Hubert Davis.

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