Big expectations: Inside Michael Malone’s retooling of UNC’s frontcourt

The centerpiece of that rebuild is Sayon Keita (pronounced SIGH-on KAY-tuh), a 7–1, 205-pound prospect Michael Malone scouted personally in Huelva, Spain, shortly after taking the job. Malone further described him as a player whose game may already exceed expectations. He called Keita “a terrific runner of the floor” and “an exceptional pick-and-roll player.” (Tar Heel Tribune)

At Chicago State University, coached by former Tar Heel Bobby Rome, football is a whole new ballgame

Chicago State doesn’t have a stadium. Why the left-field foul line? Because the Cougars don’t have a football practice facility. Instead, they’re putting in daily work on the school’s baseball field. Did I mention Chicago State doesn’t have a baseball team? “Everyone has to start from somewhere, you know what I mean?” head coach Bobby Rome said. (Chicago Sun-Times)

Summer Denigan's PK Goal Lifts No. 9 UNC Women's Soccer Over Arizona State

No. 9 UNC Women's Soccer wrapped up its road trip with a 1-0 victory over Arizona State on Sunday in Tempe to remain unbeaten on the road this season (Highlights). Summer Denigan led the way, scoring the lone goal for the Tar Heels. Once again, the midfielder converted on a penalty kick for the second straight match and third time this season. (GoHeels.com)

No. 10 UNC Field Hockey Knocks Off No. 2 Princeton In Shootout

While the shots were hard to come by for No. 10 UNC Field Hockey, goaltender Merritt Skubisz and her defense kept the Tar Heels in the game. The sophomore goaltender got her second shutout of the weekend to push No. 2 Princeton into a shootout, where North Carolina prevailed 3-2 (Highlights) to earn a 1-0 victory Sunday at Karen Shelton Stadium. (Tar Heel Tribune)

Michael Malone on first transfer portal experience: ‘I felt like I was Keanu Reeves in The Matrix’

The Tar Heels, who had a laundry list of candidates, eventually reached a deal with NBA Champion head coach Michael Malone, which was a landmark hiring for a program of UNC’s magnitude. Malone has navigated countless NBA free agencies, but he was tasked with a new role this spring: navigating the always-chaotic college basketball transfer portal. (Zag's Blog)

Minnesota Twins have a dark horse prospect, Aaron Sabato, knocking on the door

There’s no such hype around Aaron Sabato, 27, who in his first few professional seasons struggled to find the stroke that made him a first-round pick out of UNC and is no longer among the team’s top prospects, according to MLB Pipeline. That means little to fans who have watched Sabato hit .276 with 21 home runs, 64 RBI, and a .915 OPS this season. (St. Paul Pioneer Press)

Scorers, shooters, and facilitators: Michael Malone’s backcourt takes shape

"When that portal opened the day I got the job, it seems like five months ago, we addressed the backcourt,” Michael Malone said at a Thursday press conference. “We added Terrence Brown, we added Matt Able, we added Neo Avdalas, and I think those three guys combine for one of the more dynamic and exciting backcourts in all of college basketball." (Tar Heel Tribune)

'Puppy Love': Dolly Parton's first recorded song, made at age 13, draws mourners to UNC

Flags across the state are flying at half-staff as fans mourn country music icon Dolly Parton. At UNC, her very first recorded song, cut when she was just 13, is now on display as part of a public exhibit. Wilson Library Curator Steven Weis showed the record that launched Parton's career, a track titled Puppy Love. The university owns the original recording. (ABC 11)

Michael Malone: 'I like our front court'

Michael Malone on Alexandros Samodurov: "We call him Samo because Samodurov is a mouthful. Samo, another guy we got from Europe playing for Panathinaikos. Samo is a skilled big. He can be a four, he can be a five, he can stretch the floor, he can be a facilitator. And they both (including Sayon Keita) have tremendous size and length and versatility." (TarHeel247)

No. 9 UNC Women’s Soccer To Conclude Road Trip At Arizona State Sunday

No. 9 UNC Women's Soccer wraps up two weeks on the road Sunday at Arizona State at 1 p.m. ET on ESPN+ in the first meeting between the programs. The Tar Heels look to finish their long road trip on a high note while remaining undefeated in away matches this season. The Tar Heels enter Sunday's match after a gritty 2-1 win over Arizona on Thursday. (GoHeels.com)

Audio: 100 Years of Kenan Stadium - ‘Quite an Eye Opener’

Longtime UNC football writer Lee Pace has been to Kenan Stadium more times than he can count. Still, he never forgot his first time visiting as a young fan after several failed attempts to convince his parents to take him along. Since then, Pace has written about the Tar Heels and covered them on the Tar Heel Sports Network for more than two decades. (Chapelboro.com)

UNC football to use throwback logo at midfield

North Carolina has an extra week off as they get ready to host East Tennessee State on September 12th. North Carolina's Director of Athletic Grounds & Turf Management revealed that it could be a throwback game for the program. Ryan Anderson took to X to show off North Carolina's new midfield logo, which is a throwback to the 1980's era. (USA Today)

Photos: Roy Williams attends UNC Greensboro men’s basketball practice

UNCG’s men’s basketball team had a special guest at practice Monday. Legendary UNC men’s basketball coach Roy Williams attended the Spartans’ practice. Head coach Jerod Haase played for Williams at the University of Kansas. He then was an assistant under Williams at Kansas and UNC. Also on UNCG’s staff is a former player at UNC, David Noel III. (FOX 8 WGHP)

Inside Malone’s five-month transfer portal education: Film, film, film

"The biggest challenge was...this transfer portal. Initially the greatest challenge was I didn’t know the players," Michael Malone said Thursday. "So somebody mentioned Terrence Brown. I looked at his stats, but I didn’t know who he was." That admission set the tone for an answer about the education Malone underwent in his first five months on the job. (Tar Heel Tribune)

Meet UNC’s Sarah Ferguson: A musician, model and the first paraplegic Marching Tar Heel

On early mornings, you might find University of North Carolina student Sarah Ferguson doing laps around campus, camera in hand, taking advantage of the quiet. Seeing students run in the morning isn’t unique, but Ferguson’s circumstances are: after becoming paralyzed from the legs down in 2020, her morning laps take place in her wheelchair. (Daily Tar Heel)

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