Ayrton Oneill
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team has won six NCAA championships, with an additional 1924 Helms Athletic Foundation title. The Tar Heels have enjoyed a lot of success, with ESPN ranking them No. 1 in 2012 on its list of the 50 most successful programs of the past 50 years. The team's first NCAA championship was in 1957, and their most recent was in 2017.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of NCAA Championships won | 6 |
| Years of NCAA Championship wins | 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, 2017 |
| Number of Helms Athletic Foundation Titles | 1 |
| Year of Helms Athletic Foundation Title | 1924 |
| Number of ACC Tournament Championships | 13 |
| Number of NIT Championships | 1 |
| Number of Final Four Appearances | 20 |
| Number of Title Games | 12 |
| Number of Sweet Sixteen Appearances | 7 |
| Number of Elite Eight Appearances | 8 |
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What You'll Learn
UNC's first NCAA championship in 1957
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, also known as the Tar Heels, won their first NCAA championship in 1957. This win marked the second undefeated national championship in the history of NCAA Division I men's basketball. The Tar Heels finished the season with a perfect 32-0 record, with 14 of those wins coming from conference play.
The Tar Heels' journey to the championship game was not an easy one. They survived numerous close games during the regular season, conference tournament, and the national semifinal. In the national semifinal, UNC faced off against Michigan State, winning in triple overtime. Lennie Rosenbluth, the Helms Foundation College Basketball Player of the Year, led all tournament scorers with 140 points.
On March 23, 1957, the Tar Heels faced off against the Wilt Chamberlain-led Kansas Jayhawks at the Municipal Auditorium in Kansas City, Missouri. In a thrilling finish, UNC emerged victorious with a score of 54-53 in triple overtime, claiming their first-ever NCAA championship title. This game was also significant as the first televised basketball contest in North Carolina, contributing to the growing craze of basketball in the state.
The 1957 championship win was a historic moment for the University of North Carolina, setting the stage for their future success in men's basketball. It established the Tar Heels as a dominant force in college basketball, and they have since gone on to win multiple NCAA championships and continue to be a powerhouse in the sport.
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Dean Smith's first championship in 1982
The University of North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team has won six NCAA championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and 2017). Dean Smith, who coached the Tar Heels for 36 seasons, led the team to two of these championship wins, in 1982 and 1993.
On March 29, 1982, the Tar Heels won their first national title since 1957. They faced the Georgetown University Hoyas in the final game of the National Collegiate Athletic Association basketball tournament in New Orleans. The game was close, with the lead changing 15 times throughout the night. The Tar Heels were behind with 32 seconds left to play, but a timeout called by Smith turned the game around. Freshman guard Michael Jordan then took a jump shot, putting the Tar Heels ahead and securing their victory with a final score of 63-62.
The 1981-1982 season included impressive performances by junior forward James Worthy, sophomore center/forward Sam Perkins, and Jordan. Smith was named the National Coach of the Year that year, and he went on to win another national championship with the Tar Heels before retiring in 1997.
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Roy Williams' three championship wins
The North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team has won six NCAA championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and 2017). Three of these championship wins were under the leadership of coach Roy Williams.
Roy Allen Williams is an American retired college basketball coach. He served as the head coach for the North Carolina Tar Heels for 18 seasons and the Kansas Jayhawks for 15 seasons. Williams started his college coaching career at North Carolina as an assistant coach for Dean Smith in 1978. Four years later, North Carolina won the national championship. After ten years as Smith's assistant, Williams became head coach at Kansas in 1988.
In 2003, Williams left Kansas to return to his alma mater, North Carolina, replacing Matt Doherty as head coach of the Tar Heels. Williams won his first national championship as head coach in 2005, when the Tar Heels defeated the University of Illinois. This was North Carolina's first national title in 12 years. Williams won his second national championship in 2009, against Michigan State. Williams won his third and final national championship in 2017, when he led the Tar Heels to victory against the Gonzaga Bulldogs.
Williams is one of six NCAA Men's Division I college basketball coaches to have won at least three national championships. In addition to his three national championship wins, Williams reached a total of five Final Fours, finished first in the Atlantic Coast Conference regular-season standings nine times, won three ACC tournament championships, one AP National Coach of the Year award, and two ACC Coach of the Year awards. He was also the fastest coach to win 900 games.
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UNC's most recent championship in 2017
UNC's most recent championship win was in 2017, marking the Tar Heels' seventh national championship. They defeated the Gonzaga Bulldogs by 71-65, with the game going down to the last few ticks of the game clock. The win was described as a "redemption tour" by Joel Berry, the MVP of the Final Four, after the Tar Heels lost in the final seconds to Villanova the previous year.
The 2017 victory was UNC's sixth NCAA championship, adding to their wins in 1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, and 2009. UNC has also won a total of 18 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) tournament titles and 33 ACC regular-season titles.
The 2017 championship game was a close contest, with UNC pulling ahead in the final moments. Justin Jackson's dunk in the closing seconds gave UNC a five-point lead, and the victory, as thousands of fans rushed the court in celebration. The win was especially sweet for UNC, as they had come so close the previous year, only to fall short in the final seconds.
The 2017 championship was also notable for UNC's strong performance throughout the tournament. They demonstrated their dominance by reaching the Final Four for a record 20th time, showcasing their consistency and determination. The victory cemented UNC's status as one of the most successful college basketball programs in history, with a long tradition of excellence on the court.
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UNC's other championship wins
The UNC men's basketball team has won six NCAA championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and 2017), as well as a 1924 Helms Athletic Foundation title (retroactive). However, UNC has also found success in other sports and has accumulated championship wins in these areas.
The UNC women's tennis team has seen success in recent years, with Jamie Loeb becoming the first freshman in close to 30 years to win the Riviera/ITA Women's All-American Championship and the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championship in 2013-14. In 2023, Fiona Crawley was named the Honda Sport Award winner for tennis.
The men's golf team has won 14 conference championships, with two Tar Heels, Harvie Ward in 1949 and John Inman in 1984, winning the NCAA individual championship.
UNC has also seen success in handball, with the women's team handball team winning the national championship in 2004, 2009, 2010, and 2011. The men's handball team took the title in 2004, 2005, and 2006.
In 2004, the men's crew team won the ECAC National Invitational Collegiate Regatta in the varsity eight category. UNC's athletic programs won the Sears Directors Cup in 1994, which recognises cumulative performance in NCAA competition.
The men's rugby team has competed in the Collegiate Rugby Championship, finishing 11th in 2011, while the women's rugby team made a run at the Final Four in 2016.
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Frequently asked questions
The UNC men's basketball team has won six NCAA championships (1957, 1982, 1993, 2005, 2009, and 2017).
Frank McGuire was the coach when UNC won its first NCAA championship in 1957.
UNC has made it to the Final Four 20 times, a record for the most appearances.
UNC's current coach, Roy Williams, has led the team to three national championship wins.
