Braves Capture Joby Hawn All-Sports Trophy, Men's/Women's Cups
Another successful season for the UNCP Athletics Department was capped off in May when the Braves were announced as the winners of the Conference Carolinas Joby Hawn Cup for the second consecutive season. It is the first time in Conference Carolinas History that a school has won all three Hawn Cup trophies in back-to-back seasons. The men’s programs collected 103.2 percent of its maximum points and finished 23 percent ahead of Belmont Abbey to win the trophy for the third consecutive season. On the women’s side, the Braves finished with 85.3 percent of its maximum points and finished 8.7 percent ahead of Belmont Abbey.

UNC Pembroke Captures School Record 11 Championships
UNCP continued a dominant performance in athletic competition in 2023-24 with the addition of six more conference championships. A trio of teams – women’s basketball, men’s basketball, and soccer – all staked claim to Conference Carolinas East Division titles and Conference Carolinas tournament championships. The men’s cross country team picked up its second straight league title, while swimming and baseball both picked up their first Conference Carolinas championship titles during the athletic seasons. Both the volleyball and wrestling team also took home the Conference Carolinas East Division title following stellar regular seasons.

Six Teams Claim Runner-Up Finishes In Quest For Conference Crown
The men’s indoor and outdoor track & field squads, as well as women’s cross country, volleyball, wrestling, and dance team programs, all finished in the runner-up position in their race for conference championships during the 2023-24 season. The nationally-ranked wrestling program fell to eventual national runner-up Lander in both the Conference Carolinas Championships and the NCAA Southeast Regional meet. During both the indoor and outdoor track & field season, the men’s team fell short to a dominating performance from Mount Olive during both seasons. The volleyball team went on a 3-0 run through the conference tournament, but fell to Emmanuel in the championship during a four-set match, while the women’s cross country team took home second behind Converse in the conference championship with a 36 point difference. The dance team competed at the Conference Carolinas Spirit Championship in early March at the Jerry Richardson Indoor Stadium in Spartanburg, S.C., where the team placed second behind Barton.

Braves Combine To Bring Home 99 All-Conference Accolades
UNC Pembroke student-athletes combined to rake in 99 all-conference laurels during the 2023-24 athletic season. Five student- athletes were crowned as Player of the Year in their respective sports, while six student-athletes took home Freshman of the Year honors. The Black & Gold had multiple All-Conference honorees in 15 sports, including 11 football student-athletes decorated with All-Mountain East Conference recognition. Swimming racked up 25 all-conference honors, while baseball brought home six awards, and track & field accumulated 29 awards between the indoor and outdoor seasons. Soccer (5), men’s cross country (4), women’s cross country (4), wrestling (4) men’s basketball (3), women’s basketball (3), volleyball (3), and softball (2) squads also boasted multiple all-conference honors as well.

River Ryan Makes Major League Debut 
Former Brave River Ryan became the first UNC Pembroke baseball player to reach the Major Leagues after his contract was selected by the Los Angeles Dodgers in mid-July. Ryan is scheduled to make his first start Monday, July 22 when the NL West-leading Dodgers host the San Francisco Giants. The Huntersville native and No. 4-ranked prospect in the Dodgers organization put together a strong summer for the AAA Oklahoma City Baseball Club. In five starts, Ryan logged a 2.76 ERA across 16 1/3 innings, allowing 13 hits to go along with 19 punchouts. Ryan made an impact in multiple ways during his time with the Black & Gold, logging an 8-1 record, 12 saves, and a 2.32 ERA over 35 appearances on the mound, while compiling a .343 career batting average with 56 extra-base hits and 119 RBI. Ryan, an 11th round selection by the San Diego Padres in 2021 and later traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, finished the 2023 season with a 3.80 ERA across 26 appearances, tallying 104.1 innings pitched and 110 strikeouts while earning a promotion to the Triple-A Oklahoma City Dodgers. Ryan recently returned from injury and is currently pitching at a 2.35 ERA in four appearances, with 7.2 innings pitched and 12 strikeouts, and is ranked as the fourth-best prospect in the organization according to MLB.com.

Baseball Duo Earns Region Weekly Honors 
The recognition of athletic performance by UNC Pembroke’s student-athletes were not just confined to the conference level in 2023-24. Baseball’s Jake Inman and Joey Rezek each were honored on the regional level by the National Collegiate Baseball Writers Association (NCBWA). Inman was named the NCBWA Region Pitcher of the Week following the opening weekend series, while Rezek closed out the regular season with the NCBWA Region Hitter of the Week laurels. It is the second consecutive season that the program has had a pitcher and a hitter to earn the recognition in the same season, and just the fourth overall time that has happened.

Nearly 80 Student-Athletes Earn Degree At Winter, Spring Commencements 
A total of 76 current and former student-athletes earned their bachelor’s or graduate degrees during the 2023-24 academic year, including 50 that earned their degrees at the conclusion of the spring semester. The athletics department presented the graduation candidates with stoles to commemorate their time as a student-athlete for the Black & Gold. Graduating student-athletes have been recognized on stage during each of the department’s last three annual Golden Braves programs.

Six Teams Make NCAA Postseason Appearances 
Two of UNC Pembroke’s varsity athletic teams were represented by individual competitors in the NCAA postseason, while the baseball, men’s and women’s basketball, and soccer teams notched team appearances on the NCAA Division II’s biggest stage thanks to prolific campaigns during the 2023-24 seasons. The swimming team sent a program-best two NCAA qualifiers to be represented at the national championship for the third time in the last three seasons. The wrestling team continued a time-honored tradition for itself by qualifying six student-athletes for the NCAA Championship – the 23rd-straight season that the Braves have qualified at least one wrestler for the event.

Grossheim Picks Up Elite 23 Award, Trip Named Scholar-Athletes Of The Year 
Soccer’s Anna Grossheim was rewarded for her hard work in the classroom and on the pitch when she took home the Conference Carolinas Elite 23 award. The award is presented to the student-athlete with the highest cumulative grade point average at their respective championship site. Swimming’s Mariel Mencia Martinez, baseball’s Joey Rezek, and women’s cross country’s Jackline Kosgei were all announced as their respective sport’s Conference Carolinas Scholar-Athlete of the Year. The award, which is voted on by the league’s student-athlete affairs committee, is awarded to one junior or senior student-athlete in each sport who has maintained a 3.25 cumulative grade point average or better, while also being named to an all-conference squad.

Four Student-Athletes Rake In Academic All-America Honors; 26 Named Academic All-District 
Football’s Raydarius Freeman, baseball’s Joey Rezek and Kody O’Connor, along with soccer’s Anna Grossheim all added their names to a list of just 23 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-America recipients in the history of the athletics department. The Braves also brought home a total of 26 CSC Academic All-District awards during the 23-24 season as well. To be nominated, a student-athlete must see action in 90 percent of the total number of games. A student-athlete must also have at least a 3.50 cumulative grade point average (on a 4.0 scale) at their current institution. Established in 1952 and selected by College Sport Communicators, the Academic All-America award is the longest-running and premier honor for athletic and academic success.

Braves Combine For Over 375 Conference Academic Honor Roll Laurels  
Celebrated annually as a point of pride for the department, UNCP’s student-athletes amassed more than 375 Conference Carolinas Presidential Honor Roll laurels during the 2023-24 academic year. Following the fall semester, 217 student-athletes earned the distinguished honor, while 160 student-athletes were honored on the spring honor roll. The bi-annual award recognizes student-athletes who have earned a 3.20 grade-point average on a 4.0 scale following each semester. UNCP has now sent 100 or more student-athletes to a conference academic honor roll for 14-straight years. The 2023-24 academic year marked the 10th time in the last 11 years that 150 or more student-athletes have graced a conference academic honor roll. A total of 33 football players earned Mountain East Conference academic honors in the fall as well.

Student-Athletes Shine In Classroom, Nine Teams Finish With 3.0 GPA 
UNC Pembroke’s more-than 400 student-athletes displayed their academic success again in 2023-24 after combining to register a 2.932 grade point average – the highest mark in the last three years for the department. 11 of UNCP’s 16 varsity athletic teams posted a 3.0 cumulative GPA or better during the Fall 2023 or Spring 2024 semester, while eight of those teams combined to tally a 3.0 across both semesters. A total of 261 student-athletes earned at least a 3.0 GPA during the fall semester, while 199 individuals accomplished the feat during the Spring 2024 term. Student-athletes combined to notch 180 honors list and 121 chancellor’s list laurels in 2023-24, and eight of those honorees posted a perfect 4.0 GPA across both semesters.

Duo Named Coach Of The Year 
A pair of coaches – swimming’s Oscar Roverato and women’s basketball’s John Haskins, – were crowned Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year following outstanding seasons in the competitive arena. It is the second straight season that Roverato has taken home the league’s coaching honor. Haskins has now earned a trio of coach of the year laurels in his career. The skipper guided the team to a 13-1 record when playing in Pembroke, which marked the most home victories since the 1991-92 season.

O'Neil Logs 750th Career Win In Pembroke, Haskins Notices Win No. 250 With Women's Program
Baseball skipper Paul O’Neil notched his 750th career victory at UNCP with a 13-7 home conference win over Chowan on March 2. Women’s basketball head coach John Haskins tallied his 250th victory with the women’s program on January 17 with a dominating 76-45 win against Barton. The women’s basketball and baseball teams both took home Conference Carolinas Tournament titles and earned the automatic qualifier bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Soccer Claims Third-Straight League Crown, Earns Seventh NCAA Tournament Berth
A strong showing during the month of October that produced five wins and a pair of ties helped the program to a Conference Carolinas East Division title. The Braves went on an unblemished run through the Conference Carolinas Tournament that resulted in the program’s seventh NCAA Tournament berth. The Black & Gold averaged 3.0 goals per match across 19 outings, and surrendered 21 goals on the season while registering a 1.26 goals against average. The successful campaign was highlighted by five all-conference selections, four all-region picks and a pair of all-America awards. The Braves finished the season with a 12-4-3 mark and tied UNCP single-season record.

Bell Named All-American, Conference Player Of The Year
An offensive threat all season, Mercy Bell registered 19 goals (5 game-winners) and added four assists on the way to raking in a slew of postseason awards during the 2023 season. The Jacksonville native was named the Conference Carolinas Offensive Player of the Year and capped off the season with a second-team nod from the Division 2 Conference Commissioners Association (D2 CCA). The sophomore’s 19 goals marked the third most in Division II this season.

Men’s Cross Country Dominates Conference Meet To Win Second-Straight Conference Title
The UNC Pembroke men’s cross country team placed four runners inside the top-15 on the way to a dominating win at the Conference Carolinas Championship for the second consecutive season in late October. Jack Phieffer paced the Black & Gold earning a runner-up finish at the meet. It was the fourth conference title in the last nine seasons for the Braves who sent four runners to the all-conference team. UNCP placed among the top-5 teams in three events in 2023, including a runner-up showing at the UNG Invitational in September.

Kimaiyo Has Breakthrough Freshman Season
Newcomer Moureen Kimaiyo competed in a trio of meets this season for the Braves where she was the top finisher in all three events. A native of Eldoret, Kenya, Kimayo took top honors at the Conference Carolinas Championship where she was named as the Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year as well as Conference Carolinas Runner of the Year. The league’s Freshman of the Month selection in October, Kimaiyo placed 14th at the NCAA Southeast Regional to earn a spot on the United States Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches (USTFCCCA) All-Region team.

Swimming Stakes Claim To First Conference Carolinas Title
The swimming team continued an impressive streak for itself in 2023-24 claiming five victories at the newly named Sue Walsh Swimming Pool inside the UNCP Aquatics Center. The Black & Gold defeated No. 6 Wingate in early January at the Catawba Tri-Meet and closed out the season with the program’s third conference title, but the first as members of Conference Carolinas. Newcomer Benedetta Pepe Pugliese took home Conference Carolinas Freshman of the Year laurels, while head coach Oscar Roverato was tabbed as the Conference Carolinas Coach of the Year for the second-straight season. UNCP tacked up eight individual and three relay conference titles along with 24 all-conference accolades to win the conference title in late February. The Black & Gold finished the season ranked 29th in the SwimCloud rankings.

Pepe Pugliese, Portillo Compete At NCAA Championship
Freshmen Benedetta Pepe Pugliese and Fatima Portillo marked the third and fourth swimming student-athletes to secure a spot on the sport’s biggest stage punching their tickets to the NCAA Championship in Geneva, Ohio during mid-March. Pepe Pugliese qualified in the 200-yard Breaststroke and the 400-yard Individual Medley, while Portillo competed in the 200-yard Butterfly. A native of Avellino, Italy, Pepe Pugliese became the first swimmer in program history to earn all-American status with a 14th place finish in the 400-yard Individual Medley. Pepe Pugliese closed out the NCAA Championships with a 29th place finish in the 200-yard Breaststroke, while Portillo placed 26th in the 200-yard Butterfly.

Men's Basketball Leads Nation In Rebounds, Wins East Division Title 
Boasting NCAA Division II’s best rebounding margin (+11.9) for the second time in the last three seasons, and the 11th-best perimeter defense (.300) at the end of the season, the nationally-ranked men’s basketball team ended the season with an 11-2 record when playing in Pembroke. The Black & Gold took home the Conference Carolinas East Division title following a 15-3 record in league play. The program kicked off their season with an exhibition against No. 6 Houston against former Pembroke State alumnus, Kelvin Sampson. After returning from Texas, the team made the short trip to Durham to face No. 2 Duke inside of historic Cameron Indoor Stadium for their final exhibition of the season.

Braves Win First Conference Carolinas Tournament Title, Make 10th NCAA Tournament Berth
Overtime was the name of the game for the men’s basketball team during the conference tournament. Entering the tournament as the top seed after winning the East Division title, the Black & Gold faced Barton in the semifinals of the tournament. A late jumper at the end of regulation for the Bulldogs sent the game into overtime, but UNCP survived 79-73 to head to the championship. The story remained true against league-foe Emmanuel in the tournament championship when the teams scored the same amount of points in both halves. The Braves used key defensive stops in an intense overtime period to take the title following an 82-81 thriller victory. Elijah Cobb, who provided key blocks and defensive stops all weekend, was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Bradlee Haskell and Nygell Verdier were named to the all-tournament team.

Women's Basketball Has Record Year Taking Division Title
UNCP finished the season with a 13-1 record when playing at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court, which marked the most victories at home since the 1991-92 season. An early non-conference home loss in November sparked the women’s basketball team on a 12-0 run when playing in Pembroke where the team finished with the most wins in the Division II era and a 23-8 record. With head coach John Haskins in his final season at the helm of the program, the Black & Gold won the Conference Carolinas East Division title and won 9 out of the last 10 last regular season games. UNCP finished the season ranked 4th nationally in field goal percentage defense (34.9 %), and 9th nationally in scoring defense holding opponents to 54.9 points per game. Senior Kalaya Hall matched the single game record for most free throws made in a game with 15 against North Greenville, while Kelci Adams matched the single game record for most triples in a game with seven against Mount Olive. Adams finished the season 73 made 3-pointers and now holds the season school record, while Hall holds the season record for made free throws with 184. Senior Courtney Smith capped off her collegiate career as the 21st member of the 1,000 point club.

Braves Breeze Through Conference Tournament For Second-Straight Title, Punch Ticket To NCAA Berth  
Fresh off of a Conference Carolinas East Division title, the Braves earned the top seed in the Conference Carolinas tournament and went 2-0 through the tournament to capture the league crown for the second straight season. The Braves knocked out Barton in the semifinals 63-56 and then defeated Belmont Abbey 72-51 in the championship game. The Black & Gold registered a program-best 15 triples during the championship to fuel the victory. Kalaya Hall was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player for the second consecutive year, while Kelci Adams and Courtney Smith each earned a spot on the all-tournament team.

Baseball Wins Conference Carolinas Tournament, Earns Fourth-Straight NCAA Berth
An impressive home stand that saw the club post a 24-4 record in Pembroke helped propel the baseball team to a 43-14 overall record. The Braves won five-straight games heading into the conference tournament and went undefeated in the Conference Carolinas tournament to bring home the program’s first conference crown since 2021. Joey Rezek was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player, while Jonathon Jacobs, Andrew Jenner, Chase Jernigan and Kody O’Connor each earned a spot on the all-tournament team. The Black & Gold punched their ticket to the NCAA Tournament for the fourth-straight year, as well as its sixth NCAA Tournament appearance in the last seven full seasons.

Rezek, O'Connor Named To All-America Teams
Seniors Joey Rezek and Kody O’Connor caused havoc to teams all season long and proved to be two of the most dominant players in Conference Carolinas. The duo each earned a weekly conference Player of the Week nod and were named First-Team all-conference selections following the season, as well as being named First-Team All-Southeast Region by both the ABCA and NCBWA. A native of Colfax, Rezek was a consensus All-American, earning the honor from the ABCA, NCBWA, and D2CCA, while also being named a First-Team CSC Academic All-American. O’Connor, a product of Lebanon, Ohio, was named a Third-Team All-American by both the ABCA and NCBWA, while also being named a Second-Team CSC Academic All-American.

Wrestling Sends Six To Nationals, Joll And Roberson Bring Home All-America Title
A long-standing tradition continued for the nationally ranked wrestling program as the Braves sent six competitors to the NCAA Championships in Park City, Kansas in mid-March, marking the eighth-straight season that the program has been represented by multiple competitors at nationals. Graduate student Scott Joll capped off his monumental season with a third-place finish at the championship, while newcomer Keegan Roberson came home with a sixth-place finish. Joll was named the Division II Most Dominant Wrestler, and earned the Most Falls Award, as well as the Gregorian Award following the championship. Joll also earned the prestigious Schalles Award, presented annually by WIN Magazine to the best collegiate-wrestling pinner. Freshman Avery Buonocore was named Super Region 2 Rookie of the Year by the National Wrestling Coaches Association.

Deese Sets Home Run Record
Pembroke native Jai Deese came back to her roots for her final season of eligibility. An every day shortstop for the Black & Gold, Deese became the single season home run record holder with her 13th homer of the season on April 12 against Barton for American Indian Heritage Day. The graduate student finished the season with a total of 15 home runs, a .262 batting average and a .611 slugging percentage.

Trent Harris Makes Minor League Debut, River Ryan And Darren Bowen Succeeding In League
Trent Harris, a 2023 Free Agent signee of the San Francisco Giants, made his professional debut on July 25, 2023. Harris faced two batters and struck out both of them. Harris would finish the 2023 season with a 4-0 record, 3 saves, and a 0.43 ERA. He currently holds a 4-1 record with 4 saves and a 1.75 ERA during the 2024 season and was promoted to the High-A Eugene Emeralds on June 19. Darren Bowen, a 13th round selection of the Seattle Mariners in 2022, made his professional debut on June 1, 2023, throwing one perfect inning. Bowen finished the 2023 season with a 4-2 record over 19 appearances, logging 55.2 innings pitched and 59 strikeouts to go along with a 3.88 ERA for the Low-A Modesto Nuts. Bowen was traded to the Minnesota Twins on January 29, 2024, and currently holds a 2-3 record with 43 innings pitched and 43 strikeouts for the High-A Cedar Rapids Kernels, and is listed by MLB.com as the 27th-best prospect in the Twins organization.

Przulj Inks Pro Contract In Finland
Following a standout collegiate career, Vanja Przulj signed a professional volleyball contract with Hämeenlinnan Lentopallokerho Ry in Finland in April. Przulj, who played for the Braves for two seasons, earned her bachelor’s degree in business in May. During her two seasons with the Black & Gold, Przulj raked in five Conference Carolinas Player of the Week laurels, a pair of all-conference and all-tournament team nods, Conference Carolinas Tournament Most Valuable Player, and two all-region selections. A native of Belgrade, Serbia, Przulj closed out her senior season becoming the first player in the NCAA Division II era to earn all-America recognition.

Athletics Department Announces Four Staff Changes
Athletics department officials announced in late July that Morgan Sheehan, a former 3-sport student-athlete for the Braves and a key member of the award-winning external operations team, was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Communications & Strategic Initiatives. Sheehan completed the communications office staff in September with the hiring of former baseball student-athlete and assistant coach Alex Pearce as the Assistant Athletic Communications Director. A Rocky Mount native, Pearce was a defensive standout for the Braves, compiling nearly 600 putouts and committing just 11 errors in 669 career defensive chances. In late December, Brendon Jonsson, who embarks on his third year as an athletic trainer at UNC Pembroke, was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Athletic Training & Sports Medicine. He also serves as a lecturer in the Health & Physical Education Department. Entering his 14th season with the department in 2024-25, Lamar Courmon was promoted to Assistant Athletics Director for Creative Services & Broadcasting in mid-June.

UNCP Collects Communications Staff Of The Year Laurels 
UNC Pembroke Assistant Athletics Director Morgan Sheehan and Assistant Athletic Communications Director Alex Pearce were crowned by their peers as the Conference Carolinas Athletic Communications Staff of the Year in early July. The duo works together to provide athletic communication services to 16 varsity sports on the UNC Pembroke campus. The athletics communications office serves as the intermediary between UNCP’s 16 varsity athletic programs and the local and national media, showcasing the accomplishments of all UNCP student-athletes, coaches and administrators on the field, in the classroom and in the surrounding community. The Athletic Communications Staff of the Year was voted on by the Athletic Communications Committee in Conference Carolinas.

UNCP Takes Home Three NACMA “Best Of” Awards
UNC Pembroke’s athletics external operations team continued a long standing tradition when the group took home three “Best Of” honors from the National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators (NACMA) following a year full of marketing efforts. The team brought home gold in the Viral Social Initiative category for the People of the Dark Water video in conjunction with American Indian Heritage Day for football. UNCP earned silver in both Sponsorship campaign and the Multiplatform Branding campaign. The department has now claimed 39 NACMA “Best Of” Awards over the last seven athletic seasons.

Athletics Department Extends Partnership With Adidas And Johnson-Lambe
Athletics department officials announced in early May that the Braves have renegotiated their shoe and apparel contract with Adidas and Johnson-Lambe in Raleigh with an extension through the 2028-29 athletic season. The partnership improves upon the foundation of the contract executed prior to the 2013-14 campaign (the first in UNCP’s history) that tagged the German multinational company as the official apparel provider for all of UNCP’s 16 varsity athletic sports. Long identified by its famous three-stripe logo, Adidas is one of the world’s top manufacturers of athletic shoes, clothing and accessories. The agreement includes promotional merchandise for each team, incentives for postseason accolades, in-venue signage sponsorship and discounts off of retail pricing. As part of the partnership, there are internship opportunities to current or former student-athletes to further UNCP’s primary strategic goal of developing successful adults. The partnership also includes incentives for faculty, staff, students and fans to wear Adidas apparel as well in support of the Braves. Family-owned and operated since its founding in 1935, Johnson-Lambe Co. is located in the Cameron Village Shopping Center in eastern Raleigh. Johnson-Lambe is one of the largest sporting goods dealers in the southeast United States, and will serve as the liaison between Adidas and the Braves.

Jayne, Levi Named Athletes Of The Year To Highlight Welcome Back Event 
Senior Christian Jayne was decorated with Male Student-Athlete of the Year accolades, while Conference Carolinas Women’s Golf Player of the Year Georgia Page raked in the Female Student-Athlete of the Year laurels for the second-straight year as the UNC Pembroke athletics department welcomed back its nearly 400 student-athletes in August as part of an event inside the Givens Performing Arts Center (GPAC). Baseball’s Kody O’Connor and women’s basketball’s Kalaya Hall took home Male and Female Newcomer of the Year recognition, while women’s basketball skipper John Haskins picked up the Dan Kenney Coach of the Year crown. The awards put a wrap on the 2022-23 Golden Braves program which was held in April 2022.

UNCP Hosts 11th Annual Golden Braves Awards 
Eight teams were celebrated for making NCAA postseason appearances, including six that brought home conference championships, as the UNC Pembroke athletics department lauded its student-athletes at the 11th annual Golden Braves award show in late April. Soccer’s Anna Grossheim was decorated with Most Well-Rounded Female Student-Athlete, while wrestling’s Scott Joll took home the award on the men’s side. Massimo Sullivan (wrestling) and Jai Deese (softball) were named the Athletic Performance Student-Athletes of the Year for their work in the weightroom, while women’s basketball’s Courtney Smith was named the Comeback Student-Athlete of the Year. Longtime supporters Karen L. and Kelvin Sampson picked up Braves Club Member of the Year honors, while Dr. Jeff Bolles and Laurel Collins were presented with the Changing Lives Through Education Award.

Kendra Samuels-Eaton Named 10th Head Women's Basketball Coach
Athletics department officials at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced in late-March that Kendra Samuels-Eaton, a 12-year coaching veteran, has been named as the women’s basketball’s 10th head coach. Samuels-Eaton returns to Pembroke after serving as the associate head coach at her alma mater, Western Carolina for the last two seasons. Before returning to Western Carolina, she spent four seasons on the coaching staff at UNC Pembroke, serving as the assistant coach for three seasons before being named the associate head coach in 2020. Samuels-Eaton also served a five-year stint on the sideline at North Carolina Central where she served as an assistant coach for three seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in September of 2015.

Swimming Pool Named In Honor Of Olympic Swimmer Sue Walsh
With the continued philanthropy of the Dick & Lenore Taylor family, the swimming pool inside the UNCP Aquatics Center was named for former collegiate and Olympic Swimmer, Sue Walsh in August. A native of Hamburg, N.Y., Walsh is a 1984 graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill where she was a member of the swim team. In her time with the Tar Heels, Walsh won 10 national collegiate individual championships and was named the Most Outstanding Swimmer at the ACC Championships three times. During her time at UNC and then into her career in Advancement in Chapel Hill, Walsh developed a family like bond with Robeson County residents Dick & Lenore Taylor. Walsh, one of the most decorated athletes to ever compete at the University of North Carolina, was selected as a member of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association’s (CSCAA) 100 Greatest Swimmers & Divers of the past century. Walsh was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, won a 100-meter backstroke gold medal at the 1983 Pan-American Games and held American records in multiple backstroke events.

Six Former Student-Athletes, Coach, NFL Referee Comprise 44th Hall Of Fame Class 
Unrivaled accolades among six student-athletes, a legendary men’s basketball coach and athletics director, and an avid Braves Club supporter who represents #BraveNation on a global stage as one of the top National Football League referees, were inducted into the UNC Pembroke Athletics Hall of Fame as part of Homecoming Week in late October. The class spans seven sports, represents the better part of 5 different decades, and has accolades such as the NFL, the Olympics, NCAA National Championships and runner-up finishes.

Cash Bash Brings In Record $159,000
Athletics department officials at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke announced in late-May that the 11th annual Cash Bash, presented by Scotland Health, fundraising event raised more than 159,000 for the department’s general scholarship fund. The total was spearheaded by ticket sales for the event as well as the Fund-A-Cause portion of the evening for the 11-year event. The annual event has generated nearly $1 million for student-athlete scholarships over the last 11 years. The department used a December initiative that called on families, fans, and alumni who “Back The Braves” to throw their financial support behind their favorite teams and student-athletes which raised over $61,000 for the department’s more than 400 student-athletes.