North Carolina Sports

Beyond the Game: North Carolina Sports Facts

Local NHL Players

Logan Brown of the St. Louis Blues skates against the Toronto Maple Leafs during an NHL game at Scotiabank Arena on February 19, 2022 in Toronto,... North Carolina Sports — Logan Brown #22 of the St. Louis Blues (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

There are only four NHL players who were born in North Carolina. These players are Logan Brown (pictured above), Jarden Boll, Jake Leschyshyn, and Ben Smith. Two of the players, Logan Brown and Jake Leschyshyn, are from Raleigh which is home to the NHL team the Carolina Hurricanes. Ben Smith, from Winston Salem, became a Stanley Cup champ with the Blackhawks in the 2012-2013 season, only his second season in the NHL. North Carolina is home to a successful, growing NHL franchise but falls short when it comes to homegrown players.

State Sport

General view of pit road during the NASCAR Cup Series Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway on May 26, 2024 in Concord, North Carolina. North Carolina Sports — Photo by David Jensen/Getty Images

Stock car racing is the official sport of North Carolina as of 2011. Charlotte, North Carolina is home to Charlotte Motor Speedway which is known as the “home” of NASCAR. North Carolina houses more than 80% of NASCAR racing teams and related industries. Motorsports have generated billions of dollars in revenue for the state each year.

Professional Sports

Miles Bridges of the Charlotte Hornets attempts a shot against the Cleveland Cavaliers during the first half of the game at Spectrum Center on March... — Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images

North Carolina holds almost every major professional sport, minus the MLB. Although there isn’t an MLB team in North Carolina, there are two Triple-A East teams, the Charlotte Knights and Durham Bulls. Across North Carolina, professional sports teams include the Carolina Hurricanes (NHL), Charlotte Hornets (NBA), Carolina Panthers (NFL), Charlotte Chaos (PLL), Charlotte FC (MLS), North Carolina Courage (NWSL), and Anthem Rugby Carolina (MLR). North Carolina is also home to teams in the NASCAR Cup Series and the Haas Formula 1 Team.

NHL Record

Sergei Bobrovsky of the Florida Panthers tends goal as a shot hits the post against the Carolina Hurricanes during overtime in Game One of the... — Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images

The Carolina Hurricanes recorded the 6th longest playoff overtime in history at 79:47 minutes during the 2023 playoff series against the Florida Panthers. That series ended with a 4-0 loss against the Panthers.

Tar Heel NCAA Record

The North Carolina Tar Heels celebrate a first half of the game goal by Aleigh Gambone of North Carolina Tar Heels against the Florida State... — Photo by Eakin Howard/Getty Images

The Tar Heels have won 50 NCAA Championships across 8 sports. 22 of these NCAA Championships came from the Women’s Soccer team, spanning from 1981 to 2012. UNC-Chapel Hill is eighth overall in the NCAA Division 1 Team Championships.

North Carolina Olympians

Anna Cockrell looks on ahead of competing in the women's 400 meter hurdles final on Day Ten of the 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials at... — Anna Cockrell U.S. Olympic Team Track & Field Trials (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)

As of 2021, 14 Olympic athletes and coaches were born and raised in North Carolina with a total of 32 Olympic athletes and coaches having ties to North Carolina. Harry Williamson, a runner from High Point, was the first NC Olympian in 1936. Michael Jordan is amongst the notable Olympians from North Carolina.

Duke University Football

Lucas Patrick of the Duke Blue Devils holds up a trophy after defeated the Indiana Hoosiers in the New Era Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium on... — Photo by Adam Hunger/Getty Images

Duke University was the first school to have a football team in North Carolina. The football team was created in 1888, back when the school was named Trinity College. Their first game was played against From 1890 to 1895, Trinity College played without a head coach, going undefeated in 1891.