Ahead of Duke vs UNC in the Final Four later today, we explain the meaning of Tar Heels and why North Carolina are nicknamed the Tar Heels.
The Final Four of this year’s NCAA Tournament is almost here and there’s some mouth-watering matchups. The two titans of Division 1 basketball, Duke and UNC, meet for the first time in NCAA history in what is Coach K’s final farewell before retiring.
There’s a lot of history between the two programs, but ahead of the game, fans are wondering what the meaning of a Tar Heel is and how it is related to UNC.
Meaning of Tar Heels explained
Tar Heel is the nickname of the University of North Carolina’s teams, student, and fans, and is also often applied to the state. You often see it referred to as the Tar Heel State.
But what is the meaning of Tar Heel? Well, the term is deeply embedded in North Carolina’s early history when it was a leading producer of supplies for the naval industry.
During the Colonial Era tar was one of North Carolina’s major products. It came from the workers who walked through the forrest accumulating the tar on their shoes or feet. Initially, calling someone a “rosin heel” or “tar heel” was to imply that they worked in a lowly trade, and an insulting term.
Why are UNC known as the Tar Heels?
However, after the Civil War the term “tar heel” was flipped and used as an epithet and something more positive. People from North Carolina wore the term like a badge of honor, and something to be proud of.
It eventually became more and more popular until North Carolina became known as the “Tar Heel State.”
Then in the 1880s when UNC started competing in intercollegiate sports, they needed a nickname. It was pretty obvious from the get-go that “Tar Heels” was the most befitting and representative nickname, embodying the spirit and heritage of the area.
Since then, that’s what North Carolina has been known as.
North Carolina’s route to the Final Four
Duke vs. North Carolina is the greatest rivalry in college sports. North Carolina is led by Hubert Davis after he took over from Roy Williams, while Duke is led by the legendary Mike Krzyzewski.
UNC entered the tournament as a No. 8 seed, however, they were coming off a big win over the Blue Devils in Coach K’s final home game at Cameron Indoor Stadium.
In this year’s tournament, they have beaten No.1 Baylor, No.4 UCLA, and No.15 St Peter’s.
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