The 2024-25 North Carolina Sports Awards
July 16 Broadcast Of “The Pineys” Will Celebrate
“Athlete/Coach Of The Year” Finalists, Winners
After Vote By NCSN Viewers, Listeners, Readers
By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network
(last updated July 15, 2025)
The North Carolina Sports Network will broadcast the 2025 edition of the North Carolina Sports Awards (aka “The Pineys”), which celebrate the Old North State’s top athletes, coaches, teams, moments and sporting events each year, via a special July 16 program on its rapidly expanding YouTube channel.
Four of this year’s five winners, including two championship-winning coaches and one of the greatest athletes ever produced by the state of North Carolina, have agreed to appear as special guests on the July 16 program. The other honoree, who will be unable to participate personally because of prior commitments, requested that one of his mentors appear on his behalf to accept his award.
In May, June and early July, North Carolina Sports Network viewers, listeners and readers nominated more than 250 candidates in The Pineys’ five award categories: Team of the Year, Event of the Year, Moment of the Year, Athlete of the Year, and Coach of the Year.
A panel of North Carolina Sports Network contributors and advisors then reduced the lengthy lists of nominees to 10 or fewer finalists in each category before inviting a final round of voting by viewers, listeners, readers, staff members and consultants.
Below are this year’s finalists in the Athlete of the Year and Coach of the Year categories. The finalists in the other three categories can be found HERE.
All five winners will be revealed during the July 16 show on the North Carolina Sports Network’s quickly growing YouTube channel, which has attracted more than 35,000 subscribers — and millions of total viewers — in just its first two years of operation.
“ATHLETE OF THE YEAR” FINALISTS
(must represent N.C.-based college/pro team)
William Byron, NASCAR
(Charlotte native won second straight Daytona 500 in February 2025)
Cooper Flagg, Duke men’s basketball
(2025 National Player of the Year, Final Four participant as true freshman; #1 overall NBA draft pick)
Ben Griffin, PGA Tour
(two-time PGA Tour winner, top 10 on 2025 money list; product of East Chapel Hill HS, UNC men’s golf)
Omarion Hampton, UNC football
(elite running back, 2024 first-team All-American, 2025 first-round NFL draft pick)
Jaycee Horn, Carolina Panthers
(2024 Pro Bowl cornerback)
Chloe Humphrey, UNC women’s lacrosse
(2025 National Player of the Year, ACC champion, NCAA champion, NCAA Tournament MVP as redshirt freshman)
Kristijan Kahlina, Charlotte FC
(2024 Major League Soccer Goalkeeper of the Year, MLS “Best XI”)
Jake Knapp, UNC baseball
(2025 1st-team All-American, National Pitcher of the Year, 14-0, 2.02 ERA)
Kaleigh Kurtz, North Carolina Courage
(2024 NWSL “Best XI”)
Jaccob Slavin, Carolina Hurricanes
(recognized among top NHL players at 2025 “4 Nations” event; Stanley Cup semifinalist)
“COACH OF THE YEAR” FINALISTS
(must represent N.C.-based college/pro team)
Tony Bresky, Wake Forest men’s tennis
(2025 NCAA champion, 40-1 record, 33-0 regular season, ACC Coach of the Year)
Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes
(2025 Stanley Cup semifinals, fastest head coach to 300 wins in NHL history)
Manny Diaz, Duke football
(9-4 record in 2024; tied for second-most victories in program history in first season with Blue Devils)
Maurice Flowers, Johnson C Smith football
(first 8-0 start, highest Division Two poll ranking in program history)
Alan Huss, High Point men’s basketball
(29-6 record, 2025 Big South champion, first NCAA Tournament bid as Division One program)
Jenny Levy, UNC women’s lacrosse
(2025 NCAA champion, 22-0 season, ACC champion, ACC Coach of the Year, voted into IWLCA Hall of Fame)
Damon Nahas, UNC women’s soccer
(2024 NCAA champion in first season as successor to legendary coach Anson Dorrance)
Jon Scheyer, Duke men’s basketball
(2025 National Coach of the Year, 35-4 record, ACC champion, NCAA Final Four participant)
