Wolfpack, Tar Heels Among Top Candidates
(Video Link To Awards Ceremony/Winners At Bottom)

By David Glenn
North Carolina Sports Network Continuing its ongoing efforts to celebrate the special people, places and events of North Carolina and the state’s wonderfully diverse sports culture, the North Carolina Sports Network, in conjunction with its foundational partner, the North Carolina Pork Council, will present the “2023-24 North Carolina Sports Awards” (aka “The Pineys”) on Wednesday, July 17.
The inaugural “Pineys” will honor each of this year’s finalists (see list below) — and toast the winners with one-on-one interviews (see video below) — in five categories designed to celebrate the best of North Carolina: Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Event of the Year, Moment of the Year, and Team of the Year.
During its first year of operation, the North Carolina Sports Network attracted an audience of more than 1 million people via its brand-new website, brand-new YouTube channel (which has quickly risen into the top two percent of YouTube channels in the world, with more than 12,000 subscribers), fast-growing podcast (featuring the award-winning David Glenn Show), prominent social media presence (Twitter/X, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok) and one more new creation, the “Old North State Tailgate and Traveling Sports Circus,” which visited more than a dozen North Carolina cities and towns in 2023-24.
In June and early July, many of those NCSN followers, listeners, readers, sponsors, subscribers, supporters, visitors and viewers cast ballots in the 2023-24 North Carolina Sports Awards voting.
The finalists in each category are listed below. This year’s winners will be announced July 17 during a 90-minute YouTube show, which will be posted at the bottom of this article after its conclusion.
“Athlete of the Year” Finalists
Sebastian Aho, Carolina Hurricanes (2024 NHL All-Star; team goals/points leader)
Akshay Bhatia, PGA Tour (#16 on 2024 PGA Tour money list at 22 years old)
Brian Burns, Carolina Panthers (2023 team MVP, sacks leader)
Chase Burns, Wake Forest baseball (2024 ACC Pitcher of the Year; #2 MLB pick)
DJ Burns, NC State men’s basketball (2024 ACC Tournament MVP)
William Byron, NASCAR (3-time race winner, including 2024 Daytona 500)
RJ Davis, UNC men’s basketball (2024 1st-team All-American, ACC POY)
Vance Honeycutt, UNC baseball (UNC’s career HR leader; 2024 ACC DPOY)
Kerolin, North Carolina Courage (2023 NWSL Most Valuable Player)
Rachel Kuehn, Wake Forest women’s golf (2024 ACC champion, All-American)
Drake Maye, UNC football (record-setting QB; #3 overall NFL draft pick)
Brandon Miller, Charlotte Hornets (2024 NBA All-Rookie Team)
Payton Wilson, NC State football (2023 Bednarik/Butkus Award winner)
“Coach of the Year” Finalists
Rod Brind’Amour, Carolina Hurricanes (3rd-best record in NHL)
Scott Forbes, UNC baseball (ACC regular-season title, College World Series)
Jim Gantt, Catawba baseball (D2 College World Series)
Laurie Henes, NC State women’s cross country (NCAA champion)
Mike Jacobs, Lenoir-Rhyne football (D2 national semifinalist)
Kevin Keatts, NC State men’s basketball (ACC Tournament champion, Final Four)
Erin Matson, UNC field hockey (NCAA champion as 23-year-old rookie coach)
Tom Palombo, Guilford men’s basketball (D3 Final Four)
“Event of the Year” Finalists
Aggie-Eagle Classic (NC A&T-NC Central football rivalry 10-10 in last 20 games)
Ally Tipoff in Charlotte (Caitlin Clark, Iowa-Virginia Tech draw record WBB crowd)
NASCAR’s long-awaited return to North Wilkesboro (2023 and 2024)
UNC Baseball Postseason (walk-off wins in Chapel Hill Regional, Super Regional)
US Open at Pinehurst #2 (2024 event fourth there in past 26 years)
“Moment of the Year” Finalists
Bryson DeChambeau’s bunker shot at #18 to set up US Open won at Pinehurst #2
Michael O’Connell’s buzzer-beating three to extend NCSU’s season at ACC Tournament
NC State dominates UNC, 39-20, for third straight victory in football rivalry
NC State wins another NCAA title in women’s cross country (third straight)
UNC wins another NCAA title in field hockey (11th overall)
William Byron, 26-year-old Charlotte native, wins 2024 Daytona 500
“Team of the Year” Finalists
Carolina Hurricanes (#3 in NHL points; sixth straight playoff appearance)
NC State baseball (2024 College World Series participants)
NC State men’s basketball (2024 ACC champions, Final Four)
NC State women’s basketball (2024 Final Four)
NC State women’s cross country (2023 ACC and NCAA champions)
UNC baseball (2024 regular-season ACC champions, CWS participants)
UNC field hockey (2023 ACC and NCAA champions)