UNC To Recognize Trailblazers Saturday

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - In celebration of Black History Month and as part of the newly initiated Tar Heel Trailblazers program, UNC Athletics will honor four of its African-American pioneers - Courtney Bumpers, Robyn Hadley, Ricky Lanier and Charles Scott - on Saturday for their outstanding contributions as Carolina student-athletes. The four will be recognized at halftime of the noon North Carolina-Wake Forest men's basketball game at the Dean E. Smith Center.

"We're thrilled to pay tribute to these individuals who have meant so much to the history of Tar Heel athletics," UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. "They made diverse and significant impacts during their time in Chapel Hill and we're excited to welcome them back this weekend."

Bumpers, now a federal prosecutor in Charlotte, was a two-time NCAA gold medalist in floor exercise and remains the only UNC gymnast to claim a national championship.
Hadley, who now heads the Ervin Scholars Program at Washington University in St. Louis, played for the UNC women's basketball team and was a Morehead Scholar and a Rhodes Scholar.
Lanier, now a teacher at Western Guilford High School, was the first black scholarship football player at UNC.
Scott, an Academic All-America men's basketball player for the Tar Heels and a three-time NBA All-Star, was the first black scholarship athlete at UNC.

Tar Heel Trailblazers is a new UNC Athletics initiative that will recognize those who paved the way for success in all aspects of the Carolina student-athlete experience. The program will shine a spotlight on pioneers who have made memorable and lasting contributions.

University of North Carolina Athletics

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