University of North Carolina Athletics
Willie Cooper (center) and his family joined UNC administrators as he was honored at halftime of the UNC-UVa men's basketball game on Feb. 15.
Photo by: Jeffrey A. Camarati
Honoring A Tar Heel Trailblazer
February 26, 2020 | Athletics
Willie Cooper played just one season in a North Carolina uniform, 1964-65 on the UNC men's basketball freshman team. More than 50 years later, earlier this month on the Dean E. Smith Center court where the Tar Heels now play, he was finally applauded for that historic feat.
In his one season for the Tar Heels, Cooper became the first African American student-athlete to compete intercollegiately for Carolina. And at halftime of the UNC-Virginia men's basketball game on Feb. 15, he was recognized as a Tar Heel Trailblazer, an award bestowed by Carolina Athletics to former student-athletes who have broken new ground or otherwise paved the way for the Tar Heels to follow.
"We're so proud to honor Willie Cooper as our 2020 Tar Heel Trailblazer," said Martina Ballen, Senior Associate AD at UNC and the chair of the Carolina Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Committee. "Those of us who had the privilege of listening to him tell his story were extremely moved by his wisdom and commitment to his educational experience in spite of the challenges he faced as an African American student-athlete during that time."
Cooper, who graduated from UNC in 1968 with a degree in business administration, now lives in Chattanooga, Tenn. But he came back to Chapel Hill for the weekend to be recognized at several events as UNC celebrated Black History Month. First, on Feb. 13, he was recognized at Carmichael Arena as part of the women's basketball team's Black History Month celebration. That honor had a special meaning for Cooper as his daughter Tonya played for the Tar Heels and was a member of UNC's 1994 NCAA Championship team.
The following day, he and his family were honored at a reception to kick off the Tar Heel Trailblazers weekend. There, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham both spoke, welcoming the Cooper family to campus and recognizing Willie Cooper's historic contributions to UNC.
On Saturday, Cooper and his family joined Tar Heel student-athletes, Carolina Athletics staff and campus guests for a luncheon at the Loudermilk Center Blue Zone. Jake Lawler, a football student-athlete who will graduate in May, moderated a panel that included Willie Cooper, Tonya Cooper Williams, Brent Cooper (Willie's son and a member of the JV men's basketball team), and Tar Heel legend Phil Ford, a long-time family friend of the Coopers'.
The culmination of the weekend was the Saturday night halftime ceremony, where cheers rained down on Cooper and his family, recognizing and celebrating the trail he has blazed for the Tar Heels.
In his one season for the Tar Heels, Cooper became the first African American student-athlete to compete intercollegiately for Carolina. And at halftime of the UNC-Virginia men's basketball game on Feb. 15, he was recognized as a Tar Heel Trailblazer, an award bestowed by Carolina Athletics to former student-athletes who have broken new ground or otherwise paved the way for the Tar Heels to follow.
"We're so proud to honor Willie Cooper as our 2020 Tar Heel Trailblazer," said Martina Ballen, Senior Associate AD at UNC and the chair of the Carolina Athletics Diversity & Inclusion Committee. "Those of us who had the privilege of listening to him tell his story were extremely moved by his wisdom and commitment to his educational experience in spite of the challenges he faced as an African American student-athlete during that time."
Cooper, who graduated from UNC in 1968 with a degree in business administration, now lives in Chattanooga, Tenn. But he came back to Chapel Hill for the weekend to be recognized at several events as UNC celebrated Black History Month. First, on Feb. 13, he was recognized at Carmichael Arena as part of the women's basketball team's Black History Month celebration. That honor had a special meaning for Cooper as his daughter Tonya played for the Tar Heels and was a member of UNC's 1994 NCAA Championship team.
The following day, he and his family were honored at a reception to kick off the Tar Heel Trailblazers weekend. There, Chancellor Kevin Guskiewicz and Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham both spoke, welcoming the Cooper family to campus and recognizing Willie Cooper's historic contributions to UNC.
When Willie Cooper walked on to the freshman team in 1964, he became the first African American basketball player at Carolina and paved the way for so many others who followed in his footsteps. It's an honor to recognize his achievements as a @GoHeels Tar Heel Trailblazer. pic.twitter.com/dU3xiKWmJU
— Kevin Guskiewicz (@KevinGuskiewicz) February 14, 2020
On Saturday, Cooper and his family joined Tar Heel student-athletes, Carolina Athletics staff and campus guests for a luncheon at the Loudermilk Center Blue Zone. Jake Lawler, a football student-athlete who will graduate in May, moderated a panel that included Willie Cooper, Tonya Cooper Williams, Brent Cooper (Willie's son and a member of the JV men's basketball team), and Tar Heel legend Phil Ford, a long-time family friend of the Coopers'.
The culmination of the weekend was the Saturday night halftime ceremony, where cheers rained down on Cooper and his family, recognizing and celebrating the trail he has blazed for the Tar Heels.
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