Chris Bender

Position:
Place-kicker
Height:
6-0
Weight:
184
Class:
Senior
Hometown:
Durham, N.C.
High School:
Northern Durham

2000 • Junior season
In his only collegiate field goal attempt, Bender booted a 28-yard field goal in Carolina's 30-9 victory over Tulsa in the season opener.

Northern High School
Earned all-conference and all-region honors playing at Northern Durham High School for Coach Gary Merrill • Also played goalie in soccer for three years and baseball for four years • Made 49 of 51 point-after tries and was five for nine in field goal attempts with a long kick of 42 yards • School's top scholar-athlete • Hit .421 in baseball as a senior and was named to the conference all-tournament team • Member of the National Honor Society • Special Olympics volunteer.

Personal
Born Christopher Ryan Bender on Oct. 6, 1978 in Durham, N.C. • Majoring in sports administration • Favorite teams are the Yankees and Redskins • Favorite athlete is Derek Jeter • Favorite Carolina player other than one of his teammates is Charlie Justice • Career goal is to be UNC athletic director • Worked as an intern for the Durham Bulls this summer • Greatest personal athletic moment was kicking a 42-yard field goal with nine seconds remaining to beat Cary • His father played professional baseball with the New York Yankees and football with the Baltimore Colts • Majoring in exercise and sports science.