CHAPEL HILL, N.C. (WNCN) – Former University of North Carolina men’s basketball coach Roy Williams is adding another accolade to his lengthy list of accomplishments.
Williams, who spearheaded the Tar Heels to three national championships and five Final Four appearances over his 18-year tenure in Chapel Hill, became one of six recipients of the North Carolina Award – the state’s highest civilian honor.
Gov. Josh Stein announced the full list of 2025 winners on Tuesday. He’s set to present the award to Williams and the other five honorees during a ceremony at the Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville on Thursday, Nov. 13.
“Over the past six decades, the North Carolina Award has been given to many remarkable North Carolinians,” Stein said in a statement. “I am pleased to note that our 2025 recipients all either hail from or have made a particular impact in western North Carolina and I look forward to honoring them in the mountains we all love.”
Established in 1961, the North Carolina Award recognizes those who have made significant contributions to the state and nation in the four different fields: fine arts, literature, public service and science.
The other 2025 recipients include Woody Platt (fine arts), Buddy Melton (fine arts), Wiley Cash (literature), James Ferguson (public service), and Kathie Dello (science).
At the time of his retirement in 2021, the Asheville native and UNC alumnus finished with the third-most victories (903) and the sixth-highest winning percentage (.774) among all coaches in NCAA Division I.
Williams is the only coach ever in college basketball history to win 400 games at two different schools (Kansas and North Carolina), as well as the only head coach to lead his alma mater to three national titles.
He was previously enshrined in the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007.