🚨 OFFICIAL VERIFIED: Former UNC Head Coach Roy Williams Does It Again — Buys Tickets for Every UNC Student to Attend NCAA First and Second Rounds
By Jenna Mitchell | Chapel Hill Times
March 13, 2025 – Chapel Hill, NC
In a heartwarming and jaw-dropping gesture that captures the spirit of March Madness, legendary former UNC men’s basketball head coach Roy Williams has done it again. Just days after the Tar Heels were officially selected as a No. 3 seed in the 2025 NCAA Tournament, Williams stunned the Chapel Hill community by personally purchasing tickets for every current UNC student to attend the team’s first- and second-round games in Charlotte.
That’s over 18,000 tickets, fully paid for and distributed free to any student with a valid UNC OneCard. The estimated cost? Just over $1.3 million — entirely covered by Williams, who made the announcement with typical humility in a video message played on the Dean Dome jumbotron during the ACC Tournament watch party.
> “Y’all have supported Carolina Basketball for decades,” Williams said, standing beside his wife Wanda and wearing a Tar Heels windbreaker. “Now it’s my turn to support you. If the Heels are dancing, then every student in Chapel Hill deserves a seat at the party.”
An Iconic Gesture From an Iconic Coach
Williams, 74, retired in 2021 after 18 seasons as UNC’s head coach, where he led the Tar Heels to three national titles and five Final Fours. But his connection to the university — and to its students — has remained stronger than ever. Known for his generosity, “Coach Roy” has quietly donated millions to UNC scholarships, facilities, and mental health initiatives over the past decade. But this latest move is perhaps his most memorable.
Social media erupted within minutes of the announcement. “I was screaming in my dorm room,” said sophomore pre-med student Jasmine Randle. “Who else does this? Roy Williams is forever HIM.”
The logistics were worked out in coordination with the NCAA, UNC Athletics, and the Charlotte Sports Foundation. Students received digital ticket codes within hours of the announcement, and free shuttle transportation is being coordinated through the Carolina Union.
> “It’s Roy being Roy,” said current Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis. “He loves this place, and he loves these kids. That kind of support? That’s the Carolina Way.”
The Heels Are Charlotte-Bound — With a Student Army
UNC will play its opening game at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte, just a two-hour drive from Chapel Hill. The opponent: No. 14-seeded Vermont — a tough, scrappy team known for its zone defense. But with thousands of Carolina Blue–clad students taking over the lower bowl, the Tar Heels are expected to have the loudest crowd of any team in the tournament.
> “We’re bringing the Dean Dome to Charlotte,” said junior forward Malik Richmond. “Coach Williams just gave us the best home-court advantage in March Madness.”
A Legacy That Keeps Giving
In an era where NIL deals and transfer drama dominate headlines, Roy Williams’ surprise gift serves as a timeless reminder of what college sports — and community — are really about.
UNC may have retired his whistle, but clearly, Roy Williams’ heart for Tar Heel Nation is still very much in play.
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