A JOINT RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA AT CHAPEL HILL MEN'S BASKETBALL TEAM FOR AN OUTSTANDING SEASON CULMINATING IN THE 2009 NCAA DIVISION I CHAMPIONSHIP.

Whereas, on April 6, 2009, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill men's basketball team won the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Championship by defeating Michigan State by a score of 89‑72, the largest margin in a title game in 17 years; and
Whereas, on the road to the final championship game, the Tar Heels defeated each of its opponents by 12 points or more, including the Radford Highlanders (101‑58), LSU Tigers (84‑70), Gonzaga Bulldogs (98‑77), Oklahoma Sooners (72‑60), and the Villanova Wildcats (83‑69); and
Whereas, the 2009 championship marks the fifth Division I NCAA championship title and sixth overall championship title for the men's basketball program at UNC; and
Whereas, in NCAA tournament play, UNC has been selected as a No. 1 seed 13 times, appeared in 41 tournaments, and made 18 Final Four appearances, which is a NCAA record; and
Whereas, the Tar Heels began their 2008‑2009 season as a unanimous No. 1 pick and finished the season with a record of 34‑4, adding to the basketball program's record of 20‑win seasons 51 times and 30‑win seasons 10 times; and
Whereas, the Tar Heels were crowned the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) regular season champions, improving the program's ACC record to 27 regular season titles and 575 wins, the largest number of wins for any team in the conference; and
Whereas, head coach Roy Williams, a Naismith Hall of Fame member and six‑time National Coach of the Year, led the Tar Heels to their second national championship in five years, becoming the fourth active coach to win multiple titles; and
Whereas, many individual team members were recognized for their efforts during the year and throughout their college careers, including senior Tyler Hansbrough, the first player in ACC history to earn first‑team All‑ACC honors four times, all by unanimous selection; one of a few players to earn three‑time consensus All‑American honors; the fourth all‑time leading scorer in NCAA tournament play with 325 points; the ACC's all‑time leading scorer; and the first player in conference history to lead his school in scoring and rebounding in each of his four years; and
Whereas, because of his status as a consensus National Player of the Year, Tyler Hansbrough's jersey will be retired and displayed in the Dean E. Smith Center along with the retired jerseys of fellow UNC consensus National Players of the Year – Jack Cobb, George Glamack, Lennie Rosenbluth, Phil Ford, James Worthy, Michael Jordan, and Antawn Jamison; and
Whereas, junior Ty Lawson was named the nation's best point guard by winning the 2009 Bob Cousy Award, was selected the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference Men's Basketball Player of the Year, and set a NCAA title‑game record with eight steals; and
Whereas, junior Wayne Ellington was named the Most Outstanding Player of the 2009 NCAA championship game; and
Whereas, freshman Ed Davis was selected to the All‑Freshman Team and senior Danny Green became the fourth Tar Heel selected to the league's All‑Defensive Team; and
Whereas, the UNC basketball program has one of the highest graduation rates for athletes and had the highest academic index of the 65 teams in the 2009 NCAA Tournament, exemplified by freshman Tyler Zeller's selection to the All‑ACC Academic Team; and
Whereas, the success of the UNC men's basketball team is a fitting testimonial and memorial to the program's former players, including the late Bob Cunningham, known for his defense as a starter of the team that captured the national championship title in 1957 and had a perfect season of 32‑0; and
Whereas, the entire UNC men's basketball team deserves congratulations and appreciation for an outstanding season and their determination to win the 2009 NCAA championship; Now, therefore,

Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring:

SECTION 1.  The General Assembly expresses the admiration and respect of the people of North Carolina to the men's basketball team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill for winning the 2009 National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Championship.
SECTION 2.  The General Assembly recognizes the perseverance, teamwork, and ensuring triumph of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill men's basketball team members: Marc Campbell, Mike Copeland, Ed Davis, Larry Drew II, Wayne Ellington, Bobby Frasor, Marcus Ginyard, Will Graves, Danny Green, Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Patrick Moody, J.B. Tanner, Deon Thompson, Justin Watts, Jack Wooten, Tyler Zeller; and coaches and staff Roy Williams, Joe Holladay, Steve Robinson, C.B. McGrath, Jerod Haase, Chris Hirth, Eric Hoots, Jonas Sahratian, Molly Brenner, Bobby Cooper, Zach Lagod, Brandon Rhodes, Ryan Riedel, and Sean Stout.
SECTION 3.  The General Assembly honors the memory of Bob Cunningham for his contributions to the men's basketball program at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and his role in helping his team win the 1957 National Championship.
SECTION 4.  The Secretary of State shall send certified copies of this resolution to head coach Roy Williams; the team members, coaches, staff, and managers honored in this resolution; athletic director Dick Baddour, and Chancellor Holden Thorp on behalf of the university community; and the family of Bob Cunningham.
SECTION 5.  This resolution is effective upon ratification.
In the General Assembly read three times and ratified this the 11th day of August, 2009.

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		 Walter H. Dalton
	 President of the Senate

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		 Joe Hackney
	 Speaker of the House of Representatives