The UNC Department of Athletics announced Monday it would be naming the school’s media and communications center, located next to the Dean Smith Center, in honor of former radio broadcaster Woody Durham.
“This recognition for Woody has been so emotional for me,” said Durham’s widow, Jean. “It’s totally unexpected, but I am so grateful. I greatly appreciate the family that made the gift to honor Woody’s memory. Knowing how loyal he was to ‘his’ university, makes this honor even more special. I hope when fans walk by the media center and see his name, it will trigger a thought of Woody and a smile.”
Jean Durham, along with her sons Wes and Taylor, will be recognized at halftime of Wednesday night’s men’s basketball game against Pittsburgh in the Smith Center.
Woody Durham graduated from Carolina in 1963, before serving as the play-by-play radio broadcaster for UNC football and men’s basketball for 40 years, from 1971 to 2011. He called 23 bowl games, 13 Final Fours, six NCAA title games and four UNC championship wins during his tenure.
Among his many accolades and honors, Durham won North Carolina Sportscaster of the Year 13 times, a distinguished service medal from the General Alumni Association, and is a member of both the North Carolina Broadcasters Hall of Fame and the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. In 2015, he won the prestigious Curt Gowdy Award for Electronic Media from the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Durham passed away on March 7, 2018, at the age of 76.
“Woody loved his alma mater and the Tar Heels, and his work helped create generations of Tar Heel fans while setting a standard of excellence for every broadcast, story and highlight,” said UNC athletic director Bubba Cunningham. “We tell the stories of our 800 student-athletes and 28 teams through multiple media platforms at our media and communications center, and it is fitting that the building is now named in Woody’s honor. As Woody liked to say, ‘Go where you go and do what you do.'”
Featured image via UNC Athletic Communications
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