| North Carolina A&T Aggies | |
|---|---|
 | |
| University | North Carolina A&T State University |
| Conference | Coastal Athletic Association (primary) CAA Football (football) MEAC (women's bowling) |
| NCAA | Division I (FCS) |
| Athletic director | Earl Hilton |
| Location | Greensboro, North Carolina |
| Varsity teams | 17 |
| Football stadium | Truist Stadium |
| Basketball arena | Ellis F. Corbett Sports Center |
| Baseball stadium | War Memorial Stadium |
| Mascot | Aggie &Aggietha (Bulldogs) |
| Nickname | Aggies |
| Fight song | Old Aggie Spirit |
| Colors | Blue and gold[1] |
| Website | ncataggies |
 | |
TheNorth Carolina A&T Aggies are the athletic teams that representNorth Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University inGreensboro, North Carolina, United States. The Aggies compete inNCAA Division I and are members of theCoastal Athletic Association (CAA) in all sports with the exception offootball and women'sbowling. North Carolina A&T fieldsvarsity teams in 13 sports, five for men and eight for women. The football team competes in Division IFootball Championship Subdivision (FCS), formerly known as Division I-AA, in the CAA's technically separate football arm ofCAA Football.
Home football games are played atTruist Stadium,[2] while basketball, volleyball, and swimming events are held at theEllis F. Corbett Sports Center.[3] The university's baseball team plays atWar Memorial Stadium.[4]
The athletic director for the university isEarl M. Hilton III. Hilton assumed the position on February 3, 2011, after being named as interim on October 25, 2010. Hilton became director of athletics as a result of the removal of former director Wheeler Brown. Hilton most recently served as assistant vice chancellor of student affairs and has also served as the associate athletics director for North Carolina A&T. Hilton's previous experience includes a position as assistant athletics director at Buffalo State University and academic tutor for athletics atTexas Tech University.[5]
North Carolina A&T sponsors athletic teams in 7 men's and 8 women's NCAA sanctioned sports:[6] As of 2023, all sports, with the exception of football and women'sbowling compete in theCoastal Athletic Association (CAA). The football team competed in theBig South Conference in the 2022 season before moving to CAA Football, the technically separate football league operated by the all-sports CAA, in 2023. The bowling program competes as an affiliate member of theMid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC), where the Aggies previously held membership from 1970 to 2021.
| Men's sports | Women's sports |
|---|---|
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Bowling |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Softball |
| Tennis | Tennis |
| Track and field | Track and field |
| Volleyball | |
| † – Track and field includes both indoor and outdoor | |
The Aggies are led by head coachShawn Gibbs. Gibbs was named head coach ahead of the2025 season, following then head coachVincent Brown being relieved of his duties.[7] The2017 season was arguably the most successful in the program's history with the Aggies finishing the season with a 12–0 undefeated record; breaking the record for number of wins in a single season that was previously held by the1990 team; and capturing both the MEAC championship and2017 Celebration Bowl championship overGrambling. Coach William "Bill" Hayes holds the distinction of the all-time most winningest coach in Aggie history, with a record of: 106 victories, 64 losses, and 1 tied game.[8]
Over the years, North Carolina A&T has developed intense rivalries withWinston-Salem State University,South Carolina State University, andNorth Carolina Central University. The rivalry between the Aggies and North Carolina Central University dates back to 1924. Numerous players from North Carolina A&T have played in theNational Football League (NFL). They includeNFL Hall of Fame memberElvin Bethea,Dwaine Board,Curtis Deloatch,Jason Horton,Maurice Hicks,Jamal Jones,Mel Phillips, Junius Coston, Jesse Britt, Maurice Smith, andGeorge Small.
The Aggies play home football games atTruist Stadium. The stadium, then known as Aggie Stadium, opened in 1981. Before the construction of the stadium, the Aggies played their home football games atGreensboro'sWorld War Memorial Stadium, which was home to the nearby minor league baseball franchise.
| Year | Coach | Conference | Overall record | Conference record |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | Lonnie P. Byarm | CIAA | 8–0–0 | 7–0–0 |
| 1950 | William M. Bell | CIAA | 6–2–1 | 5–0–1 |
| 1958 | Bert C. Piggott | CIAA | 7–2–0 | 7–0–0 |
| 1959 | Bert C. Piggott | CIAA | 6–2–0 | 6–0–0 |
| 1964 | Bert C. Piggott | CIAA | 6–3–1 | 6–0–1 |
| 1975[Notes 1] | Hornsby Howell | MEAC | 5–1–0 | 6–0 |
| 1986 | Maurice "Mo" Forte | MEAC | 9–3–0 | 4–1–0 |
| 1991 | William "Bill" Hayes | MEAC | 9–3–0 | 5–1–0 |
| 1992 | William "Bill" Hayes | MEAC | 9–3–0 | 5–1–0 |
| 1999 | William "Bill" Hayes | MEAC | 11–2–0 | 8–0 |
| 2003 | George Small | MEAC | 10–3–0 | 6–1–0 |
| 2014[Notes 2] | Rod Broadway | MEAC | 9–3–0 | 6–2–0 |
| 2015[Notes 3] | Rod Broadway | MEAC | 9–2–0 | 7–1–0 |
| 2017 | Rod Broadway | MEAC | 12–0–0 | 8–0–0 |
| Total conference championships | 14[8] | |||
The Aggie men's basketball program is coached byMonté Ross. Ross became the 12th head coach in the program's history, ahead of the2023-2024 Season. The most notable coaches in Aggie history areDon Corbett and Cal Irvin, which the Aggie's home basketball court is named after (theEllis F. Corbett Sports Center). Corbett is most known for leading the Aggies to seven straight MEAC Men's Basketball Tournament titles from 1982 to 1988. Corbett is also known for his 37-game home winning streak that lasted from January 18, 1986, to November 30, 1988.[3]Irwin's legacy stems from his 18-season run as the Aggies basketball coach. During his tenure, the Aggies never finished below .500. Irvin's success carried the Aggies over from theCentral Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) into the MEAC, where he won the school's first league championship in 1972. Irvin's held a 308–105 record as coach of the Aggies. His first CIAA championship came in 1958. Irvin's teams won CIAA titles in 1959,1962, 1964, and 1967.[9]
The Aggies have appeared in theNCAA tournament ten times (1982,1983,1984,1985,1986,1987,1988,1994,1995, and2013). The Aggies have also appeared in theNational Invitation Tournament twice (1976 and1981). The Aggies play home basketball games at theEllis F. Corbett Sports Center, which opened in 1978. Corbett Sports Center, known for its intense playing atmosphere and loyal fan base, was chosen byESPN columnist Kyle Whelliston as one of his favorite arena atmospheres.[10] Additionally, Corbett Sports Center was ranked the 14th best atmosphere in the nation in an espn.com fan poll. North Carolina A&T was the onlyhistorically black college or university (HBCU) in the poll, and in 2007 they had three games nationally televised on ESPNU.[3]
In 2013, the Aggies made their tenth appearance in the NCAA Division I tournament and had their first win.
| NC A&T Men's Basketball Championships |
|---|
| CIAA Championships: 1958, 1959, 1962, 1964, 1967 MEAC championships: 1972, 1973, 1976, 1976, 1978, 1979, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988, 1994, 1995,2013 |
The “Lady Aggies” are led by coach Tarrell Robinson, who assumed the coaching position in 2012. The Lady Aggies are one of the top teams in the MEAC, staking claim to six MEAC regular season and two MEAC tournament championships. Under previous coach Patricia Cage-Bibbs, the lady aggies secured notable victories overWake Forest University andCharlotte in the 2010 WNIT Tournament. those victories gave the program the distinction of being the first Division-I HBCU program to win two postseason games in an NCAA Division I tournament.[11] The Lady Aggies post a 41–4 home court record and a 25 home court win streak that began during the 2007 season. Their most recent MEAC title was during the 2009 season. The Lady Aggies won the MEAC regular season championship in 2008, 2009, and 2010.[3]
| NC A&T women's basketball championships |
|---|
| MEAC championships: 1994, 2009, 2016 NCAA Tournament appearances:1994,2009,2016 |
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The North Carolina A&T baseball team is coached byBen Hall. The Aggie Baseball program has claimed three MEAC championships and 14Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) championships, including a six-season streak from 1950 to 1955.[12] The Aggie baseball program plays all home contests in nearbyWar Memorial Stadium. The stadium has served as the home of various localminor league baseball clubsfrom the 1930s to 2004.[13]
| NC A&T Baseball Championships |
|---|
| MEAC championships: 1974, 1993, 2005 CIAA Championship: 1950, 1951, 1952, 1953, 1954, 1955, 1957, 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1968, 1969, 1970 |
| Source:NCAT Alumni Baseball Association[14] |
The Lady Aggies bowling team is coached by Kim Terrell-Kearney who took over the program in 2016.[15] The Aggies hold the distinction of winning four out of the first five MEAC Bowling Championships since the sport was officially recognized as a varsity sport by the conference in the 1999–2000 season.[16]
| NC A&T Bowling Championships |
|---|
| MEAC championships:2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2018, 2021, 2022 |
| Source:NCAT Athletics[16] |
North Carolina A&T has won one national championship in the program's history. In 2015, the Aggies won theUnited States Bowling Congress's Intercollegiate Team Championship, in their first appearance, defeatingRobert Morris.[17]
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The North Carolina A&T women's golf team is led by Coach Richard Watkins. Watkins was the first head coach in the program's history and coaches both the women's and men's teams. The women's program played their inaugural season in 2016 and the men's program began in the fall of 2017.[18] A&T uses Bryan Park Golf Course as their home course. Bryan Park has served as the host course for the U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship in 2010. The Bermuda grass course was recently awarded the prestigious 4-star ranking inGolf Digest's Best Places to Play Guide.[19]
The A&T men's golf program received considerable publicity in the 2021–22 season when formerNBA playerJ. R. Smith, who had gone directly from high school to the NBA and thus had never attended college, enrolled at A&T and joined the team.[20][21]
The Lady Aggies softball team is coached by interim head coach Shawn Hendrix. Hendrix assumed the head coaching position After the departure of former coach Diego Ibarra. The Lady Aggies play their home contests at the Aggie Softball Complex which was built in 2005.
The North Carolina A&T men's and women's tennis teams are led by Coach Dejon Bivins. Bivins assumed the position of head coach in 2021, after serving as the interim coach. Bivins has served as an assistant coach for the programs since 2017.[22] The Aggies host their home matches at the Aggie Tennis Center. The facility, built in 2003, possesses eight synthetic surface courts where the Aggies play five to six tennis matches per year.[23]
The North Carolina A&T men's and women's track and field and Cross Country teams are led by Coach andOlympianAllen Johnson. Johnson oversees all six of NC A&T's track and field programs, which include men's and women's cross country, men's and women's indoor track and field and men's and women's outdoor track and field.
The Aggies host their home track meets atMarcus T. Johnson Track at Truist Stadium. The track surface is Mondo Super X Performance track and features eight 48-inch lanes and wide turns.[24] Belk Track has played host to many regional, national, and international events, such as International Friendship & Freedom Games, the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships, theNCAA Division I Track and Field Championships – East Regional, theNew Balance Outdoor Nationals (formerly theNike Outdoor Nationals), and theUSATF National Junior Olympic Track & Field Championships.[25]
The North Carolina A&T volleyball team is coached by Hal Clifton. Clifton is the ninth head coach in the program's history, and he replaced former coach Toni Conway, who took over the program in 2009.[26] Prior to joining NC A&T, Clifton held previous assistant coaching positions atNCAA Division IISt. Andrews Presbyterian College, as well as six seasons at Division IElon University. Clifton played an integral part in turning the Phoenix program from a 9–23 team, in the 2005 season, into a squad that finished in first place in theSouthern Conference North Division in 2010 with a 21–14 overall record and an 11–5 mark in the league.[27]
The Lady Aggies volleyball program currently hosts all home contests inside Moore Gymnasium.
NC A&T sponsored Women's swimming as a varsity sport from 1998 to 2016 where they competed in theCoastal Collegiate Sports Association (CCSA), anNCAA Division I conference that started in 2007 as the single-sport Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association and adopted its current name when it added women's beach volleyball in 2015.[28] The team was led by coach Shawn Hendrix, who ran the program from its first season.[29]
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| Facility | Sport(s) | Capacity |
|---|---|---|
| Truist Stadium | Football | 21,500 |
| Aggie Tennis Complex | Tennis | – |
| Ellis F. Corbett Sports Center | Basketball, Swimming | 6,700 |
| Gate City Lanes‡ | Bowling | – |
| Irwin Belk Track | Track and Field | 21,500 |
| Lady Aggie Softball Complex | Softball | – |
| Moore Gymnasium | Volleyball | 1,200 |
| War Memorial Stadium | Baseball | 7,500 |
‡Denotes off-campus facility
Aggie, sometimes referred to as the "Aggie Dawg" or "Aggie Dog", is the officialmascot of A&T's athletic teams. Aggie and his female counterpart, Aggietha can be seen at football, men's and women's basketball games, and other university events. Although the physical representation of the athletic teams is abulldog, the term "Aggie" has a historical connection to the university's agricultural roots as aland-grant university.
According to Albert W. Spruill, the origin of the school's Bulldog mascot stems from a tale of a shepherd dog, that was kept on the A&T farm to assist in herding the animals to shelter. During a football game the Aggies had become despondent and in the game's last few minutes, an A&T fullback broke through the opposition's defense and scored a touchdown that was ruled no good by a referee. It is said that at that moment, an unidentified person untied the bulldog which then attacked the referee. The incident was said to almost cost the school its membership in the CIAA, but it vindicated the Aggies. It is said that from that day on, the mascot for the football team has been a bulldog.[30]
"Dear A&T" is thealma mater of North Carolina A&T. The song traditionally concludes formal university events, including athletic contests such as football and basketball games attended by the North Carolina A&T State UniversityBlue and Gold Marching Machine or the A&Tpep band. It is more formal than the traditional fight songs such as "Old Aggie Spirit" and the "A&T Fight Song", and is typically played and sung in a more reverent fashion than other university songs.[31]
The A&T fight song made its debut in 2005. The song is traditionally performed at athletic contests such as football and basketball games attended by the North Carolina A&T State UniversityBlue and Gold Marching Machine or the A&Tpep band. It is standard practice for the marching band to perform the song after an Aggietouchdown.[32]
"Old Aggie Spirit" is a popular song sung by fans and played by the band at many A&T athletic events, especially at football and basketball games. Before the creation of the school'sfight song in 2005, the song served as thede facto fight song for the university's sports teams. It is standard practice for the marching band or pep band to perform the song during the pre game show at football games, after a touchdown, in lieu of the school's fight song, or during time-outs at basketball games. The melody of the song is based on thegospel music song "Old-Time Religion."
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