Reflecting on the trailblazers that set the stage for Black athletes at UNC

The University of North Carolina enrolled its first Black undergraduate students in 1955, but the first Black varsity athlete didn’t take the field for eight more years. 

Even then, some sports didn’t roster their first Black player for several more decades.

Here are some of the Black athletes who broke racial barriers at UNC, on and off the field.  

Edwin Okoroma

Edwin Okoroma was born in Imo State, Nigeria and came to the United States to go to UNC on a non-athletic scholarship in 1962, becoming the first Black African at the school. 

Okoroma tried out for the soccer team and earned a spot as a forward, making him the first Black varsity athlete to play at North Carolina. During his two seasons on the soccer team, Okoroma was promoted to the starting lineup and became a frequent goal-scorer for the Tar Heels. He finished his final season with six goals. 

He was vocal on campus, often giving talks for the YM-YWCA about Nigeria and sharing his opinions on being an international student at UNC. 

In 2021, Okoroma received the ACC UNITE Award, honoring former athletes in the conference for their impact on racial and social justice. 

Charlie Scott 

In 1967, Charlie Scott became the first Black athlete on scholarship at North Carolina. He was also the first Black athlete to play on the varsity men’s basketball team. 

In Art Chansky's book, “Game Changers,” the author chronicles Scott’s life. He grew up poor in Harlem, New York City, but came to North Carolina to attend high school at the Laurinburg Institute in 1963. While there, Scott caught the attention of then head coach Dean Smith, who recruited him to play at UNC despite some threats from boosters. 

During his two years at North Carolina, Scott averaged over 22 points and won the ACC regular season and ACC tournament title with the Tar Heels in 1968 and 1969. He also played in the 1968 national championship game. 

After leaving UNC, Scott spent eight years in the NBA.

In 2018, Scott was inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. 

Rochelle Small-Toney 

Nearly a decade later, in 1977, Rochelle Small-Toney became North Carolina’s first Black varsity women’s basketball player — four years before the NCAA included women's basketball in 1981.

Small-Toney grew up in Wilmington, North Carolina, watching broadcasts of UNC basketball. But when she arrived as a student, Small-Toney had no basketball experience.

After joining the Black Student Movement’s intramural team and then the junior varsity squad, the 6-foot-1 Small-Toney was encouraged by her coach to try out for varsity. Then varsity head coach Jennifer Alley gave the senior center a spot on the team. 

In her one season of varsity basketball, Small-Toney led the Tar Heels in scoring on several occasions, including games against Virginia and Indiana. 

The BSM publication, Black Ink, awarded Small-Toney the co-female athlete of the year award in 1977. 

Sonya Bright 

Almost 30 years after Okoroma took the field, Sonya Bright became the first Black softball player at UNC in 1989. 

Bright was recruited from the slow-pitch softball team at Jordan High School in Durham, North Carolina. A substitute teacher at her high school and a former UNC strength and conditioning coach, George Nevole, noticed her at a practice. 

Touted for her speed, the left fielder became the leadoff hitter, which paid off for the Tar Heels. 

In her first two years, Bright became known for her running slap bunt designed to get on base. But each season added new abilities to her game. 

In her senior year, Bright had a .393 batting average and stole 32 bases. She is top-10 all time at UNC in career stolen bases (73), hits (230), runs (158) and triples (15). 

After graduating, Bright played professionally for three years. 

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