RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) — Two Triangle-based schools in the NCAA National Championship could rake in $1 million in scholarship money from a sporting goods company — but the odds are not good.
In order to earn the million bucks, one school would need to have both their men’s and women’s teams claim the 2023 champion titles.
The only local schools with both teams in those respective 68-team fields are Duke and North Carolina State.
But history suggests the donation announced by Academy Sports + Outdoors on Wednesday might be considered next to impossible to bank.
In the 84 years of the men’s tournament, only twice has the same school won both tournaments. Connecticut did it in both 2004 and 2014.
Duke received a No. 5 seed in the men’s tournament and a No. 3 seed in the women’s. N.C. State is a No. 11 seed in the men’s tournament while its women are a No. 7 seed.
Time will tell if it’s in the cards this year. The 2023 Men’s Finals are taking place in Houston with the championship game set for April 3. The 2023 Women’s Final is being hosted in Dallas with the championship being named April 4.
In the spirit of being based in the same state as both championship games, Academy is dubbing this a “Texas-sized challenge.”