RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN) – With another year coming to a close, the Triangle area once again became a hot spot for nationally relevant sports stories in 2024. The year saw both North Carolina State basketball programs advance to the Final Four, freshman phenom Cooper Flagg bringing massive hype with him to Duke, and the hire of a six-time Super Bowl champion to lead the North Carolina football program. There was no shortage when it came to coverage for our CBS 17 sports team. Now, it's time to look back on the top 10 sports stories of the year, including an excerpt from each one. NC State men’s and women’s basketball teams celebrate Final Four runs The North Carolina State men’s and women’s basketball teams cap off their historic Final Four runs during a ceremony held at the Memorial Belltower on April 15, 2024. (Harrison Grubb/CBS 17) Wolfpack fans raced to the Memorial Belltower last March as they were ready to celebrate with thousands of others along Hillsborough Street after the N.C. State men’s and women’s basketball teams claimed spots in the NCAA Final Four. The women’s run was their second Final Four appearance in program history and the first one in 26 years. On the men’s side, the Wolfpack reached the national semifinals for the first time since late coach Jim Valvano was sprinting around the court after winning the 1983 national title with an upset last-second dunk over Houston and Phi Slama Jama. UNC fires head football coach Mack Brown North Carolina head coach Mack Brown prior to the start of the NCAA college football game against Florida State, Saturday, Nov. 2, 2024, in Tallahassee, Fla. (AP Photo/Colin Hackley) The 2024 season marks the final one for Mack Brown as the head coach of the UNC football team. On Nov. 26, the university informed Brown will not return to the sidelines next year. Under Brown’s tutelage, UNC compiled a 44-33 overall record during his second stint at the school, ending this season at 6-6. Brown, inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame in 2018, concluded his time with the Tar Heels as the winningest coach among active FBS head coaches, accumulating a career record of 282-149 between his stints at Tulane, Texas and UNC. The 73-year-old also finished his tenure winning a program-record 113 games. UNC hires Bill Belichick as new football coach New North Carolina football coach Bill Belichick holds up a UNC branded sleeveless hoodie presented to him during an NCAA college football press conference announcing his hiring, Thursday, Dec. 12, 2024, in Chapel Hill, N.C. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) One of the greatest to ever work the sidelines on the gridiron is joining the college ranks as head coach in Chapel Hill. Legendary NFL coach Bill Belichick, who led the New England Patriots to six Super Bowl titles, will be the next head football coach at the University of North Carolina, the school first announced on Dec. 11. The 72-year-old coach stepped away from football this year after parting ways with the Patriots following the 2023 season. Belichick has family history at UNC, as his father served as an assistant coach with the Tar Heels in the early 1950s. “I am excited for the opportunity at UNC-Chapel Hill,” Belichick said in a statement released by the school. “I grew up around college football with my Dad and treasured those times. I have always wanted to coach in college and now I look forward to building the football program in Chapel Hill.” New look into $1 billion development at sports and entertainment district near Hurricanes’ area Newly unveiled renderings of the Raleigh Sports & Entertainment District, the new $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding the arena that serves as the home to the Carolina Hurricanes and NC State basketball. (Courtesy: Carolina Hurricanes) A glimpse into the future of the surrounding area near the home of the Carolina Hurricanes was released back in September. Pacific Elm Properties and Gale Force Sports and Entertainment announced their plans for the Raleigh Sports and Entertainment District, the new $1 billion mixed-use development surrounding the venue that houses the Hurricanes and the N.C. State basketball program. The redevelopment of the 80-acre site will “provide new opportunities for shopping, dining and entertainment” all year long, as well as feature a unique outdoor setup for tailgating and programming, according to a news release. PNC Arena, home of the Carolina Hurricanes, renamed the Lenovo Center A look inside the newly branded Lenovo Center in Raleigh, N.C. (Judith Retana/CBS 17) Leadership for the Carolina Hurricanes and N.C. State University unveiled new signage in September for the Lenovo Center, which previously had been known as PNC Arena for 12 years. This came after the Centennial Authority approved the $60 million, 10-year naming rights deal, running through the 2033-34 season. “Lenovo has been a valued partner of ours for many years,” Brian Fork, chief executive officer of Hurricanes Holdings, LLC, said when the announcement was made in September. “We’re thrilled to elevate that partnership now by renaming the arena Lenovo Center. Lenovo has both strong local ties and a worldwide footprint, and we’re proud to have the Hurricanes’ name associated with a true leader in global technology. As we transition to this new era, we are grateful for our longtime naming rights collaborator, PNC, who will continue to be a major partner of our organization.” NC sports legend Julius Peppers makes history with induction to Pro Football Hall of Fame Former NFL player Julius Peppers poses with his bust during an induction ceremony at the Pro Football Hall of Fame, in Canton, Ohio, Saturday, Aug. 3, 2024. (AP Photo/David Dermer) The Pro Football Hall of Fame officially welcomed seven new members into its elite club in August, including one of the best to ever play on the gridiron in North Carolina. Former UNC football standout and Carolina Panthers defensive end Julius Peppers became immortalized in football history as the only first-ballot Hall of Famer in the 2024 induction class. He’s only the third Tar Heel to be enshrined in Canton, along with Chris Hanburger and Lawrence Taylor. “I’ve been blessed and fortunate to have many great people in my life, and those relationships, those friendships, are what’ll make you a success,” Peppers said during his induction speech on Aug. 13. Legal sports betting officially launches across North Carolina FILE - Fox Sports broadcaster Greg Olsen, who placed the first ceremonial bet in North Carolina, shows his receipt during a DraftKings event celebrating the launch of mobile and online sports wagering across the state at the NASCAR Hall of Fame, March 11, 2024, in Charlotte, N.C. The North Carolina official tasked with carrying out the state's new legalized sports wagering law said Wednesday, March 27, that betting from smartphones and desktops got off to a “strong start.” (AP Photo/Erik Verduzco, File) This past year was a big one for the state regarding the business side of sports, particularly the official launch of legalized mobile sports betting back in March. Corresponding with the start of NCAA March Madness, North Carolinians have since wagered over $4 billion, the N.C. State Lottery Commission reports. North Carolina is now the 30th state, along with the District of Columbia, to offer mobile sports betting, according to the American Gaming Association. UNC legends Vince Carter, Walter Davis receive highest honor in basketball with Hall of Fame induction Vince Carter reacts while talking about his mother during his enshrinement in the Basketball Hall of Fame, Sunday Oct. 13, 2024, in Springfield, Mass. (AP Photo/Jessica Hill) A pair of former North Carolina Tar Heels earned spots in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame earlier this year. In October, Vince Carter and Walter Davis were among 13 inductees recognized during an enshrinement ceremony at Symphony Hall in Springfield, Massachusetts – considered the birthplace of basketball. Carter and Davis mark the 13th and 14th Tar Heels to ever be honored at the Naismith Hall of Fame. They are the seventh and eighth former UNC standouts to be primarily elected as players – the most by any college program in the nation. Both are also the ninth and tenth inductees who played under Dean Smith. No other coach has more former players in the Hall of Fame. “I had a great support system. I had veterans and I was willing to ask questions,” Carter said at a news conference on Oct. 12 to discuss his induction into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. “I was willing to ask questions because I wanted to learn.” “Man, it’s been an honor to fly in arenas for your entertainment,” he added. Duke’s Cooper Flagg taking preseason hype in stride Duke's Cooper Flagg (2) celebrates with fans after defeating Auburn in an NCAA college basketball game in Durham, N.C., Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2024. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) Entering the 2024-25 season with lofty expectations as a preseason top 10 team, the Duke men’s basketball team brought in the No. 1 recruiting class in the nation, highlighted by top prospect Cooper Flagg. So far in his first season in Durham, the 6-foot-9 freshman forward has left a significant impression among onlookers, showcasing his versatility on the court. Flagg, widely considered the projected No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, said he’s willing to do anything required of him to lead the Blue Devils to success. “Whatever the read is, whatever the defense is playing, whatever coach needs me to do, that’s the type of player I want to be,” Flagg said. “Just try to do whatever I can to help my team win.” “For me, it’s just about playing basketball,” he added. “I’m excited to get going with our team. We have an incredible group of guys.” UNC, NC State baseball advance to College World Series North Carolina State's Cooper Consiglio (28) shouts after completing an inning against South Carolina in an NCAA regional baseball game on Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Raleigh, N.C. (AP Photo/Ben McKeown) It was certainly a year to remember for the UNC and N.C. State baseball programs in 2024, as both squads punched their respective tickets to the College World Series. The Tar Heels reached college baseball’s biggest stage for the 12th time in school history. Meanwhile, the Wolfpack booked their first trip to Omaha since 2021 and their fourth overall appearance. Each team's pursuit of their first-ever NCAA championship came to an abrupt, disappointing end after UNC and N.C. State were ultimately eliminated in season-ending losses to Florida State and Florida, respectively.