With Scotty McCreery’s appearance in next week’s American Idol Semifinals, the Raleigh area has, once again, found itself as a factor in a national Springtime competition. Given all of the hoopla surrounding Duke’s lofty ranking for most of the basketball season, and with UNC’s genesis once Larry Drew II mercifully withdrew from school, it looked like this area would once again celebrate another Final Four event. However this year it’s the world’s most famous Garnerian that has captivated us.

Over the past 50 years, the area has had a local competitor in a large-scale national event during 36 of the past 50 Springs, and 22 of the past 24. The only down years since 1962 have been 1962*, 1965, 1970, 1971, 1973, 1975, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984, 1985, 1987, 1996, and 2007.

Click after the break for the detailed events per year since 1962

• 1962: *Wake Forest in Final Four (6-yrs after their move from the town of Wake Forest)
• 1963: Duke in the Final Four
• 1964: Duke in the Final Four
• 1966: Duke in the Final Four
• 1967: UNC in the Final Four
• 1968: UNC in the Final Four
• 1969: UNC in the Final Four
• 1972: UNC in the Final Four
• 1974: NCSU National Champions
• 1977: UNC in Championship Game
• 1978: Duke in Championship Game
• 1981: UNC in Championship Game
• 1982: UNC National Champions
• 1983: NCSU National Champions
• 1986: Duke in Final Four
• 1988: Duke in the Final Four
• 1989: Duke in the Final Four
• 1990: Duke in Championship Game
• 1991: UNC and Duke in the Final Four, Duke National Champions
• 1992: Duke National Champions
• 1993: UNC National Champions
• 1994: Duke in Championship Game, UNC Women National Champions
• 1995: UNC in the Final Four
• 1997: UNC in the Final Four
• 1998: UNC in the Final Four
• 1999: Duke in Championship Game
• 2000: UNC in the Final Four
• 2001: Duke National Champions
• 2002: Carolina Hurricanes in the Stanley Cup Finals
• 2003: Clay Aiken in American Idol Finals
• 2004: Duke in the Final Four, High Point’s Fantasia Barrino wins American Idol
• 2005: UNC National Champions
• 2006: Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup Champions
• 2008: UNC in Final Four, Kristi Yamaguchi wins Dancing With The Stars
• 2009: UNC National Champions, Carolina Hurricanes in Stanley Cup Final Four
• 2010: Duke National Champions
• 2011: Scotty McCreery in American Idol Semifinals