Terribly sad news this week as NC State has announced the passing of Cozell McQueen, who played a key role on the 1983 national championship team. He was 64 years old.
McQueen was a big personality (and one of the highlights of Survive and Advance) on that team, clearly someone who relished everything about that group and what they accomplished. He is an NC State legend forever. He also gave us the iconic shots like the ones above of him perched on the backboard in The Pit shortly after State won the title.
Few athletes are fortunate enough to do something that stands the test of time, not just at one school or in one town, but across an entire sport. Co and his teammates did, though, and we get to be reminded of it every March, and it doesn’t get old. It’s tough to put into words how meaningful that has been, and will continue to be, for anyone who has grown up on NC State sports over the last 40 years, so I’ll just say thanks.
