SONC

Special Olympics North Carolina

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USA Games

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Every four years, Special Olympics holds a national competition for Special Olympics athletes across the United States.
The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games will be held June 20-26, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

In advance of each USA Games, Special Olympics North Carolina athletes, Unified partners (individuals without intellectual disabilities) and coaches are selected to comprise the Special Olympics North Carolina delegation.

Special Olympics North Carolina uses the advancement criteria set forth by Special Olympics, Inc. to select the athletes who are a part of Team SONC.  Gold medal winners from all ability level divisions will be put into a random drawing in order to be selected for participation in the Games.

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TEAM SONC STORIES AND NEWS

  • 2026 Special Olympics USA Games Team North Carolina results released 

    The 2026 Special Olympics USA Games concluded on June 26 in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis and Saint Paul, Minnesota, ending a week of competition for 3,000 athletes and 1,500 coaches representing all 50 states.   Special Olympics North Carolina’s (SONC) delegation was made up of nearly 70 athletes, Unified partners, coaches and support personnel.  The […]

  • 2026 USA Games: Changing Lives Beyond the Field of Play

    While athletes traveled to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games to compete for medals, many also experienced another kind of victory through Healthy Athletes. Free health screenings gave Team SONC athletes Cameron Edmonds and Joy Coffman life-changing care, proving that the greatest wins aren’t always measured on the podium. Vision for Victory After competing in […]

  • Special Olympics North Carolina athletes to fly to 2026 USA Games aboard nationwide Special Olympics Airlift

    Team Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) will join athletes from across the country in the 2026 Special Olympics Airlift, a nationwide mission led by Textron Aviation that mobilizes the volunteer owners and pilots of Cessna, Beechcraft and Hawker aircraft to transport athletes, unified partners, coaches to the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota’s Twin Cities. […]

  • A State in the Stands: How Fonz Carries North Carolina to the USA Games 

    Fourth installment in the SONC “Carrying North Carolina With Me” series   “Carrying North Carolina With Me” celebrates the deep pride our Special Olympics athletes feel as they represent North Carolina on the national stage. It reflects the countless hours of training, the commitment shown in their local programs, and the determination that has brought them to the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. This […]

  • Cabarrus County law enforcement officer and Davidson County athlete to represent North Carolina in Torch Run relay for 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

    Deputy Kelly Schroeder of the Cabarrus County Sheriff’s Office and Stephanie Wilkerson, a Special Olympics Davidson County athlete, were selected by the Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR) International Executive Council to represent the Law Enforcement Torch Run® for Special Olympics North Carolina (NC LETR) at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games, taking place in Minnesota, […]

  • The Weight of a State: Dean Hall Lifts for North Carolina 

    Third installment in the SONC “Carrying North Carolina With Me” series  “Carrying North Carolina With Me” celebrates the deep pride our Special Olympics athletes feel as they represent North Carolina on the national stage. It reflects the countless hours of training, the commitment shown in their local programs and the determination that has brought them to the 2026 Special Olympics USA […]

  • “Follow Through”: The Art and Power of Rio Byrd

    Second installment in the SONC “Carrying North Carolina With Me” series “Carrying North Carolina With Me” celebrates the deep pride our Special Olympics athletes feel as they represent North Carolina on the national stage. It reflects the countless hours of training, the commitment shown in their local programs and the determination that has brought them to the 2026 Special Olympics USA […]

  • 2026 Jersey Mike’s campaign locations

    For the second time in the 16-year history of Month of Giving, Jersey Mike’s owners and operators nationwide will support a single cause. The company hopes to surpass last year’s record-breaking $30 million raised for charity. Jersey Mike’s Month of Giving has raised more than $143 million for local charities since it began in 2011. […]

  • Team Special Olympics North Carolina announced for the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games

    Special Olympics North Carolina (SONC) is proud to announce the selection of 49 athletes and Unified partners, 14 coaches and nine delegation support personnel to represent the state at the 2026 Special Olympics USA Games. Team SONC will compete in nine sports at the Special Olympics USA Games in Minnesota, June 20-26, according to SONC […]

  • Before the First Serve: The Quiet Work Behind Kara Diachenko’s USA Games Moment

    First installment in the SONC “Carrying North Carolina With Me” series “Carrying North Carolina With Me” celebrates the deep pride our Special Olympics athletes feel as they represent North Carolina on the national stage. It reflects the countless hours of training, the commitment shown in their local programs, and the determination that has brought them […]

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