Despite growing up in eastern Tennessee, just miles from Knoxville, “Rocky Top” was never sung in the household of identical twin sisters Beth Ryan Winstead and Etta Ryan Clark. The children of two Carolina alumni who met during their time in school – their mother Lucille was a cheerleader, and their father Frederick, better known by his nickname “Rip,” played baseball – the only college fight song they remember hearing in their household was “Here Comes Carolina.”

“We lived right down the road from Knoxville, and it’s almost like the University of Tennessee didn’t exist,” recalled Etta. “Any time we watched basketball or baseball, it was always ‘Here Comes Carolina-lina, Here Comes Carolina-lina.’”

For those familiar with the Carolina Baseball record book, you’re likely aware of the name “Rip” Ryan. A 1949 All-America at shortstop who still holds the Tar Heel record for triples in a season with eight, Ryan came to Chapel Hill following military service as a Marine Corps Dive Bomber during World War II.

“At Carolina, I think what he found was a true recognition of his talent, but also personal growth,” said Beth. “Coach [Walter] Rabb became an endearing friend for life. I remember him always taking a genuine interest in my dad and his career, following up with him over the years.”

While neither Beth nor Etta attended the University of North Carolina (though the Ryan legacy at Carolina was carried on by their sister Bridget Ryan Baird and brother Tim Ryan), following their parents’ respective passings, they were inspired to give back to the place that gave their parents so much. As such, they endowed the Lucille & Frederick “Rip” Ryan Scholarship, which is designated to go to a student-athlete participating in baseball.

“Mom and Dad always valued education,” said Etta. “They were both educators. My parents always instilled in us that you can do anything you want to do, and education is the key that opens that door. When we look back at the memories of our parents, we remembered when they would talk about their time in Chapel Hill. It was incredibly important to them – who they were as people, the social-related piece of it, the sports-related piece, but especially the educational side of it.”

“We wanted to reflect their legacy and what they meant to us as parents,” she continued. “We love them dearly and we wanted to reflect our love for them in a way that was meaningful. Carolina was meaningful to them, but also meaningful to us because we shared in those memories.”

The memories that began with Coach Rabb are now continuing with the current coaching staff and student-athletes who are recipients of the scholarship that bears their parents’ names.

“Coach Forbes has been fantastic,” Etta said. “He’s been nothing but a great person to understand, to reach out to, to recognize the historical and personal interest that we have in the program. We’re actually going to a game later this season, and they’re going to give us a tour of the facility and we’ll meet the scholarship recipients. They’re just so welcoming and appreciative, and just make you feel like family.”