Carolina already held a commanding 24-14 lead going into the weekend of ACC championships and stretched its lead to 28-17 by picking up three points in men’s golf and one point in overall track.

Since 24.5 points are needed to clinch the Carlyle Cup, the Tar Heels will own the sterling silver an enamel urn throughout the 2002-2003. Duke won the inaugural cup last year by a 27-21 score.

One event remains, the tree-game baseball series at Duke on May 11-13. It is worth three points and, thus, cannot affect the final outcome in the all-sports competition between the two schools.

The Carlyle Cup was one of many highlights in what might have been the greatest weekend in UNC sports history.

On Saturday, Julius Peppers was the second player picked in the NFL draft, followed by Ryan Sims at No. 6. It marked only the second time in the draft’s history that two players from the same ACC school went in the first six picks (FSU did it in 1997).

The UNC baseball team swept its three-game series from rival N.C. State, further enhancing its chances for a bid to the NCAA Tournament.

Carolina also completed a spectacular “double” in tennis, as the women dethroned 14-time defending ACC champion Duke after the men had defeated Georgia Tech for their 25th conference title in school history.

The UNC women last defeated Duke in tennis in 1987 and gave the Blue Devils only their third ACC loss since then. Ironically, the match did not affect the Carlyle Cup standings because Duke had previously defeated Carolina twice this season to earn the three points in women’s tennis.

The Heels did earn three Carlyle Cup points in men’s golf by finishing higher than Duke in the ACC Championships at the Old North State Club. Behind medallist Dustin Bray’s 205 total, Carolina finished fifth with 862 shots over three days. Duke was ninth at 878. Top-ranked Georgia Tech won the ACC title for the second straight year.

In women’s golf, as expected, Duke earned three points in the Carlyle Cup by winning its seventh straight ACC Championship at Clemmons with a two-over par 866 total. UNC finished fifth with 921 shots.

Carolina also claimed its first-ever ACC championship in Women’s lacrosse by holding off Maryland, 11-10, Sunday at Duke. On Friday night, UNC had preserved its three Carlyle Cup points by defeating Duke 12-8 for the second time this season.

The Tar Heels easily picked up one Carlyle Cup point in overall track by winning their second consecutive ACC women’s championship and finishing third in the men’s competition. Duke was last in both meets.