Carolina baseball’s sidekick hangs up his cleats

Some days at Carolina’s Boshamer Stadium, REMINGTON would hang out with Tar Heel baseball players before practice or a big game. On others, he provided comfort to someone not playing well.

The 11-year-old golden retriever and rehabilitative facility dog is retiring after nine years of supporting the team in a variety of ways, making an impact on Tar Heels on and off the diamond.

He is known for bringing out a bucket of baseballs to the home plate umpire before games and carrying water to umpires between innings, but his main role for the team is inside the baseball facility, helping players through injuries or just when they’re having an off day.

“He can’t change it but he can change their perception or attitude,” said Terri Jo Rucinski, staff athletic trainer for Carolina’s baseball team. “He’s part of the team and it changes the environment having him around.”

Rucinski, who’s been with the team since 2005, applied for a dog through paws4people, a Wilmington-based organization that trains service dogs. REMINGTON had been with the organization since birth and had just traveled to Florida to be in a Super Bowl commercial.

(Submitted photo)

At paws4people, dogs learn manners, build confidence, explore sights, sounds and places, and interact with people to prepare for being out in public. They also learned advanced obedience and skills like retrieval work, turning lights on or off and opening or closing doors.

This set REMINGTON up for his work at Carolina.

REMINGTON also has a special talent — he can smell stress or anxiety.

When he senses those feelings, he “anchors” to people to make them feel safer by turning around and sitting on them so they can pet him. He will visit athletes before a big surgery to calm their nerves.

“He seeks certain people out. If you put him in a crowd of 15 people, he’s going to know the person who’s in the most physical pain or has had a mental health struggle in the last 24 hours,” said Danielle Cockerham, deputy executive of operations at paws4people.

Once Rucinski brought him home, REMINGTON was trained to go to a variety of public places and be on public transportation. He had to learn how to chase baseballs, interact with mascots and fans and not react to loud noises.

“He’s basically my sidekick,” Rucinski said. “Around campus, everybody knows who he is, but they don’t really know who I am. It’s like I’m REMINGTON’S other half. Everywhere we go everyone always says ‘Hi!’ to REMINGTON.”

(Submitted photo)

Jake Knapp ‘24, ‘25 credits REMINGTON and Rucinski for helping him through a difficult time. The former Tar Heel pitcher tore his ulnar collateral ligament before the 2024 season and missed the entire year. REMINGTON was there through his recovery, as Knapp worked his way back to win ACC Pitcher of the Year honors in 2025 and was drafted this past summer by the Chicago Cubs.

“Having Terri Jo and REMINGTON on campus everyday gave me a safe space,” Knapp said. “They helped me a lot through my rehab. He’s always in a great mood no matter what, having that constant source of good energy is amazing.”

REMINGTON has impacted numerous people with his ability to sense anxiety beyond Boshamer Stadium. Rucinski shared two examples that stuck with her.

(Submitted photo)

On REMINGTON’s first flight, a woman arrived late to find someone sitting in her seat. She asked Rucinski if she could sit in the open seat next to her.

Suddenly, REMINGTON crawled towards the woman, then rested his head on her leg for her to pet him. Rucinski asked the woman about her travel plans, and she said, “I was here for my grandmother’s funeral.”

“She told everybody when they were getting off the plane, ‘He knew I needed him,’” said Rucinski.

Another time, Rucinski and REMINGTON accompanied a player to the hospital for an appointment. A woman in the waiting room asked if her daughter, there to have her blood drawn, could pet him.

Then, when the nurse called her back, she asked if REMINGTON could join her. The nurse agreed. “REMINGTON is helping me be brave,” the girl told the nurse as the dog laid his head on her lap.

Four other nurses walked in the room, and they began crying, along with the girl’s mom. Rucinski sat confused.

(Submitted photo)

Turns out, the girl used to cry every time she had her blood drawn, requiring assistance from several nurses to get through the process. This time, she smiled.

REMINGTON joined her at blood draws for the next several years. Rucinski even gave her a stuffed animal REMINGTON, in case there was a time the “real REMINGTON” was unable to make it to her appointment.

REMINGTON has changed numerous lives with his happy presence on and off the field. While he’ll no longer be on the field, his impact will live on.

“If you pet a dog for ten minutes a day, it changes your whole outlook on the day,” said Rucinski. “Dogs are powerful, you don’t know it until you see it. REMINGTON has made such a difference in my life and to see the impact he has had on other people’s lives has truly been a blessing.”

Remington leaves behind nine years of service at Carolina. (Submitted photo)