North Carolina II

The name on the shirt has followed the map. The side began in 2002 as Raleigh Elite, in the Premier Development League, now USL League Two. It became the Cary RailHawks U23 in 2007, and a year later, the Cary Clarets. Its home has stayed in Cary, at WakeMed Soccer Park. The stadium seats about 10,000, because it belongs to the senior club, North Carolina FC.

The colours of that parent club, navy blue, gold and cardinal red, are the ones the second team wears. The second team has carried its identity: Carolina RailHawks U-23 in 2011, a National Premier Soccer League entry under the RailHawks name in 2016, North Carolina FC U23 in 2017, and later North Carolina Fusion U23 and North Carolina II.

The Clarets won the Eastern Conference in 2009, the one league honour the side holds, and it came under a name the club dropped two years later. The team has never won a League Two title outright.

Cameron Steele signed with North Carolina FC in 2018. Adam Armour followed in 2019 and later moved to 1. FC Nürnberg in Germany. Jeremy Kelly made his Major League Soccer debut with the Colorado Rapids.

The rivalry with Carolina Core and Charlotte Independence II in the Southeast Division carries over the Carolina Derby between the senior clubs.

The best years came under the RailHawks name. The side took the national under-23 title of the United States Adult Soccer Association in 2011 and again in 2013, and it won the Region III championship in 2011, 2012 and 2013, three years running.