Central Cabarrus Vikings

Central's athletic teams are known as the Vikings. In 2009, after eight years in the 4A classification of the North Carolina High School Athletic Association (NCHSAA), Central moved back to the 3A classification, where they had been placed prior to 2001. The school sponsors cross country, football, wrestling, soccer, basketball, swimming, volleyball, softball, men's and women's tennis, track and field, and cheerleading.

Central historically, is arguably the most successful athletic program of the six high schools in Cabarrus County. Most visible of all athletic programs is the school's softball team, which has won five state championships (3A classification in 1993, 2000, and 2001; 4A classification in 2004 and 2005). A May 2006 loss to North Davidson in the 4A softball playoffs broke the Lady Vikings' win streak of 83 games. The 2006 season ended with the softball team ranked 2nd in the nation after several weeks at the number one spot according to the NFCA poll. In addition to softball, Central's boys basketball team has reared numerous college prospects and won the 3A state championship in 2000. The men's tennis team has gone from not having a team in 2003 to making the state playoffs amazingly in 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2017. They also had a doubles team in the State Championship each of those years (2004: Shoaf/Keller; 2005, 2006, 2007: Warber/Warber). The girls tennis team won the MECA-6 conference in the fall of 2006 and made the state playoffs for the second year in a row. The baseball program has made the state playoffs the last ten years. The volleyball team has also consistently made the state playoffs each year. The cheerleading squad, which is co-ed, has won numerous State and National Championships.