kuester played four seasons with the unc tar heels under head coach dean smith, for whom he won two acc championships and helped reach the ncaa tournament four times, including an appearance in the 1977 ncaa finals, in which they lost to marquette 67–59. in both his junior and senior year (1976 and 1977), kuester was voted unc's best defensive player. also in his senior year, as was voted most valuable player of the acc tournament and the ncaa east regionals.