Tag: North Carolina Tar Heels Women’s Basketball

UNC a Top 10 basketball program according to Andy Katz

The UNC men’s basketball program catches most of the hoops headlines in Chapel Hill, but the women have played amazing in recent years.

Every good sports program has a bad year, even if it never seems the case.

Last year was a bad year for the UNC men’s basketball team.

The Tar Heels garnered a tremendous amount of preseason hype, largely due to the fact they nearly beat Kansas in the 2022 National Championship game. They returned four of five starters from their title game run, with the lone starting lineup newcomer in Pete Nance.

Preseason Number One? Fitting. Being the first Preseason Number one to miss the Big Dance? Not so fitting.

Carolina’s women fared much better, making their fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament. The Tar Heels nearly upset Ohio State in the second round, but lost on a late Jacy Sheldon make. UNC returns its two best players – guard Deja Kelly and forward Alyssa Utsby.

Carolina won the Women’s NCAA Tourney back in 1994. Could it win a second title this year?

The men have six titles under their belt. Is number seven in store?

With how successful both teams are, college basketball correspondent Andy Katz ranked UNC seventh on his list of Top 10 programs.

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The Tar Heel men kick off their season on Monday, Nov. 6, as they welcome Big South power Radford to the Dean Dome for a 7 p.m. ET tip-off. The women start two days later, hosting the 2023 Big South Champions in Gardner-Webb at the same time.

How will UNC add to its long-standing basketball legacy this year?

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Three UNC Women’s Basketball players earn ACC Preseason Honors

Deja Kelly, Alyssa Utsby and Lexi Donarski are going to be integral to the UNC women’s basketball team’s success this year.

There’s a lot of hype in Chapel Hill right now – it mainly has to do with the upcoming start of basketball season.

A lot of that basketball attention should be focused on the UNC women’s basketball program, who has not one or two – but three players with preseason honors.

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Utsby, both of Carolina’s team captains, were named Preseason All-ACC. Lexi Donarski, the Iowa State transfer, was named to the ACC Newcomer Watch List.

Kelly and Utsby, both seniors, will unfortunately be playing their final year in Chapel Hill. Kelly is the Tar Heels’ leading returning scorer (16.5 points per game), while Utsby returns 13.2 points per game (second-most) and a team-high 233 rebounds from last year (8.3 RPG).

Kelly and Utsby will almost surely give UNC that 1-2 punch that so many teams covet. Kelly’s going to be the primary ball-handler and scorer, whether she decides to spot up from deep or drive the lane, like so many players do nowadays. Utsby will likely be spotting up down low, looking to either clean up a rare Kelly miss or back opponents down for an easy two.

Donarski was ranked as one of the transfer portal’s top players. Not only is she bringing 13.2 points per game with her, but she is also the Big 12’s reigning Defensive Player of the Year. She’ll replace the production of Kennedy Todd-Williams, who transferred to Ole Miss in the offseason.

Fans will get to see the Tar Heels in action shortly, as they host Gardner-Webb in their season-opener on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at 7 p.m. ET.

Former Tar Heel Ivory Latta names Deja Kelly to her Top 5 ACC PG list

Deja Kelly, the UNC women’s basketball team’s star point guard, earned some recognition from Tar Heel royalty. What exactly was it?

Ivory Latta was one of the best college basketball players to come through Chapel Hill.

The Tar Heels made the Final Four twice (05-06, 06-07) during Latta’s four seasons, making the NCAA tournament all four years. Latta is in the ACC record books, ranking sixth in career 3-pointers, fifth in free throw percentage and 15th in 3-point percentage, plus UNC’s all-time points leader with 2,285.

Latta, who laced up her sneaks for the UNC women’s basketball team from 2003-2007, went onto enjoy a successful, 11-year WNBA career with the Detroit and Tulsa Shock, Atlanta Dream and Washington Mystics. Latta appeared in the WNBA Finals during her rookie season, then was later an All-Star in 2013 and 2014.

There’s another star point guard in Chapel Hill who’s the talk of the UNC women’s team – Deja Kelly – who ranks among the best current players in the ACC.

Latta, who is now a college basketball analyst for the ACC Network, ranked Kelly as the ACC’s third-best point guard.

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Kelly, who slots in behind Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles and Virginia Tech’s Georgia Amoore, will try and help the Tar Heels to their fourth-consecutive NCAA Tournament. She was already named to the Nancy Lieberman Award Watch List, annually given to the best point guard in women’s college basketball.

Just how good is Kelly? She earned a spot on the ACC All-Freshman Team in 2020-2021, then spots on the All-ACC Team in each of the past two years. She averaged 15 points per game across the last three seasons, including a team-high 16.5 last year.

With Kelly and Alyssa Utsby both back for 2023-2024, this season is shaping up to be another strong one for the Tar Heels.

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UNC women’s basketball program cracks preseason AP Top 25 poll

The UNC women’s basketball program cracked the first Associated Press Top 25 poll for the preseason.

Courtney Banghart and the North Carolina Tar Heels women’s basketball team is looking to make another run at the NCAA Tournament. After reaching the Sweet 16 two seasons ago, the Tar Heels were bounced earlier last season with a loss to Ohio State.

But this year, the expectations are even higher to make another run and they will start the season as a ranked program.

The preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll has officially been released and the Tar Heels cracked the Top 20. UNC checks in at No. 16 overall in the first poll of the season.

North Carolina is the third highest-ranked ACC program to appear in the poll, trailing No. 8 Virginia Tech and No. 10 Notre Dame for the first poll of the season.

UNC will open the season on November 8th as they host Gardner Webb. From there, they will host Davidson, Hampton, and Elon before playing a road game.

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UNC women’s basketball squad hoping transfer portal helps this season

Iowa State transfer Lexi Donarski and Boston College transfer Maria Gakdeng both bring talent and experience to the UNC women’s hoops team.

UNC’s men’s basketball team might get a majority of the hoops attention at the school, but don’t overlook the uber-talented women’s squad.

After not making a single NCAA Tournament from 2016-2018, the Tar Heels have made the last four, including a trip to the second round last year against Ohio State.

Carolina should have another strong campaign this upcoming season, with team captains Deja Kelly and Alyssa Ustby headlining the returners. The Tar Heels also experienced what seemingly every team faces nowadays – loss of players to the transfer portal, headlined by the loss of Kennedy Todd-Williams.

What Carolina lost in Todd-Williams, they gained in Lexi Donarski and Maria Gakdeng.

Donarski, the Iowa State grad transfer, is ranked sixth on the ESPN Women’s Hoops’ Top 35 most impactful transfers list. The reigning Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year, who also averaged 13.2 points per game, will likely slot into Todd-Williams’ starting spot.

“A Cyclones mainstay is moving east after 95 starts, 13.2 points and 3.2 rebounds per game, plus a 2022 Big 12 Defensive Player of the Year,” ESPN said about Donarski. “Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart will lean heavily on that level of experience, and her backcourt, with Donarski joining Deja Kelly, has started 182 combined college games. Donarski’s 12.1 PPG last season was a career low, but if she recaptures the 41.1% 3-point shooting she had as a freshman, it will go a long way toward UNC replacing the production of graduate Eva Hodgson (41.7% on 3-point shooting).

Gakdeng will likely finish up her college career in Chapel Hill, as she is entering Junior year. Gakdeng, the 6’3″ forward/center and former McDonalds All-American, was named to the All-ACC Freshman Team in 2022. Her 1.8 blocks per game ranked third in the ACC last year.

“Gakdeng was one of the league’s best interior defenders immediately upon her arrival in the ACC,” ESPN said about Gakdeng. “Now she will just be protecting the rim in Chapel Hill instead of Chestnut Hill. The Tar Heels were already the fourth-stingiest defense in the conference. Now with Donarski and Gakdeng, they should be even tougher to score against. Gakdeng’s 1.8 blocks per game ranked third in the ACC, and her 11.3 points per game were second on the Eagles.”

It’ll be exciting to see how the two new transfers mesh with the rest of UNC’s starting lineup. Fans will get their first taste at the new-look Tar Heel squad on Wednesday, Nov. 8, as Carolina welcomes Gardner-Webb to Carmichael Arena.

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UNC women’s basketball schedule now complete

The UNC women’s basketball team can begin making final preparations for its season, as its ACC schedule was announced on Tuesday.

It was a tough ending last year for the UNC women’s basketball team, which came seconds away from an upset of Ohio State in the NCAA Tournament.

The Tar Heels were one of seven ACC schools to reach double-digits in conference wins, along with Miami, Louisville, Florida State, Duke, Virginia Tech and Notre Dame. UNC was one of eight to make the Big Dance.

Deja Kelly and Alyssa Utsby headline this year’s roster, which has a young look with seven underclassmen.

Carolina can now officially begin make game preparations, as its ACC schedule was released on Tuesday.

UNC opens up its season against Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, Nov. 8 at Carmichael Arena. The Tar Heels stay at home through Thanksgiving Break, when they head to Florida for the Gulf Coast Showcase.

After concluding its non-conference schedule with a neutral-site matchup against Oklahoma in the Tuesday, Dec. 19 Jumpman Invitational, Carolina hosts Clemson at noon on New Years’ Eve to open up ACC play. The Tar Heels play an even nine conference games at home and on the road, concluding with a visit from archrival Duke on Sunday, March 3.

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UNC women’s basketball team reveals non-conference slate

The UNC women’s basketball team’s non-conference schedule includes a slew of powerful opponents, most notably South Carolina and UConn.

Though it’s still a couple months away, college basketball season will be here before everyone knows it.

Teams are starting to find out some of their opponents and game dates. UNC’s women’s basketball squad happens to be one of those teams. Days after finding out they’d be playing in the Clean Simple Eats Gulf Coast Showcase over Thanksgiving weekend, the Heels now have the entire list of their non-conference opponents.

Carolina starts off by hosting reigning Big South champion Gardner-Webb on Wednesday, Nov. 8. They’ll host Davidson four days later, Hampton University on Nov. 15 and Elon on Saturday, Nov. 18.

After the Thanksgiving weekend tournament, the Heels return to Chapel Hill on Thursday, Nov. 30 and host South Carolina, arguably the best current program in women’s college basketball.

Rounding out UNC’s non-conference schedule are a home contest against UNC-Greensboro on Wednesday, Dec. 6, a road clash with national power UConn in the Hall of Fame Women’s showcase four days later, Western Carolina at home on Dec. 15 and Oklahoma in Charlotte’s (city, not the school) Jumpman Classic on Dec. 19.

By the time ACC play rolls around, UNC will certainly be battle-tested. They face the 2022 national champions in South Carolina and 11-time champions in UConn.

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Courtney Banghart starts her journey as president of WBCA

North Carolina women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart starts her journey as Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) president.

North Carolina women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart has cranked up her two-year term as Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) president.

Banghart started her tenure by presiding over her first in-person board meeting. Banghart continues to put her Tar Heel stamp on women’s basketball, working her way up the leadership ladder after spending two years as the Vice President of the WBCA.

In a press release done by Go Heels, Banghart explains what the honor means to her to represent women collegiate basketball coaches.

“The sport of women’s basketball is at such an exciting time,” Banghart said. “Serving our organization in this capacity is both an honor and a responsibility, and it will get my best. I look forward to working with our coaches to ensure this inflection point for our sport is fully realized.”

Women’s basketball continues to grow, with more eyes on the product than ever before. Last season, the LSU vs. Iowa NCAA championship game set a new viewership record (9.9 million), a 103% increase in viewership from a year prior to the South Carolina vs. UConn game (4.85 million).

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North Carolina women’s basketball adds Andrew Graber to staff

The North Carolina women’s basketball team named Andrew Graber the new Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

The North Carolina women’s basketball program named Andrew Graber the new Head Strength and Conditioning Coach.

Graber has been a program member, working as support staff for the last two seasons. In a press release by Go Heels, UNC women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart explained what it meant to have Graber transition into the head strength and conditioning coach.

“I’m proud of our program and the women in it that we were able to attract such a talented applicant pool,” Banghart said. “Sport science is the future of athletic performance training and Andrew is so versed in the software and the application of it. He has a national championship as a lead strength coach, and he has run the sport science programming for numerous sports teams. He will help with feedback – and feeding forward – as we develop our daily, weekly and monthly plans together to put our student-athletes in the best possible position for success.

UNC went 22-11 last season, dominating at home with a 13-2 record in Carmichael Arena. The season ended in a heart-wrenching defeat to Ohio State, losing 71-69 in round two of the NCAA tournament.

This upcoming season is expected to be fruitful, especially with some of the games already announced, like the showdown on November 30th against South Carolina.

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Tar Heels name Liz Roberts as new special assistant for the women’s basketball team

The North Carolina women’s basketball team name Liz Roberts as the new general manager / special assistant to Courtney Banghart.

Former UNC women’s basketball player [autotag]Liz Roberts[/autotag] will be sticking around Chapel Hill as it was announced she was named the general manager / special assistant to Courtney Banghart.

The announcement came last week, with the program taking to social media to share with fans the exciting news. For the last two years, Roberts was the director of recruiting management and student-athlete engagement for the team, gaining significant experience after her playing days.
Roberts played at UNC from 2016 to 2020 and was named to the ACC Academic Honor Roll in her first three years.

The Tar Heels has started to pick up significant buzz as Banghart continues to shape the culture of Carmichael Arena. This upcoming season UNC has already landed on some top 10 lists, with plenty believing the Tar Heels can make some noise this year.

After a strong off-season of recruiting, UNC will be in a good spot for the next few years.

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