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UNC Basketball: Sylvia Hatchell gets win No. 1000

By Brandon Griffin

CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 08: Coach Sylvia Hatchell of the North Carolina Tar Heels calls instructions against the Duke University Blue Devils during their game February 8, 2007 at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - FEBRUARY 08: Coach Sylvia Hatchell of the North Carolina Tar Heels calls instructions against the Duke University Blue Devils during their game February 8, 2007 at Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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Sylvia Hatchell became the fourth ever coach to reach the 1000 win milestone when the Tar Heels won on Tuesday afternoon.

The North Carolina Tar Heels Women’s basketball team defeated Grambling State 79-63 on Tuesday afternoon in what was a milestone day.

The victory was not all that surprising as the Tigers were 3-5 coming into this game while the Tar Heels were 9-2.

No, the interesting thing is what the win meant for long time Coach Sylvia Hatchell.

With the win, Hatchell became just the fourth ever Division I coach to win 1,000 games. Hatchell now joins the ranks of Pat Summitt, Tara VanDerveer, and Mike Krzyzewski.

It also ranks the UNC coach third overall in career wins in women’s college basketball, though that honor probably won’t last long as Geno Auriemma is only one game behind her and if you know anything about women’s basketball, he will soon pass her.

Nonetheless, this is a great achievement for a coach who brought the first women’s NCAA title to the ACC back in 1994.

She has constantly produced great teams and survived both cancer and the blunt of the NCAA scandal that seemed intent on destroying her program.

Tuesday’s win was her 728th win at UNC where she has won 71 percent of her games as a head coach.

The 1000th win was in question early as the Tar Heels took a five-point lead into halftime. However that became a 12 point lead after three-quarters and Hatchell got the win.

Before coming to Chapel Hill, Hatchell was the head coach at Francis Marion where she won 77 percent of her games as well as an NAIA and AIAW titles as well.

In addition to the National Championship in 1994, she has been to the NCAA tournament 22 times, reaching the Sweet Sixteen 14 times, the Elite Eight seven times, and the Final Four three times.

Hatchell has won National Coach of the year twice and ACC coach of the year three times. She was also an assistant coach on 1988 Olympic team that took home the gold.

In 2004, Hatchell was inducted into the Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013. She will also go down as one of the greatest coaches at UNC, which is an honor in itself.

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