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UNC Women’s Basketball: Stephanie Watts returns to program

By Zack Pearson

CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 11: The North Carolina Tar Heels huddle before a game against the Tennessee Lady Vols at Carmichael Arena on November 11, 2013 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Tennessee won 81-65. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images)
CHAPEL HILL, NC - NOVEMBER 11: The North Carolina Tar Heels huddle before a game against the Tennessee Lady Vols at Carmichael Arena on November 11, 2013 in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. Tennessee won 81-65. (Photo by Grant Halverson/Getty Images) /
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The UNC Women’s Basketball program will welcome back a familiar face as Stephanie Watts returns to the program

While the 2020 college basketball offseason has been a unique one all around the country, the North Carolina Women’s basketball program has managed to have a solid past few months recruiting wise.

After landing two commitments in the past month, head coach Courtney Banghart has to feel good about where her program is. And on Monday, she received some more news with a familiar face to the program.

Former North Carolina standout Stephanie Watts announced via Twitter that she is returning to the program for the final year of her eligibility. The program posted this announcement on Monday morning via Twitter:

https://twitter.com/uncwbb/status/1277639441213841408

Watts was a part of North Carolina’s 2015 recruiting class and was ranked as the No. 21 overall prospect by ESPN. She spent three seasons with the program where she won the 2016 Atlantic Coast Conference Rookie of the Year award. In 85 games, starting 82, Watts scored 1,320 points and her 239 3-pointers made ranks her third all-time in program history.

Following her junior year, she announced the decision to transfer out of the program and head to the University of Southern California as a graduate transfer. But after suffering a knee injury four games in, she received one more year of eligibility.

And now she plans on returning to Carolina.

The addition is big for Banghart’s team as they showed some positive signs last season in taking that next step. Now they welcome back a sharpshooter in Watts on the perimeter, adding some scoring to their lineup.

UNC did see Leah Church, Emily Sullivan and Naomi Van Ness transfer as well as Nia Daniel and Lexi Duckett announce their plans to move on as well. But the program does bring in a recruiting class that features five-star guard Deja Kelly and transfer Petra Holešínská.

Next. Tar Heels land five-star recruit. dark

For more on the UNC Women’s Basketball program, please check back with Keeping It Heel.

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