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UNC Basketball: Women’s 2021 recruiting class ranked No. 2 by ESPN

By Blake Cockrum

PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the Princeton Tigers looks on against the Harvard Crimson during the third quarter of an Ivy League semifinal matchup at The Palestra on March 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton won 68-47. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MARCH 11: Head coach Courtney Banghart of the Princeton Tigers looks on against the Harvard Crimson during the third quarter of an Ivy League semifinal matchup at The Palestra on March 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Princeton won 68-47. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images) /
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The UNC women’s basketball program is on the rise thanks to the nation’s No. 2-ranked recruiting class in 2021.

In her first season with the North Carolina women’s basketball program, head coach Courtney Banghart led the Tar Heels to just their second winning campaign over the past five years. Not only that, but she also managed to bring in a terrific freshman class in the fall of 2020 — including McDonald’s All-American Deja Kelly — despite not having a full year to recruit at her new post in Chapel Hill.

Banghart didn’t stop there, either, as she’s continued hitting the recruiting trail at a torrent pace in the months since. In doing so, she secured the nation’s No. 2-ranked recruiting class for the 2021 cycle with four players in the top 20 of the espnW 100.

"“Courtney Banghart signed an eye-opening class in her first go-round in Chapel Hill, and she might have already outdone herself with her second signing class,” ESPN’s Shane Laflin writes. “Key has good ball skills, a strong mid-range jumper and gets on the glass on both ends. No. 17 Kayla McPherson is an explosive guard with deep range from 3. No. 18 Morasha Wiggins has a terrific blend of size and skill, while No. 20 Destiny Adams improved her rebounding and defensive skills over the past year.”"

South Carolina is No. 1 in the nation with four commits that rank inside the espnW 100 top 15. The Gamecocks boast the second, third and fourth-ranked prospects in the nation, as they look to sustain national prominence for years to come. The Connecticut Huskies came in at No. 3 on the list with two recruits that rank inside the top 15.  Texas has a pair of top-10 recruits, and ranks fourth in the nation, while perennial national powerhouse Notre Dame comes in at No. 5.

Stanford, USC, Oregon State, Maryland and Northwestern rank sixth through tenth. Other notable programs in the top 25 are NC State at No. 13, Tennessee at No. 14 and Mississippi State at No. 19. The Duke Blue Devils are not ranked.

Stick with Keeping It Heel for all the latest on the UNC basketball program.

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