UNC Women's Basketball loses guard to season-ending injury

The injury bug has hit Kayla McPherson once again...

As announced on social media, McPherson will miss the remainder of the 2023-2024 season after sustaining a knee injury that will require surgery. The Hull, Georgia native appeared in seven games (three starts) this season, but has been sidelined since the South Carolina game due to the injury.

North Carolina really didn't provide much information regarding McPherson's status, as she was seen in street clothes on the bench since that contest. During the Tar Heels most recent victory, McPherson was being supported by crutches, which seemed to indicate that her injury was more serious than we hoped it would be.

McPherson sat out the 2021-22 season, her first in Chapel Hill while continuing to rehabilitate an injury that she suffered in high school. She made her UNC women's basketball debut midway through the 2022-23 season, playing in 13 games.

After dealing with a knee issue in the preseason, McPherson missed the team's season opener against Gardner-Webb. She played in the Tar Heels next seven games before being ruled out due to the current knee injury.

This is a tough blow for the UNC women's basketball program, as McPherson has struggled to stay healthy. When she's on the court, McPherson is a true game-changer, as her absence will create a void in the Tar Heels rotation.

In the school's official press release, head coach Courtney Banghart provided the following statement:

"I continue to be amazed and inspired by Kayla's resilience. We are all heartbroken on her behalf as she faces more time away from playing the game she loves and excels at, but her mindset remains so positive. While she attacks this setback, she is determined to impact our team in every way she can. We're a better team with Kayla, even when she is on the sidelines. Our entire program is behind her as she faces this new challenge."

The UNC women's basketball program hopes that McPherson can once again rehab back from this injury while eventually making an impact in Chapel Hill next season and beyond.

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