Courtney Banghart concluded this past season by leading her team to a 29-8 record and 13-5 in the ACC. Ironically, Banghart's squad lost to Duke in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, by a score of 47-38.
As it's offseason time, Banghart is bringing in the No. 5-ranked high school class featuring Taliyah Henderson, Nyla Brooks, and Taissa Quieroz as the three new Tar Heels will step onto the parquet this fall.
But the 47-year-old head coach is being proactive in building the program, looking ahead to the 2026 class, as top recruit Jacy Abii has narrowed her list to 10 schools, North Carolina being one of them.
On3's Talia Goodman shared the news on X (formerly Twitter):
Abii is a power forward out of Frisco, Texas, listed as a four-star on 247Sports. In addition to UNC, she holds offers from UCLA, South Carolina, Duke, Notre Dame, and UConn, among many others.
Brandon Clay, 247Sports' Director of Scouting, Women's Basketball, wrote more about her game and development stating:
"Abii's game is continuing to grow and evolve as she matures into her frame. She provided the USA Basketball 17-and-Under roster with frontcourt depth and another talented option capable of controlling the paint. Abii's unique blend of size and mobility should translate well to the international game. She was able to make the impact needed to affect the game defensively and deliver optimal production. Unfortunately, Abii suffered a significant lower leg injury as the summer concluded, which will likely sideline her for the duration of the 2024-25 school season."
This program has seen success over the past couple of years, but not to the standards Banghart is striving for, as 1994 is the last time it won a national championship.
Banghart is entering her seventh season in Chapel Hill, building the program piece by piece to be amongst the best in the sport.