Jackie Manuel Joins UNC Women's Basketball Staff
Courtney Banghart is brewing something incredibly special in Chapel Hill, and it's just her second season.
In Banghart's first year as Head Coach resulted in a 16-14 record. Early in the season, the Heels went 16-6, before a seven-game losing streak ended their high. The Heels lost in the first round of the ACC Tournament to Wake Forest. Though the season ended tough, the girls defeated top-10 N.C. State, handing the Wolfpack their first loss of the season.
Banghart is looking to lock in her second year with incoming freshmen, five-star Deja Kelly, Anya Poole, four-star Alexandra Zelaya, and three-stars Kennedy Todd-Williams, and Alyssa Ustby. It's not just players with a list of accomplishments from Carrie Moore, Joanne Aluka-White, Jessica Imhof, and Adrian Walters. These all-stars have set records and played in the Olympics. She's raising the bar.
The head coach has now announced that a former Tar Heel and National Champion will be joining her crew, Jackie Manuel. He will be joining as the Director of Player Personnel, Development, and Recruiting Operations.
"Carolina has a special place in my heart, and the opportunity to return home to Chapel Hill is a dream come true for my entire family," Manuel said. "Coach Banghart is an incredible coach, and even better person, who is very passionate and driven to make UNC women's basketball one of the country's best programs. I am excited to have the chance to learn from her and the entire staff while helping Carolina women's basketball in any way that I can. To me, it is all about the Carolina family."
A Tar Heel men's basketball national champion is returning to UNC as a member of the women's basketball staff. Carolina head coach announced Wednesday that Jackie Manuel, a tri-captain on UNC's 2005 NCAA Championship team, will join her staff as Director of Player Personnel, Development, and Recruiting Operations.
Manuel is no stranger to North Carolina, beginning his time as a tri-captain for Carolina Men's basketball under Roy Williams. He followed his Carolina roots to multiple positions, UNC-G with Wes Miller and, most recently, an assistant coach at UNC-Wilmington where he served for three years.
Banghart adding Manuel seems to be her final missing piece,
"Jackie brings experience, competitiveness, talent, passion, selflessness, and positive enthusiasm for his return to Chapel Hill. His experience playing the game at the highest level, his genuine love for Carolina, his desire to serve this program, and his experience as a collegiate coach will fit perfectly with our already talented staff."
A congratulations wouldn't be complete without a message from his former coach,
"He will do a tremendous job, just as he did as a player and captain of our national championship team and in his previous stops as an assistant coach." Roy Williams stated, "He knows what it takes to build a championship team and will help Coach Banghart and her staff as they work towards that ultimate goal."
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