All Tar Heels

Commitment Date Set For Four-Star UNC Target

North Carolina will be paying close attention when this four-star center reveals her decision.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Chamiah Francis (25) passes the ball up court on a fast break during the ED White vs Washington girls 5A regional quarterfinals basketball game at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024.
Chamiah Francis (25) passes the ball up court on a fast break during the ED White vs Washington girls 5A regional quarterfinals basketball game at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola on Wednesday, Feb. 14, 2024. | Gregg Pachkowski / gregg@pnj.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

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North Carolina Tar Heels

Chamiah Francis, the No. 61 recruit in the Class of 2026, has announced her commitment date. October 31 will be the date when North Carolina learns if the four-star center will be joining Kate Harping on the Tar Heels.

UNC head coach Courtney Banghart hasn't necessarily put together the largest quantity of recruits, but her quality-first approach has been effective.

After landing Harping, the No. 1 player in the Class of '26, she knows that her class is already off to a great start. To further put UNC ahead of the pack, she also needs to land a player like Francis.

Francis's Top 7

At the end of the day, UNC has a one in seven shot to land Francis. Recruiting doesn't work like that, though, as it's far from the 14% chance on paper. Relationships matter, and Francis knows she wants to be part of an environment that not only has a winning culture but feels like family.

Alabama, Miami, UNC, Ole Miss, Duke, Florida State, and LSU make up Francis's Top 7. She wisely chose to keep two Florida schools in her final group, a decision that comes as no surprise, knowing Francis is a Florida native.

She's been dominant at Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, so she could easily choose to remain in her home state.

Harping attends Marist School in Atlanta, GA, so it proves that Banghart isn't only recruiting players in her state. For her to land a top player like Harping, it goes to show just how much work she's putting in to bring this team to the next level. Should Francis choose to attend a school in her home state, it proved to be a battle that Banghart was never winning in the first place.

UNC Continues To Climb Up The Ranks

Last year marked Banghart's fifth straight tournament appearance with the Tar Heels. She's been with the program since the 2019-20 season, coming over after putting up a .711 winning percentage in 12 seasons at Princeton.

The jump from an Ivy League school to the ACC is no joke, but Banghart handled it gracefully. She's continued to build up the Tar Heels and get them to a similar level as the men's team. Last season, Banghart won 29 games at UNC, the most in her six-year tenure. Her 29-8 record proved that North Carolina isn't going anywhere, and she'd love to have Francis join them as a key part of their future.

Mar 20, 2025; Milwaukee, WI, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Hubert Davis speaks at press conference during NCAA Tournament First Round Practice at Fiserv Forum. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images | Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

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Jordon Lawrenz
JORDON LAWRENZ

Jordon Lawrenz serves as the Eastern United States College Recruiting beat writer On SI. Jordon is an accomplished writer covering the NFL, MLB, and college football/basketball. He has contributed to PFSN’s and Heavy’s NFL coverage. Having graduated from the University of Wisconsin - Green Bay with a Sports Communication and Journalism degree, Jordon fully embraced the sports writing lifestyle upon his relocation to Florida.