All Tar Heels

Courtney Banghart Fails To Land Two Of UNC’s Top Targets

Halloween was not kind to North Carolina as Courtney Banghart struck out on a pair of top targets.
Jordon Lawrenz|
Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images
Oct 9, 2024; Charlotte, NC, USA; North Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart during ACC Media Days at The Hilton Charlotte Uptown. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images | Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

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North Carolina Tar Heels

After landing Kate Harping back in August, North Carolina women's basketball head coach Courtney Banghart has struck out left and right. There's no doubt that Harping is going to be a massive difference maker, but it's important to remember that center Noelle Bofia is on her way as well.

Bofia was Banghart's first commitment in the Class of 2026. She's put together a solid foundation, but recently learned that she struck out on a pair of her top recruits.

Chamiah Francis - Florida State

When it came to Francis, the Tar Heels knew this was going to be a tough battle. Francis was yet another Top 100 player, but Banghart was tasked with competing against Alabama, Miami, Ole Miss, Duke, Florida State, and LSU.

The battle did not go their way as Francis chose the Seminoles. Seeing as the 6'2'' small forward is a Florida native, this is a battle that UNC never truly had a chance to win, "I also really want it to be family oriented," she had previously told Rivals.

Currently, Francis plays for Booker T. Washington High School in Pensacola, FL. Harping might not be a true small forward, but UNC already having the 5'10'' No. 4 ranked player makes losing out on Francis a bit easier to process.

Olivia Jones - Vanderbilt

In the end, Jones chose to head to Nashville over Miami, Tennessee, Notre Dame, and UNC. The Tar Heels knew they had their work cut out for them in this battle, but it was yet another battle they were in until the very end.

Jones, a 5'11'' guard, was the No. 14 recruit in the SC Next Top 100. Surprisingly, she's the Commodores' first five-star recruit since Mikayla Blakes in the Class of 2024.

"I believe Coach Ralph and the Vanderbilt staff can prepare me to one day fulfill my dreams of becoming a professional athlete," Jones told ESPN. "Their staff is amazing and as I continued to get to know them more and more, I knew it was the place I needed to be."

The Hunt For Addison Bjorn

On September 1, UNC completed their official visit with 6'2'' five-star small forward Addison Bjorn. Bjorn is one of the top players in the Class of 2026, and she continues to have her eyes on the Tar Heels.

Iowa is doing everything in their power to bring her in, but Banghart knows that landing a commitment from Bjorn would cancel out all of the other top targets she's missed out on this class.

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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.