Now entering her eighth year as head coach of the UNC women's basketball team, Courtney Banghart quickly proved she knows how to recruit the best talent.
Banghart added a crucial piece to North Carolina's 2027-28 roster, landing a commitment from Top-10 player Micah Ojo. Lanie Grant, the 2024 Gatorade Virginia Girls' Basketball Player of the Year, spent her first two collegiate seasons Chapel Hill before transferring to TCU.
The greatest recruiting victory of Banghart's coaching career, though, was landing class of 2026 top overall player Kate Harpring. On Saturday, Harpring showed exactly how crucial she'll be to the Tar Heels' success this season.
In a 72-68 exhibition loss at Maryland, Harpring exploded to lead all players with 29 points. Adding
six rebounds, four assists, three steals and one block across a game-high 37 minutes, Harpring showed her immense value outside of the scoring department.
Harpring made her collegiate debut in Carmichael Arena on October 18, scoring 17 points, grabbing eight rebounds and stealing the ball twice in UNC's 76-66 exhibition win over Davidson. The reigning national, high school player of the year and Georgia Girls' Gatorade Player of the Year, Harpring is her home state's all-time leading scorer with 3,435 points.
Kate Harpring vs Maryland
— ✶ (@whydoyoupretend) October 24, 2026
• 29 points
• 6 rebounds
• 4 assists
• 3 steals & 1 block
• 60% TS pic.twitter.com/hHvSewFQ6N
North Carolina will rely heavily on Harpring for scoring this fall, with its top four scorers from 2026's Sweet 16 run gone. The Tar Heels return Reniya Kelly and several others from last season, while landing Oklahoma State transfer Achol Akot, so Harpring won't be alone in the scoring department.
Your next chance to watch Harpring shine comes Monday, November 2, when UNC opens its regular season against Oklahoma in Paris (France). Is the star freshman what North Carolina needs to reach that next level?
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This article originally appeared on Tar Heels Wire: UNC WBB freshman showcases superstar potential in Saturday exhibition
