UNC, Coach Banghart Agree to Extension
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart, who has led the Tar Heels to the NCAA Tournament in each of the past three years, has signed a five-year contract extension with the University of North Carolina. The new contract runs through the 2027-28 season.
“When we conducted our coaching search four years ago, we were convinced that Coach Banghart was the right leader for our program — and I feel even more strongly about that now,” UNC Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said. “She is passionate about teaching student-athletes how to win on and off the court, has embraced the Carolina community, and has worked tirelessly to propel our women’s basketball program to back to the nation’s top echelon. We are pleased that she’ll be our coach for years to come.”
Banghart is headed into her fifth season as coach of the Tar Heels. She has led the team to the first round of the NCAA Tournament in 2021 and the Sweet 16 in 2022. In 2023, Carolina advanced to the second-round of play by notching the 50th NCAA Tournament win in program history.
UNC earned six AP Top 25 wins in 2022-23 – the most in a single season since 2014-15 – and finished the year 22-11. The Tar Heels were ranked throughout the season and climbed as high as No. 6 in the Associated Press poll, the program’s best in nearly a decade.
The Tar Heels have topped 20 wins in each of the past two seasons, giving the team the first back-to-back 20-win seasons since UNC won 20+ for five years in a row from 2011-15. Carolina also has posted double-digit ACC wins in back-to-back years for the first time since doing so three years in a row 2013-15.
Excitement surrounding the program has led to a sharp increase in attendance at Carmichael Arena. The 2022-23 season saw a 44-percent climb in average attendance, including the largest student section crowds in program history.
“Being the head coach at the University of North Carolina is both a tremendous honor and an enormous responsibility,” Banghart said. “As we say in our program, success requires that we are ‘Strong on our Own, and ultimately, Best Together.’ This entire community embodies this concept and I’m in gratitude to my staff, to Bubba and his staff, to our donors, and to the other head coaches here, who have been such great teammates on this journey. I also want to thank Chancellor Guskiewicz and the Board of Trustees for the opportunity to represent this University.
“We have made significant progress in bringing Carolina back into the national spotlight: Carmichael is rocking, we are recruiting the best of the best, and we’ve solidified a strong foundation amidst the changing landscape. That said, my family and I are eager for more. This community has totally wrapped its arms around us, and you will continue to get our best as we stay locked in to the pursuit of our next National Championship.”
Including her 12 seasons at Princeton, Banghart has led teams to 11 NCAA Tournament berths in 16 seasons as a head coach.