By R.L. Bynum
North Carolina’s women’s basketball team will head to Walt Disney World for a pair of games the week before Thanksgiving.
The Tar Heels will go to Orlando for the WBCA Showcase at the ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex, where they will square off against two teams that made the NCAA tournament last season: Texas Tech and Alabama.
Carolina opens its Florida stay against the Red Raiders at 6 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 19, at 6 p.m. in the first meeting between the programs. The Tar Heels then close out the trip on Saturday, Nov. 21, against the Crimson Tide at 5 p.m., which will be the 12th all-time meeting between the programs but the first since Alabama won 80–71 in the first round of the 2021 NCAA tournament. UNC leads the all-time series 6–5.
Texas Tech went 26–8 last season, losing to No. 2 LSU 101–47 in the first round of the NCAA tournament. Alabama went 24–11, losing 69–68 to Louisville in the second round.
Television designations for the WBCA Showcase will be announced at a later date.
UNC opens the season in Paris on Nov. 2 against Oklahoma.
Coach Courtney Banghart’s program comes off back-to-back Sweet 16 runs, with three regional semifinal appearances in the last five seasons.
Eight players from last season’s roster are returning, and they will be joined by six newcomers — four transfers and two freshmen.
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(UNC is one below the 15-player limit)
| Year | No. | Players | Pos. | Height | |
| Freshman | 11 | Kate Harpring | PG | 5–10 | |
| Freshman | 52 | Noelle Bofia | F | 6–4 | |
| Sophomore | 3 | Gabby White — W | G | 5–10 | |
| Sophomore | 7 | Nyla Brooks | W | 6–1 | |
| Sophomore | 26 | Taissa Queiroz | G | 6–1 | |
| Junior | 34 | Blanca Thomas | C | 6–5 | |
| Junior | 1 | Jordan Zubich | G | 5–11 | |
| RS junior | 21 | Ciera Toomey | F | 6–4 | |
| RS junior | 4 | Laila Hull | W | 6–1 | |
| Senior | 5 | Sophie Burrows — X | G | 6–2 | |
| Senior | 8 | Achol Akot — Y | F | 6–1 | |
| Senior | 10 | Reniya Kelly | G | 5–7 | |
| Senior | 15 | Sydney Barker | G | 5–6 | |
| Graduate | 13 | Chloe Clardy — Z | G | 5–9 |
W — Virginia transfer; X — Syracuse transfer; Y — Oklahoma State transfer; Z — Stanford transfer
Former players who entered transfer portal
| Player | Class next season | Pos. | Hgt | Next school |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elina Aarnisalo | Junior | G | 5–10 | UCLA |
| Lanie Grant | Junior | G | 5–9 | TCU |
| Taliyah Henderson | Sophomore | W | 6–1 | Clemson |
| Liza Astakhova | Sophomore | G | 6–2 | BYU |
Photo courtesy of the ACC
