As the UNC women’s basketball team prepares for its third season under head coach Courtney Banghart, Atlantic Coast Conference head coaches have picked the Tar Heels to finish seventh in the conference.
The preseason poll, revealed on Wednesday morning, predicts Carolina will finish behind NC State, Louisville, Georgia Tech, Virginia Tech, Florida State and Notre Dame in the upcoming 2021-22 season. The Blue Ribbon Panel’s poll, crafted from media members and school personnel, also ranks the Tar Heels seventh in the ACC.
This year’s rating represents a change from the fourth and fifth place predictions by the two polls last season, with Banghart’s team ultimately finishing eighth with an 8-9 record in conference play. But the top-half ranking does reflect the young promise of this year’s roster despite losing some veteran players.
One of the players in Banghart’s incoming freshman class, listed as the No. 2 class in the country by ESPN, is wing Teonni Key. The 6-foot-3 Cary native earned recognition in the preseason lists announced Wednesday, with the Blue Ribbon Panel tabbing her on its Newcomer Watch List. Key arrives at UNC listed as the ninth best player in the county’s Class of 2021.
“This is an exciting recognition for Teonni,” Banghart said in a release on Wednesday. “She had a brilliant high school career and is respected as one of the best freshmen in the country.”
Key’s selection marks the second season in a row where the Carolina program has had a first-year player tabbed for the conference’s Newcomer Watch List. UNC sophomore Deja Kelly earned a spot in 2020 before going on to average 11 points per game and a spot on the ACC All-Freshman team.
Alongside Key on the 2021 watch list are NC State sophomore Diamond Johnson and three other freshman: Louisville’s Payton Verhulst, Notre Dame’s Olivia Miles and Notre Dame’s Sonia Citron.
UNC was not included in the Associated Press Top 25 preseason poll, which was released for women’s basketball on Tuesday. The Tar Heels are set to begin their season on Tuesday, November 9 against North Carolina A&T.
To read the full ACC polls for the 2021-22 preseason, visit the conference’s website.
Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees. You can support local journalism and our mission to serve the community. Contribute today – every single dollar matters.
Related Stories
‹
UNC Women's Basketball's Nivar, Harris, Brooks Each Earn All-ACC HonorsUNC’s Nyla Harris, Nyla Brooks and Indya Nivar each earned all-conference recognition from the ACC Tuesday. Harris was the top vote-getter on the second team while Nivar was named to the All-Defensive team and Brooks was named to the All-Freshman team. Brooks also received votes for Sixth Player of the Year. Harris, playing her lone […]
Here's the Complete Bracket for the 2026 ACC Women's Basketball TournamentThe 2026 ACC women’s basketball tournament begins Wednesday at Gas South Arena in Duluth, GA and runs through Sunday. UNC is the No. 3 seed in the field and is seeking its first ACC tournament title since 2008. Duke is the defending tournament champion and the No. 1 seed in this year’s field. Check out […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Up to No. 17, Women Up to No. 16The UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams both rose in the latest editions of the AP Poll, which were released Monday. The men’s team rose one spot to No. 17, while the women’s team rose five spots to No. 16. The No. 17 Tar Heel men won a pair of home games last week, defeating […]
Chansky's Notebook: Bigger ChallengesThe UNC men’s and women’s basketball teams took important steps forward on Saturday and Sunday and have positioned themselves well for March.
UNC Women's Basketball Beats No. 12 Duke in Regular Season FinaleElina Aarnisalo set a new career high with 22 points to help UNC beat No. 12 Duke 74-69 at Carmichael Arena Sunday afternoon in the final game of the regular season. 𝗢𝗨𝗥 𝗛𝗢𝗨𝗦𝗘. FIVE straight wins at home vs. Duke!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/Pz3oaTySbQ — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) March 1, 2026 The Tar Heels overcame […]
UNC Women's Basketball vs. Duke (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off TimeUNC will wrap up the regular season Sunday when it hosts No. 12 Duke at Carmichael Arena. The Tar Heels are looking to avenge a 72-68 loss to the Blue Devils in Durham on Feb. 15. If you aren’t attending the game in person, here’s how you can follow along at home: Broadcast Schedule Those […]
UNC Women's Basketball Beats Virginia, Clinches ACC Tournament Double ByeUNC made a program-record 16 three-pointers and shot 58 percent from the field in an 82-70 win at Virginia Thursday night. The victory clinches a double bye to the quarterfinal round of next week’s ACC Tournament for Carolina. It’s just the second time the Tar Heels have earned a double bye under head coach Courtney […]
UNC Basketball in the AP Poll: Men Drop to No. 18, Women Rise to No. 21The UNC men’s basketball team dropped two spots to No. 18 in the latest AP Poll, while the women’s team rose one spot to No. 21. Both polls were released Monday. The men’s team split its pair of games during the past week. The Tar Heels lost badly at NC State Tuesday night in Raleigh, […]
UNC Women's Basketball Uses Big 2nd Quarter to Beat Pitt in Chapel HillUNC scored 30 points in the second quarter to flip Sunday’s game against Pitt in Chapel Hill, and the Tar Heels continued piling on after halftime in a 78-50 win. Make that 𝙏𝙒𝙀𝙇𝙑𝙀 ACC Wins!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/HQnP9sA2B4 — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 22, 2026 UNC had trailed the entire first quarter as Pitt, […]
UNC Women's Basketball Outlasts Virginia Tech in Overtime for Critical ACC WinUNC rallied from a nine-point deficit and an ice-cold shooting performance in the first half to beat Virginia Tech 66-63 in overtime Thursday in Blacksburg. It was Carolina’s first road win at Virginia Tech since 2019. Comeback 𝗖𝗢𝗠𝗣𝗟𝗘𝗧𝗘!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/6F8dtyWzLT — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 20, 2026 Carolina had taken a 14-8 lead […]
›
