A pair of incoming Tar Heels earned prestigious high school accolades earlier this month. Laila Hull and Reniya Kelly were each named the Girls’ Basketball Gatorade Player of the Year in their respective states — Hull in Indiana and Kelly in Alabama.

Kelly (no relation to current UNC guard Deja) is rated as a four-star guard prospect by ESPN and the No. 30 overall player in the Class of 2023. ESPN’s scouting report describes Kelly as a “smooth floor-leader with combo skills,” who “knocks down mid-range jump shots with regularity.” At Hoover High School in Alabama, Kelly has won three state championships and scored more than 2,000 points. She was the first member of the 2023 class to commit to Carolina. For more on Kelly, click here.

Hull is also rated as a four-star prospect by ESPN. The 6-1 forward from Zionsville, IN, was the last addition to the 2023 class, committing to UNC in October. Hull is her high school’s career leader in points and ranks second in rebounds and third in steals. In addition to the Gatorade honor, Hull was named Miss Basketball in the state of Indiana by the Indianapolis Star. She’s the second UNC commit to receive this honor after Stephanie Mavunga did so in 2013. For more on Hull, click here.

Kelly and Hull are part of a star-studded recruiting class for Carolina which includes five-star forward Ciera Toomey and four-star forward RyLee Grays.

 

Featured image via Indianapolis Star/Mykal McEldowney

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our biweekly newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
5-Star Prospect Kate Harpring Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels may have just won their biggest recruiting battle ever. Point guard Kate Harpring, a five-star prospect from Atlanta ranked among the top five players in the 2026 recruiting class on every major board, committed to Banghart and UNC Saturday. Go Tar Heels!! 🩵🩵#committed pic.twitter.com/RbzpiYqJOZ — Kate Harpring (@Kate_Harpring26) August […]
5-Star Prospect Nyla Brooks Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Courtney Banghart has secured another big win on the recruiting trail. Nyla Brooks, who is rated as a five-star prospect in the recruiting class of 2025, committed to Banghart and the Tar Heels on Thursday. Brooks is the second five-star prospect in the class to commit to Carolina in the span of a week, as […]
5-Star Forward Blanca Thomas Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Courtney Banghart earned another big win on the recruiting trail Monday, as five-star forward Blanca Thomas announced her commitment to the Tar Heels. Home. 🩵🩵 @uncwbb pic.twitter.com/3bhuboufIJ — Blanca Thomas (@blancathomas34) May 29, 2023 Thomas chose the Tar Heels over several other elite programs, including South Carolina, NC State, Stanford, Notre Dame and Duke. Thomas, […]
Four-Star Prospect RyLee Grays Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
UNC women’s basketball program. RyLee Grays, a 2023 four-star prospect from Houston, TX, committed to head coach Courtney Banghart and the Tar Heels Sunday. She chose Carolina from among a field which included Texas, Baylor, Florida, NC State and Ole Miss. Tar Heel Nation!! […]
Five-Star Center Ciera Toomey Commits to UNC Women's Basketball
Courtney Banghart added to her Class of 2023 in a big way Monday night, as Carolina earned a commitment from five-star center Ciera Toomey of Pennsylvania. Toomey is rated as a 98/100 overall by ESPN and the third-best player in her class. 110% Committed!!!💙👣 pic.twitter.com/DstTTyUdYP — Ciera Toomey (@CieraToomey) April 11, 2022 At six feet, […]
UNC Women's Basketball Beats Georgia Tech to Record 3rd Straight Win
A dominant rebounding advantage and a suffocating defensive performance helped UNC beat Georgia Tech 54-46 in Atlanta Thursday night and record its third straight ACC win. Road 𝗗𝗨𝗕 Secured!@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/aU2R7eVHfx — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) January 23, 2026 UNC limited the Yellow Jackets to 31.7 percent shooting (18-57) for the game, doing just […]
UNC Women's Basketball Dominates in Win at Florida State
UNC used a 12-0 run in the second quarter to take a 19-point lead at halftime Sunday afternoon at Florida State, and the Tar Heels didn’t look back in the second half on their way to an 82-55 victory. Sunshine State 𝑺𝑾𝑬𝑷𝑻.@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/gWaSz43yRC — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) January 18, 2026 Elina Aarnisalo […]
Kelly's Career Night Leads UNC Women's Basketball Past Miami
Junior guard Reniya Kelly scored a career-high 24 points to help UNC overcome a halftime deficit and beat visiting Miami 73-62 at Carmichael Arena Thursday night. CROWN HER 👑 A career-high 24 points for Reniya! pic.twitter.com/8ryipYktI7 — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) January 16, 2026 Kelly’s outburst came after the junior from Alabama hadn’t reached double […]
UNC Women's Basketball Falters in 2nd Half in Blowout Loss at Notre Dame
Notre Dame outscored UNC 40-23 in the second half to blow open a close game in South Bend Sunday afternoon and beat the Tar Heels 73-50. It’s Carolina’s second straight loss and its largest margin of defeat since the end of the 2023-24 season. UNC had hung tough for much of the first half, trailing […]
UNC Women's Basketball at Notre Dame (2026): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
The Tar Heels will visit Notre Dame this weekend for a marquee ACC matchup. UNC is seeking its second straight win in South Bend after defeating the Irish in 2024. Broadcast Schedule Those hoping to listen on the radio can do so at 97.9 FM and 1360 AM, or by streaming the radio broadcast on chapelboro.com. 97.9 The […]
›