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.

Harpring, who plays for the Marist School in Atlanta, is ranked No. 1 in her class by 247 Sports, No. 4 by ESPN and No. 2 by On3. She’s the highest-rated recruit to commit to UNC under Banghart’s leadership.

“Harpring had as steep of an ascent to the top of the national discussion as anyone in my 23 years of talent evaluation,” writes Brandon Clay, director of women’s basketball scouting for 247 Sports. “Offensively, Harpring is powerful with the basketball in her hands but it’s her defensive prowess that continues to pave the way for me viewing her as the elite prospect in the class nationally… Harpring is more than willing to draw the top offensive player while still going to the glass to rebound. That’s a unique combination at this level and a separator for the Marist School product.”

UNC won the battle for Harpring’s services by fighting off several other major programs. Harpring also held scholarship offers from Iowa, LSU, Notre Dame, South Carolina, Tennessee and UConn, among others.

Harpring is the daughter of former NBA player Matt Harpring, who starred at Georgia Tech and was a first-round pick of the Orlando Magic in the 1998 NBA Draft. Kate is the second player to commit to Banghart’s program in as many days, joining center Noelle Bofia from Phoenix, who announced her commitment Friday.

 

Featured image via Kate Harpring on Twitter

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