Olivia Smith will follow in the footsteps of her three older sisters and enroll at UNC.
Smith will be another addition to the UNC women’s basketball team’s 13th-ranked recruiting class, according to ESPN.
“We are excited that Olivia will be joining our 2016 class,” said head coach Sylvia Hatchell. “Having someone with Olivia’s basketball IQ, work ethic and personality as well as being an exceptional student fits right in with our team. Olivia had offers from Harvard, Yale and other Ivy league schools and we are happy that she will be an ambassador for our great University.”
She was a four-year starter at Cardinal Gibbons High School and compiled career totals of 1,709 points, 736 rebounds, 288 steals and 136 assists.
“Carolina is unlike any other university,” said Smith. “My three older sisters chose UNC and I have seen their Tar Heel pride and joy day-in and day-out. When I step on campus I feel an energy and excitement that is unmatched anywhere else.”
Smith was named a USA TODAY North Carolina first team selection last season.
“It’s a place I’ve dreamed of attending and now I’m lucky enough to have the chance to play basketball at the school I’ve grown up watching,” she said.
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