Head coach Sylvia Hatchell and the UNC women’s basketball program added a top-flight transfer on Monday, with the announcement that guard Madinah Muhammad will take her talents from Ole Miss to Chapel Hill for her final season of college eligibility.

Muhammad–a 5-foot-8-inch guard from Chicago–started 72 of her 87 career games for Ole Miss, scoring a total of 1,087 points in the process–including a career-high 31 points against No. 10 Tennessee on Jan. 25, 2018.

Due to NCAA rules, however, Muhammad will have to sit out the upcoming 2018-19 season. She will become eligible for the 2019-20 campaign, which will help the Tar Heels overcome the loss of All-ACC guard Paris Kea–who is set to graduate after next season.

Last year saw Muhammad finish eighth overall in the SEC with a scoring average of 16.8 points per game, while also finishing sixth in the league with 67 made three-pointers.

As a high-schooler at Whitney Young in Chicago, Muhammad was ranked the No. 22 overall prospect in the country after helping guide her team to two state championships.

“We’re thrilled that Madinah has chosen to join our Carolina basketball family,” Hatchell said, about her team’s newest addition. “Madinah is a dynamic guard that impacts the game on both ends of the floor. She comes from one of the best high school programs in the country and is a perfect fit for our up-tempo style of play. We welcome her with open arms to Chapel Hill.”

The feeling seems to be mutual, as Muhammad is excited to begin a new chapter of her career under a head coach who has been through it all.

“I’m blessed and so excited to join the Tar Heels,” Muhammad said. “Playing for a Hall-of-Fame coach is something I’ve always dreamed of doing and their style of play will help me excel on the court.
 
“After getting to know the coaching staff and team on my visit, I saw what a close family they are and knew it was the place for me,” she added. “I’m excited about the future at UNC and I look forward to growing not only as a player but also as a young woman off the court.”

 

 

Photo via Bruce Newman (Associated Press)