UNC has announced that it has placed Sylvia Hatchell and the women’s basketball coaching staff on paid administrative leave while a review of program takes place.

In a statement, the university said that the Charlotte-based firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein will conduct a “review and assess the culture of the women’s basketball program and the experience of our student-athletes.”

This review comes after UNC received issues raised by student-athletes and others regarding the women’s basketball program.

During the 2018-19 season, UNC women’s basketball finished 18-15 (8-8 ACC) and lost in the first round of the NCAA Tournament to California. The high point of the season was an upset over then-No. 1 Notre Dame in Chapel Hill. Senior guard Paris Kea, who scored 30 points in the Tar Heels’ victory over Notre Dame, averaged 17.3 points per game in her final season.

Hatchell has coached at UNC since 1986 and has amassed a 751-325 record with the Tar Heels along with a national championship in 1994. She was inducted to the Naismith Memorial Hall of Fame in 2013.

In September 2016, the university renewed Hatchell’s contract through the 2019-20 season despite the women’s basketball program being a major focus of the NCAA’s investigation into academic fraud.

Hatchell issued a statement through her attorney, saying she will cooperate with the review.

“I’ve had the privilege of coaching more than 200 young women during my 44 years in basketball,” Hatchell said in the statement. “My goal has always been to help them become the very best people they can be, on the basketball court and in life. I love each and every one of the players I’ve coached and would do anything to encourage and support them. They are like family to me. I love them all.

“Of course, I will cooperate fully in this review. I look forward to a prompt conclusion of this matter and the continuation of our very successful women’s basketball program.”

UNC said it does not have an exact timetable, but expects that the review will be  “thorough and prompt.”

Related Stories
‹
Former UNC Coach Sylvia Hatchell Cited in Death of Elderly Woman
Former UNC women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell has been cited with a misdemeanor in her involvement with a pedestrian collision in Durham on Monday. Durham Police cited Hatchell, who coached at UNC from 1986 to 2019, with a misdemeanor death by vehicle and unsafe movement violation, according to a news release by the department. Authorities said the […]
UNC Women's BBall Begins Practice, Banghart Settles In to New School
It’s the first season in many years where the UNC women’s basketball team is being led by a different head coach. As the players adjust to new leadership, head coach Courtney Banghart is settling into her new position and school too. Banghart led the team’s first official practice with lots of energy and passionate instruction […]
Sylvia Hatchell Resigns As UNC Women's Basketball Coach Following Investigation
Sylvia Hatchell has resigned as UNC’s women’s basketball head coach, athletic director Bubba Cunningham announced Thursday evening. Hatchell’s resignation comes after the entire women’s basketball coaching staff was placed on paid leave earlier this month amid a review of the program. The review, which was conducted by Charlotte-based firm Parker Poe Adams & Bernstein, included […]
UNC Holds Out for 71-67 Win
The North Carolina women’s basketball team picked up its second consecutive win with a suspenseful 71-67 victory over Virginia Tech on Thursday night in Carmichael Arena. UNC now stands at 14-12 on the season with a 4-7 ACC record. The nail-biting victory came at the hands of several Tar Heels, with four players scoring double […]
No. 3 UCLA Pulls Away in 2nd Half, Deals UNC Women's Basketball First Loss of Season
No. 3 UCLA used a 10-0 run in the third quarter to blow open what had been a close game, and the Bruins cruised from there to beat UNC 78-60 in the first game of the WBCA Challenge in Las Vegas Thursday night. The Tar Heels had hung tough with the Bruins during the first […]
UNC Women's Basketball vs. UCLA (2025): How to Watch, Cord-Cutting Options and Tip-Off Time
Carolina heads to Las Vegas this week for two neutral-site games as part of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) Challenge. The first game is a marquee matchup, as the Tar Heels will face No. 3 UCLA Thursday night. The Bruins are coming off an appearance in the NCAA Tournament’s Final Four this past spring. […]
UNC Women's Basketball Dominates 2nd Half, Rolls Past Elon
Despite leading by only nine points at halftime, Carolina pulled away from Elon in the second half to earn a 71-37 win at Carmichael Arena Thursday night. Keep It Rolling 👏@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/x0EvUF0Rst — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) November 7, 2025 The Tar Heels had shot just 10-33 (30.3 percent) in a low-scoring first […]
UNC Women's Basketball to Face South Carolina in 2026 Ally Tipoff
Another fixture for the UNC women’s basketball program’s 2026-27 season took shape Thursday morning. The Tar Heels announced they will take on perennial power South Carolina in the 2026 Ally Tipoff at the Spectrum Center in Charlotte next fall. 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟔 ➡️Queen City 👑 📰 | https://t.co/jozvB0BhbR pic.twitter.com/Rum7Lj9cXL — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) November 6, 2025 […]
UNC Women's Basketball to Open 2026-27 Season vs. Oklahoma in Paris
UNC women’s basketball will play in the City of Lights next November. The Tar Heels will face Oklahoma at the Adidas Arena in Paris as part of the fourth annual “Oui Play” event to open the 2026-27 season. The game is set for November 2, 2026, with a tip-off time to be announced at a […]
Newcomers Shine as UNC Women's Basketball Wins Season Opener
UNC jumped out to a big early lead and scored 53 first-half points on its way to an 90-42 win against North Carolina Central at Carmichael Arena Monday. Game One – 𝐖𝐎𝐍.@WellsFargo x #GoHeels pic.twitter.com/FNWnd6SwNf — Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) November 3, 2025 Five Tar Heels scored in double figures on the day, led by […]
›