4 UNC women's players to transfer
Posted April 2, 2019 4:03 p.m. EDT
Updated April 3, 2019 9:09 a.m. EDT
Chapel Hill, N.C. — Four players from the women's basketball team at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill intend to transfer, sources told WRAL on Tuesday. The news of their plans comes a day after the university announced a review of the program, although any other link between the two is not clear.
WRAL News has learned that sophomore Jocelyn Jones and juniors Stephanie Watts and Destinee Walker and walk-on Kennedy Boyd have submitted their names to transfer. Any or all of those players could change her mind, according to the NCAA transfer process.
The university announced on Monday that a Charlotte law firm would lead the review to "assess the culture of the women’s basketball program and the experience of our student-athletes" after concerns were raised by student-athletes and others. What those concerns are and which players raised them are answers the university is willing to share.
Bob Holliday, former sports director at WRAL, said the simple fact of the review is shocking.
"The North Carolina women's program, like the men's program, is one of the storied programs in America, and (head coach) Sylvia Hatchell has made it that way," Holliday said.
Hatchell is a member of the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, was named national coach of the year in 1994, 2006 and 2008 and has led her teams to 23 appearances in the NCAA Tournament and the 1994 national title. Now she is on paid leave along with the rest of her staff.
"What I think of most when I think of Sylvia is she's resilient. She fought a very public battle with leukemia," Holliday said.
Hatchell also weathered the storm that gathered when the NCAA investigated academic fraud at UNC. A flurry of players transfered around that time as well, fearing NCAA sanctions, but ultimately the body decided against any punishment for UNC Athletics.
Until the review is complete – and UNC did not release a timetable – there is no way to predict the ultimate impact on Hatchell or the program, Holliday said.
In a statement through her attorney Hatchell promised full cooperation.
