North Carolina women’s basketball has received a big splash to its 2026 recruiting class.
Point guard Kate Harpring, the No. 2 overall prospect in the 2026 women’s basketball recruiting class according to 247Sports, announced on Saturday, Aug. 9, that she has committed to the Tar Heels. She chose the school over the likes of defending national champion UConn, South Carolina, Texas, Tennessee and a handful of ACC programs.
Advertisement
“Go Tar Heels!!,” Harpring wrote on X along with two blue heart emojis and #committed in her caption.
Landing a commitment from Harpring is a big get for Tar Heels coach Courtney Banghart and her staff, as Harper was also a highly ranked prospect on ESPN’s SportsCenter NEXT 100 rankings list for the 2026 recruiting class at No. 4.
ESPN notes that Harpring is the highest-rated perimeter player to commit to the Tar Heels and their highest-rated recruit since 2023.
“It feels like a family to me,” Harpring told 247Sports on her decision to commit to North Carolina. “Coach Banghart has a lot of confidence in me, and she’s the head coach I want to play under. I feel like their program is on the rise. I’m really excited about Coach Banghart, her staff and just the whole all-around family feel of the school.”
Advertisement
She added: “UNC is the school I had the best feeling about. I’m really excited to be committed.”
Though the Tar Heels didn’t mention Harpring’s name in their social media post, here’s a reaction from North Carolina on its official X account:
The No. 1 player in the state of Georgia, Harpring won a gold medal at the 2025 FIBA U19 World Cup this summer with the USA U19 team where she averaged 8.3 points, 3.7 rebounds, 2.4 assists and 16:03 minutes in seven games.
She alluded to North Carolina’s recent success — five consecutive NCAA Tournament berths and a Sweet 16 appearance this past season — as factors for why she committed to the Tar Heels.
Advertisement
“One of the big things for me was winning,” Harpring told 247Sports. “I feel like we can have a great year and great years going forward. The program is on the up, like I said before. Coach Banghart does a great job figuring out how to win. I have a lot of confidence in the program and the whole UNC family. I’m really excited and think we can championships.”
North Carolina is coming off a 29-8 overall season last year and made its first trip past the first weekend of March Madness since 2022.
Here’s a closer look at Harpring’s recruiting rankings:
Kate Harpring 247Sports recruiting rankings
-
Positional ranking: No. 1
Advertisement
Harpring was listed as a five-star recruit and the No. 2 prospect in the 2026 women’s basketball recruiting class according to 247Sports Composite rankings. She was additionally listed by 247Sports Composite as the top-ranked player at her position and in the state of Georgia.
This article originally appeared on The Fayetteville Observer: Kate Harpring commitment: UNC women’s basketball lands top 2026 guard
