North Carolina basketball purists rave of the rich tradition that was born and bred in Chapel Hill’s Carmichael Auditorium. Despite this tradition, the actual court in the arena remains unnamed. This is an honor that should go to women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell.
Throughout her 27-year career in Chapel Hill, coach Hatchell has been so much more than just one of the top basketball coaches in the country — she has been a mentor, role model, and a genuine class act.
If her hall-of-fame accomplishments are not convincing enough, maybe the standing ovation that she received as she appeared on the Kenan Stadium jumbotron when the Tar Heels took on Miami this past Thursday is.
There is no need to look far to find precedent for this honor. N.C. State University named the court of its Reynolds Coliseum after the beloved women’s basketball coach Kay Yow in 2007 and Duke University named the court in Cameron Indoor Stadium after Coach Mike Krzyzewski.
Naming the basketball court within Carmichael Arena in coach Sylvia Hatchell’s honor would be a sentiment that pales in comparison to her contributions to the University. What coach Hatchell has done for her players, the Carolina basketball program, and the University as a whole truly embodies the ‘Carolina Way’, and no time is better than now as she battles through her fight with leukemia to give her the recognition that she deserves.
