When Sydney Barker found out she had earned a scholarship on the UNC women's basketball team, a range of emotions went through her mind.
Disbelief. Gratitude. It was all surreal. Even now, she can't put it into words.
Barker, originally a walk-on, earned an opportunity that few ever experience.
In February, head coach Courtney Banghart shared the news to the now-sophomore guard in the locker room. When they heard, her teammates went crazy.
“Sydney had the opportunity to go to a lot of other schools and be a star at other schools,” redshirt junior guard Kayla McPherson said. “But she followed her dream, and she's here now, and she's helped us out a lot. I've really appreciated having her here.”
Barker, a long-time Tar Heel supporter and attendee of North Carolina basketball camps growing up, is reaping the rewards of her hard work and commitment. And now in her second year, she's looking to impact the team in whatever way possible. The trust that has been bestowed in her has sparked a flame in Barker to continue to grow as an individual player and as a teammate.
“I just felt like the coaches believed in me to give me that [scholarship],” Barker said. “So I feel like that motivates me to work even harder.”
In the offseason, Barker focused on getting stronger, improving ball handling under pressure and speeding up her shot.
In her first season as a Tar Heel, the 5-foot-7 guard clocked a total of 44 minutes, shooting 50 percent from the field on eight attempts. A highlight moment of the 2023-24 season was her knockdown 3-pointer late in the third quarter against Duke in a 63-59 win.
