North Carolina
Carmichael Comments: Consistent Leaders – University of North Carolina Athletics
But when they are called upon, they’re probably going to deliver. Take Zelaya against Virginia Tech: two threes and three rebounds in her 19 minutes – the bulk of which came in the fourth quarter. Or Poole against Duke, where she matched her season high in ACC play with eight rebounds. The steady veterans began their collegiate career as members of the highly-touted 2020 recruiting class, as names known to Carolina fans before they even stepped on campus.
And when they did arrive?
No fans. The pandemic restrictions prevented any semblance of normalcy for their freshman season. Both post players have seen not only the return of fans, but a slew of ups and downs through their college career. All the while, they’ve stayed consistent, an attribute that was a common talking point when they appeared as guests on this week’s Holding Court radio show.
Poole started 68 games as a Tar Heel between 2020 and 2023, yet has made all 21 of her appearances this season off the bench. For some players, that would be an ego hit. Not for Poole. How does she handle it?
“Knowing my role and knowing what I bring to the team,” she said.
The consistency in preparation, in a mental mastery of the game – one she did not grow up playing, preferring soccer until middle school – has motivated Poole.
“I’m going to give my all and give all I can do for this team every single time I step on the floor,” she told the Carolina fans assembled for Tuesday’s show at the Sheraton Chapel Hill.
Zelaya, who has gone long stretches of her career seeing limited action, returned to the same word: consistency.
“Honestly, it’s consistency,” she said when asked her key to staying ready. “I don’t face a lot of consistency with my playing time, so I have to make consistency in every moment outside of the game.”
The Arizona native pointed to extra work in practice, getting shots up, and taking pride in strength and conditioning as examples of that consistency. Even for a player who will be remembered for doing everything the right way and being the ultimate teammate, understanding that her college career would be defined by sporadic in-game moments wasn’t immediate.
“The acceptance part of ‘hey, that’s what my role is,’ that took a little bit,” Zelaya said.
Now, four years with the duo have seemingly flown by. They’ve gone from freshmen to seniors, and leaders on a team that has enjoyed success and fought adversity against a grueling schedule. Carolina is lucky to have Ali and Anya in the locker room as the Tar Heels battle down the stretch toward their fourth postseason and going a perfect 4-for-4 in qualifying for the NCAA Tournament.
Here’s what else caught my eye this week …
Inward Focus
In this column last week, we focused on the Tar Heels’ ability to regroup and refocus during the bye week – a chance to break from the grind that had been ongoing for every team in college basketball since the Christmas break. For UNC coach Courtney Banghart, the largest benefit in practice for her team was the lack of needing to devote time in midweek practice for opponent preparation. Think of it this way – and these numbers are arbitrary: if practice is 25 percent skill work, 25 percent team drills, and 50 percent opponent preparation, using that entire half of practice for internal-focused work is a massive benefit.
“I have to say it was really nice to only have one opponent to focus on,” Banghart said prior to the Duke game. “We spent Tuesday and Wednesday really working on ourselves, and finally getting a chance to not have to game prep.”
Offensive Growth
A large part of that internal focus was centered on the offensive end, where the Tar Heels entered the bye week with a streak of two straight games of being unable to crack 60 points in regulation. While Sunday’s game at Duke still ended in disappointment, I asked Coach Banghart after the game about how she would evaluate her team’s offensive performance coming out of the bye.
“For the most part, better,” she said. “When the game got tight, we kind of went back. The ball stuck a little bit.”
Of Carolina’s seven assists, six came in the game’s first three quarters, and from four different players. The Tar Heels enjoyed a third quarter in which they not only shot 50 percent (6-for-12), but also earned eight trips to the foul line and knocked down seven of the eight free throws.
“We were changing our pace with the ball in our hands, separating better, attacking in transition – just more aggressive,” Banghart said of the first 10 minutes after halftime on Sunday.
Putting together more quarters like that one will be important for Carolina to find success down the stretch, and ultimately achieve its goals by winning games.
“Overall, better, but it doesn’t matter if you can’t find a way to win through it,” Banghart said.
Walk-On No More
In case you missed it on social media on Friday, the Tar Heels’ practice session at Carmichael Arena featured one of the most meaningful moments of the entire season. Carolina walk-on guard Sydney Barker, a Durham native and lifelong Tar Heel fan, was preparing to partake in her first ever Duke game. To help set the tone for the matchup on Sunday, Coach Banghart called upon Sydney’s father, Brian, to speak to the team about how significant the Carolina-Duke rivalry is for Tar Heels everywhere and for basketball lovers across North Carolina. However, as Banghart introduced Brian and referenced the financial sacrifice the Barker family makes for Sydney to walk on, she soon mentioned that sacrifice wouldn’t be necessary any longer: Sydney was on scholarship.
It’s the second time in Banghart’s Carolina tenure that she’s given a walk-on a scholarship, with both going to Durham natives and lifelong Tar Heels. Current program General Manager Liz Roberts, who walked on before Banghart came to Chapel Hill, was the recipient of Banghart’s first scholarship, awarded in 2019.
Check out the moment the Barkers received the news below.
This Tar Heel turned her dreams into reality … congrats @sydneybarker_5!Scholarship earned ✅#GoHeels | #InPursuit pic.twitter.com/ub1oKhc18s
— Carolina Women's Basketball (@uncwbb) February 9, 2024
Up Next
Carolina will try to get back to its winning ways this week with two more games that don’t require the team to leave the state. On Thursday, Carolina’s second home game since Jan. 26 takes place as the Tar Heels welcome Pitt to Carmichael Arena. The Panthers are in the midst of a rebuild under first-year head coach Tory Verdi, who came to the Steel City from UMass. While his team has only won one ACC game, it was against a Virginia team that owns a win against Carolina. Coach Banghart is 4-0 against Pitt in her Tar Heel career, with Carolina taking a tied game at the end of the third quarter last season and turning into a 15-point road win. Thursday’s tip is set for 6:00 p.m., with our Tar Heel Sports Network Coverage set to begin at 5:30 p.m. with the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show. As always, hear the broadcast worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app. The game will air locally in the Triangle on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the flagship station of Carolina women’s basketball. WCHL’s Thursday coverage will begin right at game time at 6:00.
Then on Sunday, the Tar Heels will complete the Tobacco Road triumvirate with the every-other-year trip to Joel Coliseum in Winston-Salem to play Wake Forest. Carolina will search for a third straight win over the Demon Deacons and fourth in the last five meetings. Second-year head coach Megan Gebbia is in the midst of putting her own stamp on the program, but with limited success this season. Sunday’s tip is set for 6:00 p.m., with a 5:30 p.m. airtime for the Reeds Jewelers Pregame Show. As always, hear the broadcast worldwide for free on the Varsity Network App from Learfield, GoHeels.com, or the GoHeels app. The game will air locally in the Triangle on 97.9 FM/1360 AM WCHL, the flagship station of Carolina women’s basketball.
Additionally, the next Holding Court with Courtney Banghart tapes on Tuesday, Feb. 20 at Noon at the Sheraton Chapel Hill. As a reminder, the show is open to the public, and we hope to see you there! If you can’t make it, catch the show on the Tar Heel Voices Podcast Channel or on Wednesday night, Feb. 21, at 7:00 p.m. on WCHL 97.9 FM/1360 AM.
That’s all for now. Go Heels!
-Matt
Less than two weeks after losing its head coach to Duke University, a North Carolina high school football program has been promoted from within.
Kevin Reddick will become the new head coach at Rolesville High School, replacing Ranier Rackley, who became the Director of Player Development at Duke University.
News of the decision was first reported by High School OT.
Reddick was the defensive coordinator for the Rams for the past three seasons, helping the team win 25 games during that run. Last year, Rolesville allowed just under 15 points per game with Reddick in charge of the defense.
North Carolina High School Promotes Defensive Coordinator To Head Coach
Rolesville finished 9-4 last season under Rackley and Reddick.
Reddick is a graduate of New Bern High School, helping the Bears capture the 2007 Class 4AA North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Football championship. He was tabbed the most valuable player of that title game as a sophomore fullback after scoring two touchdowns in a 28-17 victory over Independence.
At New Bern, Reddick earned conference defensive player of the year honors and was all-state at lineback as a senior after recording 189 tackles, eight quarterback sacks, six forced fumbles and four blocked punts. He also ran for over 160 yards and scored six touchdowns.
Kevin Reddick Was College Standout, Had NFL Career Before Becoming Coach
Following his high school career, Reddick signed with North Carolina as a four-star prospect, earning first team all-ACC honors as a senior. He also had offers from North Carolina State, Virginia and Clemson.
With the Tar Heels, Reddick played in 50 games, recording 275 tackles, including 36 for loss, with 8.5 quarterback sacks, two interceptions and two forced fumbles.
Reddick signed with the New Orleans Saints as an undrafted rookie free agent, and also had stints with the San Diego Chargers, Carolina Panthers and Buffalo Bills.
Rolesville reached the North Carolina High School Athletic Association State Football championship game with Reddick on the coaching staff and the third round this past season.
Rolesville Returns Top Rusher, Several Other Key Players
The Rams will be replacing starting quarterback Kaleb Williams, who had almost 2,500 yards passing and 22 touchdowns, as freshman Chase Williams was 8-for-8 for 98 yards with a touchdown in three games.
They will have top running back Amir Brown back, as he ran for 1,374 yards with 22 touchdowns and six games of 100 yards rushing as a junior. He also had 13 receptions for 106 yards and another TD.
Anthony Roberts is another key player back, as he caught 35 passes for 656 yards and nine TDs. Top tacklers Jayden Broadie, Javon Campbell, Genesis Allen and Keonte Sutton are all set to return, as well.
Follow
At least two people are dead and “several” others are injured after a “planned fight” at a North Carolina park escalated into a mass shooting, authorities said.
Police have identified several victims and suspects after Monday’s shooting at Leinbach Park near Jefferson Middle School, according to the Winston-Salem Police Department.
Authorities confirmed there were multiple victims in the shooting, but did not provide an exact number. The suspects were still at large over two hours later.
Officers were called to the park just before 10 a.m. after reports of a fight, which then escalated into multiple people shooting each other.
Area schools are not in lockdown, and classes are operating as normal, police said.
“Due to the number of people involved, efforts are ongoing to account for everyone. At this time, some of those involved in the incident are juveniles,” police said.
According to local news station WFMY, at least three people were taken to the hospital. Officials have not shared their conditions.
Police said the shooting was an isolated incident and remains under investigation.
This is a developing story
The NC Lottery offers several draw games for those aiming to win big.
Here’s a look at Sunday, April 19, 2026 results for each game:
Winning Pick 3 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 6-2-0, Fireball: 6
Evening: 4-1-7, Fireball: 5
Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Pick 4 numbers from April 19 drawing
Day: 7-6-9-4, Fireball: 4
Evening: 8-1-5-6, Fireball: 6
Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Cash 5 numbers from April 19 drawing
02-21-32-35-37
Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Winning Double Play numbers from April 19 drawing
18-26-27-31-42
Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from April 19 drawing
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
Are you a winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize
All North Carolina Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.
For prizes over $599, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at North Carolina Lottery Offices. By mail, send a prize claim form, your signed lottery ticket, copies of a government-issued photo ID and social security card to: North Carolina Education Lottery, P.O. Box 41606, Raleigh, NC 27629. Prize claims less than $600 do not require copies of photo ID or a social security card.
To submit in person, sign the back of your ticket, fill out a prize claim form and deliver the form, along with your signed lottery ticket and government-issued photo ID and social security card to any of these locations:
- Asheville Regional Office & Claim Center: 16-G Regent Park Blvd., Asheville, NC 28806, 877-625-6886 press #1. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Greensboro Regional Office & Claim Center: 20A Oak Branch Drive, Greensboro, NC 27407, 877-625-6886 press #2. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Charlotte Regional Office & Claim Center: 5029-A West W. T. Harris Blvd., Charlotte, NC 28269-1861, 877-625-6886 press #3. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- NC Lottery Headquarters: Raleigh Claim Center & Regional Office, 2728 Capital Blvd., Suite 144, Raleigh, NC 27604, 877-625-6886 press #4. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes of any amount.
- Greenville Regional Office & Claim Center: 2790 Dickinson Avenue, Suite A, Greenville, NC 27834, 877-625-6886 press #5. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
- Wilmington Regional Office & Claim Center: 123 North Cardinal Drive Extension, Suite 140, Wilmington, NC 28405, 877-625-6886 press #6. Hours: 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. This office can cash prizes up to $99,999.
Check previous winning numbers and payouts at https://nclottery.com/.
When are the North Carolina Lottery drawings held?
- Powerball: 10:59 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday.
- Mega Millions: 11 p.m. Tuesday and Friday.
- Lucky for Life: 10:38 p.m. daily.
- Pick 3, 4: 3:00 p.m. and 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Cash 5: 11:22 p.m. daily.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily.
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Carolina Connect editor. You can send feedback using this form.
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