April 16, 2008

PHOTO GALLERY

CHAPEL HILL --- The North Carolina women's basketball team celebrated its stellar 2007-08 season with its annual year-end banquet Wednesday night at the Dean E. Smith Center. The players, coaches and support staff were joined by hundreds of friends, family and fans as the Tar Heels looked back on a season that saw the team finish 33-3 and win a fourth-straight Atlantic Coast Conference title.

The event also marked a final goodbye for the winningest senior class in school history - Meghan Austin, Erlana Larkins and LaToya Pringle. The seniors closed the banquet with emotional speeches reflecting on their time in Chapel Hill. Larkins was honored as the team's top offensive player for the second year in a row while Pringle earned top defensive honors. The coaches award was presented to freshman Cetera DeGraffenreid, while Austin and senior Alex Miller shared the Most Inspirational Player Award. Sophomore Martina Wood was presented with the strength and conditioning award, and Trinity Bursey was named Most Improved.

Junior Rashanda McCants was recognized as the team's Overall Champion for receiving the most cumulative points in all of the statistical categories in which totals are kept throughout the season.

Coach Sylvia Hatchell presented awards to the team's top players in the following categories:

• Best field goal percentage - Pringle
• Best three-point percentage - Rebecca Gray
• Best free throw percentage - Gray
• Most offensive rebounds - Larkins
• Most defensive rebounds - Larkins
• Most passes to the post - McCants
• Most assists - McCants
• Most blocks - Pringle
• Most deflections - Pringle
• Most steals - McCants
• Most screens - Heather Claytor
• Most dives - Pringle
• Most charges drawn - McCants

The Tar Heels finished 33-3 in 2008 and set single-season school records for scoring average (86.3 points per game), free throws made (695) and free throws attempted (1,005).

Basketballs were presented to Larkins, Pringle and McCants for various milestones and school records. Larkins reached 1,500 career points, 1,000 career rebounds and set a school career record for games played with 141. Pringle rached 1,000 career points and set school records for blocks shots (336) and field goal percentage (57.9). McCants reached 1,000 career points.

Betty Blackman and Juanita Floyd received the Spirit Award and Lillian Lee and Luvinia Williams received the Volunteer of the Year award.