More eyes than ever are on women’s hoops, and with that attention comes extra pressure. No one would claim that women’s basketball coaching is in an era of “hot seats” quite yet, but the expectations to produce wins and exciting basketball have never been higher.
In every corner of the country, teams are embarking on a season that they hope doesn’t end until April in Tampa. At The Athletic, we’re watching a few programs and coaches with more on the line this season. Some have bigger opportunities than ever, while others will attempt to rekindle previous success with new rosters (and some need to do so in new conferences).
These are the coaches with the most to prove in 2024-25:
Courtney Banghart, North Carolina
2023-24 record: 20-13, second-round NCAA Tournament loss to No. 1 seed South Carolina
Seasons at UNC: 5
Record at UNC: 96-56
Banghart arrived in Chapel Hill after an incredible run at Princeton. Through 12 seasons, she turned the Tigers into the class of the Ivy League and perennial NCAA Tournament attendees, twice advancing past the first round. These accomplishments out of the Ivy, specifically at that time, qualified as overachieving. (Thanks to the foundation she built at Princeton and the reputation she helped forge for the league, those aren’t far-fetched…
