Hall-of-Fame UNC coach Sylvia Hatchell resigns after program review
By Allison Cary
Sylvia Hatchell had been the women’s basketball coach at UNC for over 30 years. On April 18, she officially announced her resignation.
Hatchell’s resignation comes after a review of her program found concerns over her making racially insensitive comments and pressuring students to play through injury.
“The university commissioned a review of our women’s basketball program, which found issues that led us to conclude that the program needed to be taken in a new direction,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said. “It is in the best interests of our university and student-athletes for us to do so. Coach Hatchell agrees, and she offered her resignation today. I accepted it.”
The review of her program was promoted after the Washington Post reported that student-athletes and their parents felt that Hatchell had made comments that were racially insensitive. She was accused of saying that her players would get “hanged from trees with nooses” if their performance didn’t improve and asking players to do a war chant to honor an assistant coach with Native American roots. There were also concerns about how she handled the accusations when they came forward.
“The review concluded that Hatchell is not viewed as a racist,” the school said, “but her comments and subsequent response caused many in the program to believe she lacked awareness and appreciation for the effect her remarks had on those who heard them.”
The review was also prompted by a concern that Hatchell pressured players to return too soon from injury. Parents blamed both Hatchell and a team doctor for these situations. The review found that players and medical staff were frustrated by Hatchell’s perceived influence, but that medical staff “did not surrender to pressure to clear players.”
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“The university will always hold a special place in my heart,” Hatchell, said. “The game of basketball has given me so much, but now it is time for me to step away.”
“While this is a bittersweet day, my faith remains strong,” Hatchell continued. “After the fight of my life with leukemia, I count every day as a blessing.