University of North Carolina Athletics
National Champion Joins Tar Heel Staff
September 2, 2020 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – A Tar Heel men's basketball national champion is returning to UNC as a member of the women's basketball staff. Carolina head coach Courtney Banghart announced Wednesday that Jackie Manuel, a tri-captain on UNC's 2005 NCAA Championship team, will join her staff as Director of Player Personnel, Development and Recruiting Operations.
Manuel is a familiar face to Tar Heel fans as a member of the Carolina men's basketball team from 2002-05. He went on to play professionally for five years, and worked as an assistant coach at UNC Greensboro and Valparaiso before spending the past three seasons on the men's basketball staff at UNC Wilmington.
"To complete our staff, we looked for a candidate who would be a person of impact on Day 1 and who would allow us to stay nimble, synergistic, and forward-thinking," Banghart said. "In bringing Jackie Manual on board, we have nailed it. I've learned a lot about Jackie throughout this process and am thrilled to be adding him to our program. A former national champion for the Tar Heels, Jackie brings experience, competitiveness, talent, passion, selflessness, and positive enthusiasm to his return to Chapel Hill. His experience playing the game at the highest level, his genuine love for Carolina, his desire to serve this program, and his experience as a collegiate coach will fit in perfectly with our already talented staff."
A two-guard for UNC, Manuel earned All-ACC Defensive honors during his junior and senior seasons. He started all 37 games as a senior in 2004-05, when the Tar Heels finished 33-4 and beat Illinois in the NCAA title game in St. Louis. He was the team's Defensive Player of the Year and Most Inspirational Player in both 2004 and 2005.
Manuel went on to play four seasons in the NBA Development League and then one season with the Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki, Japan.
He spent the 2011-12 season in Chapel Hill as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tar Heels before joining the coaching staff at UNCG.
"Carolina has a special place in my heart, and the opportunity to return home to Chapel Hill is a dream come true for my entire family," Manuel said. "Coach Banghart is an incredible coach, and even better person, who is very passionate and driven to make UNC women's basketball one of the best programs in the country. I am excited to have the chance to learn from her and the entire staff, while helping Carolina women's basketball in any way that I can. To me, it is all about the Carolina family."
Even after leaving Chapel Hill, Manuel stayed close to his Tar Heel roots. He spent four years at UNC Greensboro on the staff of former Carolina teammate Wes Miller. After a year at Valparaiso, he spent three seasons at UNC Wilmington on the staff of C.B. McGrath, who was a long-time Carolina assistant coach.
Manuel graduated from UNC in 2005 with a degree in African-American studies. A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., he was inducted in 2016 into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
Manuel and his wife Ronda, also a Carolina graduate, have two daughters. Ronda Manuel serves as Senior Associate Director of Development for UNC's Arts & Sciences Foundation.
"I'm excited to see Jackie Manuel will be re-joining the UNC athletics program as a member of the women's basketball staff," said Tar Heel men's basketball coach Roy Williams. "Courtney Banghart is getting a person of the highest quality who loves the game of basketball and enjoys learning all aspects of running a program. He will do a tremendous job, just as he did as a player and captain of our national championship team and in his previous stops as an assistant coach. He knows what it takes to build a championship team and will help Coach Banghart and her staff as they work towards that ultimate goal."
Manuel is a familiar face to Tar Heel fans as a member of the Carolina men's basketball team from 2002-05. He went on to play professionally for five years, and worked as an assistant coach at UNC Greensboro and Valparaiso before spending the past three seasons on the men's basketball staff at UNC Wilmington.
"To complete our staff, we looked for a candidate who would be a person of impact on Day 1 and who would allow us to stay nimble, synergistic, and forward-thinking," Banghart said. "In bringing Jackie Manual on board, we have nailed it. I've learned a lot about Jackie throughout this process and am thrilled to be adding him to our program. A former national champion for the Tar Heels, Jackie brings experience, competitiveness, talent, passion, selflessness, and positive enthusiasm to his return to Chapel Hill. His experience playing the game at the highest level, his genuine love for Carolina, his desire to serve this program, and his experience as a collegiate coach will fit in perfectly with our already talented staff."
A two-guard for UNC, Manuel earned All-ACC Defensive honors during his junior and senior seasons. He started all 37 games as a senior in 2004-05, when the Tar Heels finished 33-4 and beat Illinois in the NCAA title game in St. Louis. He was the team's Defensive Player of the Year and Most Inspirational Player in both 2004 and 2005.
Manuel went on to play four seasons in the NBA Development League and then one season with the Miyazaki Shining Suns in Miyazaki, Japan.
He spent the 2011-12 season in Chapel Hill as an assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Tar Heels before joining the coaching staff at UNCG.
"Carolina has a special place in my heart, and the opportunity to return home to Chapel Hill is a dream come true for my entire family," Manuel said. "Coach Banghart is an incredible coach, and even better person, who is very passionate and driven to make UNC women's basketball one of the best programs in the country. I am excited to have the chance to learn from her and the entire staff, while helping Carolina women's basketball in any way that I can. To me, it is all about the Carolina family."
Even after leaving Chapel Hill, Manuel stayed close to his Tar Heel roots. He spent four years at UNC Greensboro on the staff of former Carolina teammate Wes Miller. After a year at Valparaiso, he spent three seasons at UNC Wilmington on the staff of C.B. McGrath, who was a long-time Carolina assistant coach.
Manuel graduated from UNC in 2005 with a degree in African-American studies. A native of West Palm Beach, Fla., he was inducted in 2016 into the Palm Beach County Sports Hall of Fame.
Manuel and his wife Ronda, also a Carolina graduate, have two daughters. Ronda Manuel serves as Senior Associate Director of Development for UNC's Arts & Sciences Foundation.
"I'm excited to see Jackie Manuel will be re-joining the UNC athletics program as a member of the women's basketball staff," said Tar Heel men's basketball coach Roy Williams. "Courtney Banghart is getting a person of the highest quality who loves the game of basketball and enjoys learning all aspects of running a program. He will do a tremendous job, just as he did as a player and captain of our national championship team and in his previous stops as an assistant coach. He knows what it takes to build a championship team and will help Coach Banghart and her staff as they work towards that ultimate goal."
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