University of North Carolina Athletics
The Tar Heels open the 2021-22 season on Tuesday at 4:30 vs. North Carolina A&T.
Photo by: Jerome M. Ibrahim
Key, Young Sidelined With Injuries
November 8, 2021 | Women's Basketball
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – On the eve of her team's season opener, UNC women's basketball coach Courtney Banghart has announced that two of her Tar Heels will be sidelined for 2021-22.
Freshman Teonni Key and redshirt junior Ariel Young each suffered a knee injury during the preseason. Both have subsequently been diagnosed with ACL tears. Young hurt her left knee in a practice early in the preseason and Key hurt her right knee during the team's closed scrimmage at South Carolina late last month.
The Tar Heels open the season on Tuesday when North Carolina A&T visits Carmichael Arena for a 4:30 p.m. game.
"I'm absolutely heartbroken for both Ariel and Teonni, two very important pieces of our team's puzzle," Banghart said. "Both of these athletes have such a genuine love for the game and this program, and both have become huge parts of this team. They have put so much work into their development and training and to be forced to the sideline for the duration of the season is a tough pill to swallow for us all.
"It's also undoubtedly a huge hit for our team. Our collective group is hard at work to fill their void on both sides of the ball. Both AY and Teonni will redshirt and they will attack their rehab in much the same way they have attacked their development plan. We look forward to having them back better than ever."
Key is a guard/forward from Cary, N.C. A McDonald's All-American and the ninth-ranked recruit in the freshman class, she was named to the 2021-22 Atlantic Coast Conference Newcomer Watch List.
Young is a guard from Tallahassee, Fla. A transfer to UNC after spending her freshman year at Michigan, she appeared in all 24 games last season for the Tar Heels, averaging 2.4 points per game and contributing valuable minutes off the bench.
Freshman Teonni Key and redshirt junior Ariel Young each suffered a knee injury during the preseason. Both have subsequently been diagnosed with ACL tears. Young hurt her left knee in a practice early in the preseason and Key hurt her right knee during the team's closed scrimmage at South Carolina late last month.
The Tar Heels open the season on Tuesday when North Carolina A&T visits Carmichael Arena for a 4:30 p.m. game.
"I'm absolutely heartbroken for both Ariel and Teonni, two very important pieces of our team's puzzle," Banghart said. "Both of these athletes have such a genuine love for the game and this program, and both have become huge parts of this team. They have put so much work into their development and training and to be forced to the sideline for the duration of the season is a tough pill to swallow for us all.
"It's also undoubtedly a huge hit for our team. Our collective group is hard at work to fill their void on both sides of the ball. Both AY and Teonni will redshirt and they will attack their rehab in much the same way they have attacked their development plan. We look forward to having them back better than ever."
Key is a guard/forward from Cary, N.C. A McDonald's All-American and the ninth-ranked recruit in the freshman class, she was named to the 2021-22 Atlantic Coast Conference Newcomer Watch List.
Young is a guard from Tallahassee, Fla. A transfer to UNC after spending her freshman year at Michigan, she appeared in all 24 games last season for the Tar Heels, averaging 2.4 points per game and contributing valuable minutes off the bench.
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