By Pat Welter

When Courtney Banghart, the coach of UNC’s women’s basketball team, enters Carmichael Arena, the first person she greets with a fist bump is Lou Patalano. Sitting in a floor seat near the Carolina locker room, Lou nods and applauds. Although not officially part of the staff, this season Lou and his section have seemingly become integral members of the team.

Patalano stated that the initial five players are put in and any changes in rotation result in replacements to ensure all five players are included.

There are various UNC women’s basketball jerseys hanging over the chairs behind him and the next four seats, while a bag filled with additional items rests on the ground behind him.

Patalano explained that specific sizes are only suitable for certain individuals. They then distribute these sizes based on who will wear them at the beginning of the game. However, once the game starts, it’s up to whoever is actually playing on the court.

At the end of February, the lineups for the highly anticipated rivalry game between Carolina and NC State are announced. When Lexi Donarski’s name is announced, Patalano slips on her jersey.

According to Patalano, the idea came about when a few friends and I were discussing purchasing merchandise for the women’s basketball team. We wanted to find ways to show our support, so I ended up buying jerseys for the whole team.

“Patalano and Jodi, who both graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, have a daughter named Ali who is a first-year student at Carolina. Their son, Will, is currently a junior in high school and aspires to also attend UNC in the future.”

According to Will, we have been practicing this since the Louisville game and it has steadily gained popularity since the Miami game. We have continued to do it for every game.

“Twenty-four,” Lou announced as UNC made a switch in players. Indya Nivar is entering the game in place of Anya Poole, so Will must change her jersey. This can be compared to a speedy pit stop in a NASCAR race. Occasionally, John Andrus from UNC’s event management team assists with relaying the numbers. The only thing that’s missing is a headset.

Will chuckled, “It’s fast.”

The family holds a total of four tickets for the season. During the NC State game, Jodi and Will Walker, a Carolina freshman and Morehead Scholar whom Lou is mentoring, will both be attending. Sitting in the fifth seat is Miles Fitch, who happened to be in the right place at the right time.

“I happened to be sitting here,” Fitch chuckled. “Lou requested me to join as the fifth player in the jersey swap.”

Fitch concluded, “Having fun together is enjoyable and timely.”

During this current season, the performance caught the attention of a fellow holder of season tickets who was seated a few rows behind.

“I felt the urge to capture this moment,” Jordan Honan expressed. “I aimed my camera towards it and recorded it. Before I knew it, numerous people began sharing it and it went viral…now it has become a legendary event.”

https://x.com/heelsrule1988/status/1749152913706963316?s=20

The source of one of these retweets on social media was Banghart personally.

“I’m disappointed that I didn’t come up with that before, it was a great idea. They are having a lot of fun with it, which embodies the spirit of women’s basketball,” expressed Banghart following their victory against Duke at the beginning of March. “They serve as a reminder for me to savor the experience. It can be difficult to enjoy when you’re so focused and driven. They are a continuous reminder to also have fun in the process.”

In the NC State game, Banghart brought in first-year player and native of Durham, Sydney Barker. Despite not having an official jersey available for purchase, Barker, who started as a walk-on but now has a scholarship, is prepared with a Barker T-shirt jersey.

Lou stated, “This was her dream and it has come true – she was awarded a scholarship. We must also show our support for her.”

When the University of North Carolina is victorious, it’s as if Lou and his group also triumph. They work together as one unit to promote the advancement of women’s basketball.

Lou stated that it is a great way to demonstrate support and affection for the university while also supporting the team. This type of support can be seen in various locations throughout the country. However, Lou believes that players like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese do not receive the same level of support in their respective locations compared to the young women on the team in Chapel Hill.

Source: wralsportsfan.com