Sylvia Hatchell returns home from hospital

After nearly a month at the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, North Carolina women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell went home Thursday afternoon.

The Naismith Hall of Fame inductee announced she was diagnosed with leukemia and would temporarily step down Oct. 14.

Hatchell said her cancer wasn’t gone yet, but that she was on the right path to recovery.

“I’m doing great,” Hatchell said. “The doctors, they can’t believe how well I’ve done and how I’ve taken the treatments.

“My numbers are great right now. In fact, they’re better than when I came in here and I felt good when I came in.”

Hatchell also said she was able to work out with a trainer almost every day while undergoing treatments.

“I’ll tell you, this place is just unbelievable,” she said. “People don’t know how good this place is. I just can’t say enough great things about the Lineberger Cancer Center and the people who are here.”

After her release, Hatchell said she most looked forward to fresh air, visiting her players at practice and reuniting with her golden retriever, Maddie.

She also said she planned on holding a team-building exercise when she visited the team’s practice that afternoon.

However, the second-winningest coach in NCAA women’s basketball history said she wouldn’t be attending the team’s upcoming game against No. 4 Tennessee Monday. She was also unsure of a timeline for her return to full coaching duties.

“It’s going to take a little more time with the consolidation of treatments and all of that, but it’ll be a few weeks and I’ll be back eventually, full force,” Hatchell said. “I’m going to start back gradually — go to the office and do things and all of that, but as far as doing everything, it’ll be a few weeks before I can do all of that.”

Since her announcement, associate head coach Andrew Calder has taken over Hatchell’s on-court role.

“We’re going to play hard, play smart, play together — defend, rebound, execute and compete with aggressive attacking mentality,” Calder said a week ago. “That’s coach Sylvia Hatchell basketball.”

This is Hatchell and Calder’s 28th year with UNC.

This season, the team won both its exhibition games under Calder’s coaching.

Calder and assistant coach Tracey Williams-Johnson were both at UNC Hospitals when Hatchell was released.

Throughout her treatments, Hatchell sent out tweets updating followers on her progress as well as thanking them for their support.

“It’s unbelievable,” she said. “I don’t know what’d I’d do without this iPad, and cellphone, and the tweets that have gone out, and emails and just everything. It’s just unbelievable.”

The display of encouragement went beyond Twitter, though. Hatchell said she opened hundreds of letters while she was in the hospital.

“The outpouring of love and friendship and all is absolutely unbelievable,” she said.

On the court, the women’s basketball coaching staff has worn orange ribbons in support of Hatchell.

Hatchell said the experience she’s had since her diagnosis has made her appreciate her time at UNC even more.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Hatchell said. “Trust me. You learn when you go through something like this. You learn what’s important to you and how things are so important.

“Of course, I’ve never taken for granted coaching and the players and the opportunities I have here, but I treasure them even more now as far as how special it is to be the coach here at North Carolina and to work with these kids.”

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