After sustaining a knee injury requiring surgery, redshirt sophomore guard Kayla McPherson will be sidelined for the remainder of the 2023-24 season, the UNC women's basketball team announced in a statement on Saturday.
McPherson has appeared in seven games this season, starting in three. The 5-foot-8 guard has been sidelined since UNC's ACC-SEC Challenge matchup with No. 1 South Carolina.
“While I’m devastated to miss the rest of the season, I know that I can play an important role on the team even when I’m not in uniform,” McPherson said. “I’ll be cheering for my teammates from the bench and continuing to work hard to get back on the court. I want to thank our sports medicine team, our coaching staff, my teammates, my family and all of our fans for their support.”
McPherson sat out the 2021-22 season — her first in Chapel Hill — while continuing to rehabilitate a high school knee injury. She made her collegiate debut midway through last season, playing in 13 games and contributing key minutes as a valuable on-ball defender and floor general.
After dealing with a knee issue in the preseason, McPherson did not play in the season-opener against Gardner-Webb, returning to the court against Davidson on Nov. 12. She scored a season-high 11 points against Kansas State on 4-7 shooting.
“I continue to be amazed and inspired by Kayla’s resilience,” head coach Courtney Banghart said. “We are all heartbroken on her behalf as she faces more time away from playing the game she loves and excels at, but her mindset remains so positive."
