Maria Gakdeng

Maria Gakdeng
	Gakdeng with North Carolina in 2024
No. 5–North Carolina Tar Heels
Position	Center
League	Atlantic Coast Conference
Personal information
Born	Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.
Listed height	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Career information
High school	Archbishop Carroll (Washington, D.C.); New Hope Academy (Hyattsville, Maryland)
College	Boston College (2021–2023); North Carolina (2023–present)

Last updated January 06, 2025

Maria Gakdeng is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She previously played for the Boston College Eagles.

Early life and high school career

Gakdeng was born in Atlanta, Georgia, to South Sudansese parents who fled the civil war in 1999. Her family moved to Lanham, Maryland in 2011.^[1]^[2] She attended Archbishop Carroll High School in Washington, D.C., and New Hope Academy in Hyattsville, Maryland, where she was named second-team All-WCAC in her senior season.^[3]

College career

Boston College Eagles

Gakdeng debuted for the Boston College Eagles on November 9, 2021, starting in an 86–60 win against Harvard. On January 6, 2022, she scored a season-high 21 points in a 95–71 win against Syracuse. She scored 16 points and made a season-high 6 blocks in a 67–51 win against Duke on February 24. She appeared in all 33 games (32 starts) in her freshman season, finishing with a 8.9 points per game, grabbing a team-high 6.3 rebounds per game, and setting a program single-season record with 73 blocks.^[1]^[3]

Gakdeng set a new career high with 22 points in a 73–63 win against Wake Forest on February 26, 2023. She finished her sophomore season with team bests in cumulative scoring, rebounding, and blocking as she averaged 11.3 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 1.3 assist per game to go with 58 total blocks.^[3] After her sophomore season, she entered the NCAA transfer portal to join a team with championship potential, choosing North Carolina over other ACC options in Louisville and Notre Dame.^[2]

North Carolina Tar Heels

Gakdeng made her North Carolina debut on November 8, 2023, scoring 13 points in a 102–49 season-opening win against Gardner–Webb. She recorded her first double-double for North Carolina with 14 points and 13 rebounds in a 76–64 loss to UConn on December 10. She scored 17 points and grabbed 10 rebounds in a 59–56 win against Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA tournament, before falling to eventual champions South Carolina in the second round. She averaged 9.2 points, 5.9 rebounds, and 1.6 blocks per game in her junior season.^[4]^[5]

Related Research Articles

Andrew Tyler Hansbrough is an American former professional basketball player. He played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) for seven seasons, as well as internationally.

Phil Jackson Ford Jr. is an American former professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association (NBA). He graduated from Rocky Mount Senior High School in 1974, and had an All-American college career with the North Carolina Tar Heels.

The Duke–North Carolina rivalry refers to the sports rivalry between the Duke University Blue Devils and the University of North Carolina Tar Heels, particularly in the sport of basketball. It is considered one of the most intense rivalries in all of US-sports; a poll conducted by ESPN in 2000 ranked the basketball rivalry as the third greatest North American sports rivalry, and Sports Illustrated on Campus named it the #1 "Hottest Rivalry" in college basketball and the #2 rivalry overall in its November 18, 2003 issue. The intensity of the rivalry is augmented for many reasons. One reason is the proximity of the two universities—they are located only ten miles apart along U.S. Highway 15–501 or eight miles apart in straight-line distance. In addition, Duke is a private university whereas Carolina is a public school; the vastly different funding structures and cultures between the two further contribute to the intensity of the rivalry. One of the biggest reasons for this rivalry lied in the success of their respective basketball programs; almost every year, at least one of the schools is a contender to win the national championship.

The 2009 North Carolina Tar Heels football team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill as a member of Coastal Division of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) during the 2009 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by third-year head coach Butch Davis, the Tar Heels played their home games at Kenan Memorial Stadium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. North Carolina finished the season 8–5 overall and 4–4 in ACC play to place fourth in the Coastal Division. The Tar Heels lost to Pittsburgh in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. In 2011, North Carolina vacated all its wins from the 2008 season and 2009 seasons.

The 2009–10 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Their head coach was Roy Williams. The team played its home games in the Dean Smith Center in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, and is a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They were the defending National Champions. This season represented the 100th season of basketball in the school's history.

LaToya Antoinette Pringle, a.k.a. LaToya Antoinette Sanders or Lara Sanders, is a former American-Turkish professional basketball player and currently she is an assistant coach for the Washington Mystics of the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA). Sanders played college basketball at the University of North Carolina before getting drafted by the Phoenix Mercury in the 2008 WNBA draft. Currently, she also plays for Kayseri Kaski S.K. in Turkey.

Harrison Bryce Jordan Barnes is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels before being selected by the Golden State Warriors in the first round of the 2012 NBA draft with the seventh overall pick. Barnes won an NBA championship with the Warriors in 2015. He also won a gold medal as a member of the 2016 U.S. Olympic team.

The 2013–14 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill during the 2013–14 NCAA Division I men's basketball season. The team's head coach was Roy Williams, who is in his 11th season as UNC's head men's basketball coach. They played their home games at the Dean E. Smith Center as members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 24–10, 13–5 in ACC play to finish in a tie for third place. They lost in the quarterfinals of the ACC tournament to Pittsburgh. They received an at-large bid to the NCAA tournament where they defeated Providence in the second round before losing in the third round to Iowa State.

Kennedy Rashod Meeks is an American professional basketball player for the Hsinchu Toplus Lioneers of the Taiwan Professional Basketball League (TPBL). He played college basketball for North Carolina. He is a native of Charlotte, North Carolina.

Luke David Maye is an American professional basketball player for the Nagoya Diamond Dolphins of the Japan Professional Basketball League (B.League). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels, winning the 2017 national championship.

The 1982–83 North Carolina Tar Heels men's basketball team represented University of North Carolina in the 1982–83 NCAA Division I men's basketball season as a member of the Atlantic Coast Conference. They finished the season 28–8 overall, tied for the ACC regular season title with a 12–2 record and made it to the Elite Eight of the 1983 NCAA Tournament. They were coached by Dean Smith in his twenty-second season as head coach of the Tar Heels. They played their home games at the Carmichael Auditorium in Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

Armando Linwood Bacot Jr. is an American professional basketball player for the Memphis Hustle of the NBA G League. He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels. He holds the program records for double-doubles and career rebounds. Over his 5-year career, Bacot played in a UNC-record 171 games.

Day'Ron Yusha Sharpe is an American professional basketball player for the Brooklyn Nets of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels.

Robert Davis Jr. is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Walker Ross Kessler is an American professional basketball player for the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association (NBA). He played college basketball for the North Carolina Tar Heels and Auburn Tigers.

Deja Kelly is an American college basketball player for the Oregon Ducks of the Big Ten Conference. She previously played for the North Carolina Tar Heels, where she was a three-time first-team All-Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) selection. Kelly graduated from Duncanville High School in Duncanville, Texas, where she was named a McDonald's All-American.

Alyssa Anne Ustby is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She is a three-time All-ACC selection with the Tar Heels.

Lexi Donarski is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She previously played for the Iowa State Cyclones, where she was named the Big 12 Conference Defensive Player of the Year in 2021–22.

Reniya Kelly is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).

Indya Nivar is an American college basketball player for the North Carolina Tar Heels of the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC). She previously played for the Stanford Cardinal.

References

1 2 Biajo, Nabeel (December 17, 2022). "South Sudanese-American Dreams of WNBA Stardom". VOA Africa . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
1 2 Bynum, R.L. (October 4, 2023). "Banghart happily succeeded in second recruitment of tenacious center Gakdeng". Tar Heel Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2025.
1 2 3 "Maria Gakdeng". Boston College Eagles . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
↑ "Maria Gakdeng". North Carolina Tar Heels . Retrieved January 3, 2025.
↑ Delahanty, Nick (October 27, 2024). "Maria Gakdeng set to protect the rim once again for the UNC women's basketball team". Keeping It Heel. Retrieved January 3, 2025.

External links

UNC bio

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.

[V22-1] 1 2 Biajo, Nabeel (December 17, 2022). "South Sudanese-American Dreams of WNBA Stardom". VOA Africa . Retrieved January 3, 2025.

[TH23-2] 1 2 Bynum, R.L. (October 4, 2023). "Banghart happily succeeded in second recruitment of tenacious center Gakdeng". Tar Heel Tribune. Retrieved January 3, 2025.

[BC-3] 1 2 3 "Maria Gakdeng". Boston College Eagles . Retrieved January 3, 2025.

[UNC-4] "Maria Gakdeng". North Carolina Tar Heels . Retrieved January 3, 2025.

[5] Delahanty, Nick (October 27, 2024). "Maria Gakdeng set to protect the rim once again for the UNC women's basketball team". Keeping It Heel. Retrieved January 3, 2025.

[1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]