Junior guard Coretta Brown was the recipient of the team's Best All-Around and Best Defense awards, while senior guard Nikki Teasley received the Best Offense award. Both players earned All-Atlantic Coast Conference and All-ACC Tournament honors during the 2001-02 season. Junior forward Jennifer Thomas was the recipient of the team's Most Improved award, as well as the Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award. Junior guard Courtney Chambers received the Hustle Award, and freshmen Jenni Laaksonen and Tiffany Tucker both were presented with the Coach's Award.
In addition, several game balls were presented for career landmarks. Brown received one to commemorate her 1,000th career point and Nikki Teasley received three, commemorating her 1,500th career point and her school-record totals for assists and three-pointers. The team captains--Brown, Chambers and Thomas--presented coach Sylvia Hatchell with a ball commemorating her 600th career win, which came on March 3 in the ACC Tournament.
The team also honored those who have made special contributions to the program, naming Andy and Kathy Feld its Volunteers of the Year and giving Deborah Hawkins of the UNC Department of Public Safety its Outstanding Service Award.
The 2002 Tar Heels (26-9, 11-5 ACC) played in the Sweet 16 for the eighth time in the last 10 years and the 10th time in school history. UNC reached the Midwest Region semifinal before falling to Vanderbilt in Ames, Iowa, on March 23. The team finished the year ranked a season-high 11th in the final USA Today/ESPN coaches' poll.
2001-02 UNC Women's Basketball Team Awards
Best Offense: Nikki Teasley
Best All-Around: Coretta Brown
Best Defense: Coretta Brown
Most Improved: Jennifer Thomas
Hustle Award: Courtney Chambers
Coach's Award: Jenni Laaksonen
Coach's Award: Tiffany Tucker
Athletic Director's Scholar-Athlete Award: Jennifer Thomas
Volunteers of the Year Award: Andy and Kathy Feld
Outstanding Service Award: Deborah Hawkins, UNC Department of Public Safety