By AARON BEARD

AP Basketball Writer

RALEIGH, N.C.– North Carolina women’s basketball coach Sylvia Hatchell resigned Thursday after an external review found she had made “racially insensitive” comments and applied “undue influence” regarding players’ ability to compete through medical issues.

The school issued a release late Thursday announcing the Hall of Famer’s resignation and findings from the review by a Charlotte-based law firm. The review also reported “a breakdown of connectivity between the players and Hatchell” after 28 interviews of current players and program personnel.

Hatchell and her coaching staff had been on paid administrative leave since April 1, with UNC announcing the review amid player concerns to “assess the culture” of the program.

“The university commissioned a review of our women’s basketball program, which found issues that led us to conclude that the program needed to be taken in a new direction,” athletics director Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. “It is in the best interests of our university and student-athletes for us to do so.”

In a statement, Hatchell said the program “is once again headed in the right direction and ready for new leadership” after returning to the NCAA Tournament for the first time since 2015.