Chance Berry completed her official visit to NC State earlier than the originally announced October 23 date, and the matchup between her mindset and the program’s culture looks natural.
The Class of 2027 combo guard from Ontario is 5-foot-11, ranked No. 50 by ESPN, and listed as a four-star. She played at Royal Crown Academic School in Toronto before spending this season at DME Academy in Daytona Beach. She has already represented Canada on the U16 and U17 national teams, making the U16 roster as an eighth-grader and the youngest player on the squad. She also plays for Sisters Keeper’s Team Shy on the Elite 40 circuit.
Berry has now completed official visits to Texas Tech, Arizona State, Syracuse, West Virginia, and NC State. The Wolfpack trip happened ahead of the previously scheduled date, which means she has seen most of her options with Penn State still on the calendar for October 30. She still has a little time to compare everything before the early signing period. NC State offered her in late July, and the earlier-than-planned visit to Raleigh gave both sides a full look at whether the connection held up in person.
Earlier this year, in an Elite 40 League Instagram spotlight, Berry talked about how she approaches the game. She likes the competition, the coaches, and the overall environment on the circuit. Then she explained the part of her mentality that lines up with NC State.
“Since we’re from Canada, a lot of people overlook us. So, I mean, I feel like every game we just come out and we’re playing as the underdogs, and I like it like that. I like having a chip on our shoulder.”
She also said she still has plenty of work to do and feels like she should be getting more recognition than she is right now. She does not dwell on rankings or outside talk. She brushes most of it off, stays focused on what is in front of her, and believes she is about to take a big jump. As she put it, she is going to turn into a monster somewhere and people are going to see it.
That approach fits what NC State has been about for a long time. Former Wolfpack quarterback Philip Rivers once told the football team that at NC State you play hard, you play tough, and you play together, then added the line that stuck: the Wolfpack ain’t for soft people. It ain’t for mentally weak people. You have to be tough.
Wes Moore’s women’s team has lived the same idea. During the 2023-24 season that reached the Final Four, players like Saniya Rivers described coming in unranked, dealing with outside doubt, and playing with a chip on their shoulder the whole year. The program has a history of players who treat being overlooked as fuel, who want the hard road, and who care more about the work than the noise. Moore’s groups stress toughness, chemistry, and competing when things get ugly.
Berry already talks about herself as someone who likes the underdog role and thrives with a chip on her shoulder. She is not looking for an easy path or a place where she can coast. She wants the competition and the chance to prove people wrong. With the Raleigh visit now complete ahead of schedule and one more stop left, both sides have a clearer picture of the fit. On paper and from the way she describes her own game, it still looks natural.
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