fAll About UNC Asheville Athletics Competitive Spirit Men’s & Women’s Cross CountryfBoth cross country programs have been steadily improving under the direction of Western Carolina graduate Jesse Norman. This past year had both teams finishing in fifth place in the 12-team Big South Conference. It marked the best finish for both squads in eight years.
Track and FieldfBoth programs have had some great individual performers over the past three years and are slowly building solid programs. Jesse Norman is the coach for these programs as well. Natalie Pearson went to the NCAA Outdoor Championships in 2010 and 2011 in the 200 meters and earned Honorable Mention AllAmerican honors. She just missed qualifying for the Great Britain Olympic team last summer. This past year saw Milan Ristic qualify for the NCAA Indoor Track Championships in the hurdles and finished 13th overall. Coach Jesse Norman’s excellent leadership led him to be named Big South Coach of the year in 2011.
BaseballfUNC Asheville Bulldogs Baseball has improved steadily under the leadership of head coach Tom Smith. Last year, we won 25 games and finished in fourth place in the Big South Conference after being a preseason pick to finish in last place. Highlights included winning a series at College of Charleston late in the season and 12 conference victories. We presently have one player in the major leagues in Ty Wigginton and one who went to spring training with the Florida Marlins in Kevin Mattison. We have two other players – Ryan Dull and Justin Schumer – who are in the minor leagues.
Women’s BasketballfWe are going through a rebuilding phase after winning the Big South Championship in 2007. We have hired former Florida assistant and Waynesville native Brenda Mock Kirkpatrick as our head coach. She inherited a tough situation this past year and then had five potential starters suffer season-ending injuries. However, our team battled hard to the end without anyone quitting the team. We believe our program is in great shape and will be turning the corner immediately as she and her staff signed four excellent recruits in the fall.
Women’s SwimmingfWe brought women’s swimming back after having a co-ed program in the mid-70s. We are members of the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association. In our first year with just eight swimmers, we finished in ninth place at the championship meet as we finished in front of four others teams with a full roster. In the fall semester, the team was honored by College Swim Coaches Association of America for a 3.22 GPA. Former College of Charleston MVP Elizabeth Lykins leads the team.
Men’s SoccerfWe expect to be better in men’s soccer this fall than we have been the past few years. They have certainly done the work in the classroom. Junior Bobby Castro was named to the Capital One Academic All-District 3 Men's Soccer Division I team by the College Sports Information Directors of America last fall. In addition, they were given a NSCAA Team Academic Award last fall with a 3.16 GPA. Matt Kern is in his third year as head coach. He enjoyed a standout career at Hartwick college including 2 trips to the NCAA final four.
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