University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
All the World?s A? Basketball Court
02.10.2015 | Women's Basketball
Sheila Duncan '84 came to UNC Asheville to play basketball and tennis, but
she left with a desire to travel the world and expand her knowledge. From Spain to
Washington D.C. to Kentucky, and now back in North Carolina, Sheila still carries the
lessons from her UNC Asheville past.
As a center for the Bulldogs, she scored more points than any other UNC
Asheville women's basketball player ever, with 2,443 points and 2,200 rebounds.
She was the first player in women's collegiate basketball to score over 2,000 points.
During her senior year, she led the Bulldogs basketball team to the NAIA
championship, where she earned MVP honors and big wins. According to Duncan, a
national championship had been in her sights since the beginning of her time at UNC
Asheville.
“I had told my coach, Helen Carroll, that we were going to win a national
championship before I left UNC-Asheville, and we did,” Duncan said. “We were a
focused team with focused players. When it came time to hit the court, we were all
about business and we were determined to win.”
After graduation, Sheila fulfilled another goal of hers since childhood. With fewer
opportunities in the States for women's basketball, Sheila signed on with the Celta
de Vigo Baloncesto, a league in Vigo Spain, and travelled across the Atlantic to play.
“I did not want to leave my family because I knew they would not get to see me play,
but this was a dream come true for me and I could not pass it up,” she said.
According to Duncan, Spain valued women's basketball more than the US at the
time. UNC Asheville coaches were able to help her and teammates learn about
basketball leagues overseas.
“Our coaches did a great job at exposing us to other parts of the world that were big
on women's basketball,” Duncan said. “It was wonderful to visit another country and
experience the culture. They really applauded and supported women's basketball.”
Duncan finished her basketball career and returned to the states, where she worked
as a staff assistant for the 3rd district North Carolina Congressman Martin Lancaster
in Washington DC. She then took up something that had been a passion since
childhood: fashion.
“I started sewing when I was 6 years old,” she said. “My mother was very passionate
about teaching us life skills that would last us a lifetime and it has paid off for me.”
She received a Masters of Science degree in clothing and textiles at UNC Greensboro
in 1993. She worked for Fruit of the Loom, Ralph Lauren and David's Bridal, which
allowed her to see more of the world.
“My fashion career has allowed me to travel to places that I never thought I would
travel to such as, Los Angeles, Seattle, Amherst, Miami and El Salvador,” Duncan
Duncan has now returned to Bunn, North Carolina, where she teaches in the family
and consumer sciences program. She enjoys sharing what she's learned from her
travels and experiences with her students.
“The best thing about teaching is sharing my knowledge, experience talents and
skills with other people, especially young people,” Duncan said.
It's something she relates to her own time at UNC Asheville. Duncan's career in
fashion partly began with an internship at the Belk department store in Asheville .
She encourages current student-athletes to also explore the opportunities their
liberal arts education offers.
“Seize the opportunity to be a student at UNC-Asheville,” Duncan said. “Consult with
faculty and staff, and make the most of the opportunity while on campus.”
