University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Basketball Amid a Pandemic: A Total Team Effort
12.16.2020 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – If this year has taught those in college athletics - or any profession for that matter - anything, it’s to expect the unexpected and take nothing for granted. So when November 25 arrived marking the start of the 2020-21 Division I basketball season, the UNC Asheville staff was determined to take all the necessary steps to start the season successfully.
In the first 12 days of the season, Asheville hosted the Mako Medical Asheville Invitational, which included neutral-site games involving UNC Wilmington, Troy and Western Carolina, along with a pair of women’s game against Western Carolina and Wofford, and a men’s contest against South Carolina State. Those eight games in the first 12 days were the second-most games hosted by a Division I institution (Florida Gulf Coast) in that span. To have that kind of outcome, it takes 100 percent buy-in from all parties involved.
“Being able to host so many home games safely the first week of the basketball season was a team effort," UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet Cone stated. “Thanks to not only our UNC Asheville Athletics Covid Action Team, Troy University, UNC Wilmington, and Western Carolina, Mako Medical, Mission Sports Medicine, and Biltmore Farms DoubleTree but also to our Bulldog Team Behind the Teams and Coaches who executed our Covid Competition Plan like real Leaders and Champions.”
“It meant we were doing things the right way,” Senior Associate Athletics Director Terri Brne said of starting the season on the right foot. “Our protocols worked and most importantly our basketball programs had a chance to compete at home.”
“It meant we were doing things the right way,” Senior Associate Athletics Director Terri Brne said of starting the season on the right foot. “Our protocols worked and most importantly our basketball programs had a chance to compete at home.”
Operating these games at Kimmel Arena simply wouldn’t be possible without the complete effort from the UNC Asheville Athletics Staff. If one were allowed a glimpse into the arena on game day, you would find a slew of coaches and athletics staff members manning tables, sweeping the floor, cleaning surfaces, helping the officials - just to name a few duties. Taylor Ledbetter, Asheville's facility manager, has been at the center of all the game-day operations for the Bulldogs.
“A few key protocols we have implemented for game days include, but are not limited to are: increased cleaning measures before, during, and after each game, providing health screenings to all game day personnel before entering the arena, and requiring all individuals to wear masks and socially distance at all times with the exception of student-athletes competing on the court,” said Ledbetter.
Although the Mako Medical Asheville Invitational drew a lot of attention, the UNC Asheville women’s basketball squad actually tipped off action on November 25, getting a 70-59 win over Western Carolina. The game was not only a success because of the times, but was head coach Honey Brown’s first career victory.
“Our players and staff deserve so much credit for their sacrifice and willingness to do whatever it takes to play games. Most people don’t realize all the details that are not actually about basketball,” Brown said. “The first game and first win was so awesome. I am thankful to have such an awesome team that bought into our game plan and executed well enough to get the win. It was definitely something I will never forget.”
“Seeing the excitement and joy on the faces of the student-athletes and coaches and being part of the return of NCAA I Basketball, was certainly the most rewarding part of the week,” Cone stated.
Since the aforementioned Mako Medical Asheville Invitational, the Asheville men’s squad hosted South Carolina State and most recently welcomed High Point for a pair of Big South wins, while the women battled Wofford and Florida in Kimmel Arena.
“Seeing the excitement and joy on the faces of the student-athletes and coaches and being part of the return of NCAA I Basketball, was certainly the most rewarding part of the week,” Cone stated.
“I think it means we have great leadership here,” men's basketball coach Mike Morrell said of Asheville’s adaptability in these times. “I think it means people really love basketball here. It’s just a lot of selfless people. To start the year off the way we did was really important. Obviously, the most important thing was to do it as safely as possible. There’s a lot of teams across the country that can’t say they’ve played this many games, especially home games.”
“Keeping up with the daily changes and reminding everyone to be flexible and understanding will be key moving forward,” Brne said. “We have never dealt with anything like this in collegiate athletics, everyone is learning as they go and trying to be as safe as possible.”
While things will undoubtedly on a daily, hourly, even minute-to-minute basis during this 2020-21 basketball season, the Asheville staff and community is certainly doing its part to ensure the well-being of all the student-athletes and staff involved in running these events.
“You just try to control the things that you can control,” Morrell said. “We wouldn’t be able to do it without the people around us. It’s really important that we understand that it’s not just on us. There’s a lot of people giving up their time to even give our season an opportunity to go off.”
