University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Bulldog Basketball Teams Open 2022-23 Seasons with first practices on Monday
09.26.2022 | Men's Basketball, Women's Basketball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville men's and women's basketball teams officially opened their 2022-23 seasons on Monday with their first official practices at Kimmel Arena.
Both Bulldog basketball teams are looking to build upon their respective 2021-22 campaigns. The men's team finished 17-15 overall, while the women's squad finished 10-22. Head Coach Mike Morrell is entering his fifth season leading the men's basketball team, while Head Coach Honey Brown is about to begin her third season at the helm.
The men's team, which won its first postseason game since 2011 by defeating Stephen F. Austin in the College Basketball Invitational last March, is bringing back multiple key pieces from last season's team. The reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year and First Team selection Drew Pember along with sixth-year senior Tajion Jones are both back for another season as are longtime starters Trent Stephney and Jamon Battle.
"I think just being a better version of who we were last year and continuing to grow," said Morrell when asked about what his team focused on during the offseason and now as the season officially begins. "We are blessed to have multiple guys who played a lot of minutes for us last year coming back but we also brought in several new players to help us in certain areas that we felt like we needed to get better in."
The women's team, meanwhile, will also have some familiar faces but also have multiple new ones in 2022-23. Sophomore Jordaynia Ivie, Asheville's 3-point field goal percentage (31.1) and steals (54) leader from last season, returns after playing 30 games (29 starts) as a true freshman a season ago. Regular starters Faith Adams and Abigail Wilson are also back for their fourth and third seasons as Bulldogs, respectively. Ivie, Adams, Wilson and the rest of the Bulldogs will look to build upon their play at the end of last season where they won three of their last four games, including a pair of upset victories in the Big South Tournament.
"Our goal in the offseason was to continue to build," Brown said of her program's mindset in getting ready for the 2022-23 season. "We played a lot of teams tough last year and I believe our team gained a lot of confidence which showed with our performance late in the year at the conference tournament."
Both Bulldog basketball teams have a little over a month to get ready for their first games of the 2022-23 season. Each team will open their season on November 7. The men's squad will travel to take on UCF, while the women's team will host Converse at Kimmel Arena.
A reminder that season tickets are on sale now. Tickets are 25% off until the end of September.
Both Bulldog basketball teams are looking to build upon their respective 2021-22 campaigns. The men's team finished 17-15 overall, while the women's squad finished 10-22. Head Coach Mike Morrell is entering his fifth season leading the men's basketball team, while Head Coach Honey Brown is about to begin her third season at the helm.
The men's team, which won its first postseason game since 2011 by defeating Stephen F. Austin in the College Basketball Invitational last March, is bringing back multiple key pieces from last season's team. The reigning Big South Defensive Player of the Year and First Team selection Drew Pember along with sixth-year senior Tajion Jones are both back for another season as are longtime starters Trent Stephney and Jamon Battle.
"I think just being a better version of who we were last year and continuing to grow," said Morrell when asked about what his team focused on during the offseason and now as the season officially begins. "We are blessed to have multiple guys who played a lot of minutes for us last year coming back but we also brought in several new players to help us in certain areas that we felt like we needed to get better in."
The women's team, meanwhile, will also have some familiar faces but also have multiple new ones in 2022-23. Sophomore Jordaynia Ivie, Asheville's 3-point field goal percentage (31.1) and steals (54) leader from last season, returns after playing 30 games (29 starts) as a true freshman a season ago. Regular starters Faith Adams and Abigail Wilson are also back for their fourth and third seasons as Bulldogs, respectively. Ivie, Adams, Wilson and the rest of the Bulldogs will look to build upon their play at the end of last season where they won three of their last four games, including a pair of upset victories in the Big South Tournament.
"Our goal in the offseason was to continue to build," Brown said of her program's mindset in getting ready for the 2022-23 season. "We played a lot of teams tough last year and I believe our team gained a lot of confidence which showed with our performance late in the year at the conference tournament."
Both Bulldog basketball teams have a little over a month to get ready for their first games of the 2022-23 season. Each team will open their season on November 7. The men's squad will travel to take on UCF, while the women's team will host Converse at Kimmel Arena.
A reminder that season tickets are on sale now. Tickets are 25% off until the end of September.
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