University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Coty Jude Personifies the Power of Mentorship
09.30.2022 | Men's Basketball
Story Written by Mike Gore
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Coty Jude didn't have many options of where to play college basketball and go to school coming out of high school.
He chose the one school that had the most faith in him as a basketball player and a student-athlete and that was UNC Asheville. And after an excellent career as a player and a student, Coty is still in Asheville and may not be leaving soon thanks to some help from the UNC Asheville Athletics Leaders for Leaders Mentor program made possible by the support of Elk Mountain Wealth Partners.
Donna and David Bailey are part of this mentoring program. They got involved with Coty as a freshman and now he's part of their family.
Donna Bailey helped create the Leaders for Leaders program along with Director of Athletics Janet Cone. Bailey has been a great supporter of the UNC Asheville athletic department and was instrumental in starting the Bulldog women's golf program several years ago.
"I was working with Janet (Cone) to help start the women's golf program and she asked me if I would help her create a mentor program that would put student-athletes together with mentors. The mentors would work with a student-athlete during their time at UNC Asheville in their field of study," said Bailey. "We only had 83 days left in the semester to put this together, but we managed to get 10 student-athletes with 10 different mentors. We were off and running."
The program has helped guide numerous student-athletes since its inception. One of those student-athletes was Jude. Coty was a four-year starter for the Bulldog cagers who graduated with a degree in business with a minor in accounting this past spring. Dave and Donna Bailey began mentoring Coty during his freshman year and continued until his graduation in 2022.
Jude was recruited by former Bulldog coach Nick McDevitt and even though McDevitt left before Coty could play for him, he embraced playing for then new Asheville coach Mike Morrell.
Coty entered a program that had been in post-season play for three straight years and competed for Big South championships. But a coaching change along with transfers devastated the Asheville program. As a freshman, Coty would play a great deal for the youngest and most inexperienced college basketball team in the history of the sport. The Bulldogs finished with a 4-27 overall record.
"The first year was a tough one. We were so young, and I played a great deal while learning a new system," said Jude. "But Coach Morrell was great. He worked us hard, told us what we needed to do but was so encouraging. I can't say enough about Coach Morrell. He's the best coach I've ever been around and he believed in us no matter how things were going."
But things would steadily get better. The following season had Asheville being one of the most improved teams in the country with a 15-16 overall record. Coty was a key reason for that improvement. He averaged 10 points per game and Bulldog fans will never forget him knocking down crucial three-pointers in a dramatic win at Charlotte that announced that the Asheville program was back.
Coty's freshman year wasn't all bad. He was put in touch with Dave and Donna. They became his mentors and a beautiful friendship ensued.
"I was so lucky to be involved in the mentor program at UNC Asheville and that's where I met Dave and Donna," said Jude. "We've built a wonderful relationship with each other and they have been so good to me. I've learned so much from them and that's why I'm still in Asheville."
Coty relayed to the Baileys that he was interested in a job in real estate. Thanks to Dave's contacts, Coty was able to get a job with Walnut Cove Realty. He started soon after graduating last May and has found a career that he's been interested in for a long time.
"We got to know Coty as an awkward freshman and have seen him grow into a sophisticated young man," stated Bailey. "We have really enjoyed getting to know Coty and being a part of his life these past four years."
"Coty told us in his junior year that he'd like to get into real estate, and we told him we would try to help him," added Bailey.
Much has been written about the real estate boom in the Asheville area. It seems like a great time to be selling real estate, but Coty isn't quite selling homes just yet.
"Right now, I'm learning and I learn every day. There's a big learning curve and I'm part of a team here at Walnut Cove Realty that's headed up by Josh Smith," commented Jude. "But I know working here is a tremendous opportunity and I am going to do everything I can to make it work."
As Donna explains, one doesn't just go out and become a realtor one day. There's a lot to do before you can become a licensed agent, but Coty is on the right path.
"Coty is doing just wonderful in his job. He's passed all three tests that you must pass to become an agent. Right now, Coty is learning how to measure houses and doing the work you have to do before you can begin selling properties and houses."
As a senior, Coty was appointed captain by Coach Morrell. He took that job seriously and became a wonderful leader to a Bulldog team that returned to post-season play in 2022. The Bulldogs won 17 games, the most in five seasons. Asheville was awarded a berth in the CBI tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Dogs won their first postseason game in 11 years with a triumph over Stephen F. Austin before falling to Northern Colorado.
Coty hopes to use that experience to be a captain of his own real estate team in the future.
"I look forward to the day I get to lead my own team and close deals in real estate," said Jude. "I know that it's in the future and I'm excited about the possibilities it could bring. But I'm not there yet. I plan to keep doing whatever I can to help Josh and his team. I'm watching what they do and going to keep learning."
Coty and the Baileys are continuing their relationship.
"And it's worked out great. Coty is such a respectful young man with a wonderful sense of humor," she added. "We consider him part of our family right now."
And Donna believes it's only a matter of time before Coty is prospering in the real estate field.
"Coty has the right personality for the real estate world," explained Bailey. "He's a diligent worker and there's no doubt in our minds that Coty is going be quite successful in his career."
ASHEVILLE, N.C. – Coty Jude didn't have many options of where to play college basketball and go to school coming out of high school.
He chose the one school that had the most faith in him as a basketball player and a student-athlete and that was UNC Asheville. And after an excellent career as a player and a student, Coty is still in Asheville and may not be leaving soon thanks to some help from the UNC Asheville Athletics Leaders for Leaders Mentor program made possible by the support of Elk Mountain Wealth Partners.
Donna and David Bailey are part of this mentoring program. They got involved with Coty as a freshman and now he's part of their family.
Donna Bailey helped create the Leaders for Leaders program along with Director of Athletics Janet Cone. Bailey has been a great supporter of the UNC Asheville athletic department and was instrumental in starting the Bulldog women's golf program several years ago.
"I was working with Janet (Cone) to help start the women's golf program and she asked me if I would help her create a mentor program that would put student-athletes together with mentors. The mentors would work with a student-athlete during their time at UNC Asheville in their field of study," said Bailey. "We only had 83 days left in the semester to put this together, but we managed to get 10 student-athletes with 10 different mentors. We were off and running."
The program has helped guide numerous student-athletes since its inception. One of those student-athletes was Jude. Coty was a four-year starter for the Bulldog cagers who graduated with a degree in business with a minor in accounting this past spring. Dave and Donna Bailey began mentoring Coty during his freshman year and continued until his graduation in 2022.
Jude was recruited by former Bulldog coach Nick McDevitt and even though McDevitt left before Coty could play for him, he embraced playing for then new Asheville coach Mike Morrell.
Coty entered a program that had been in post-season play for three straight years and competed for Big South championships. But a coaching change along with transfers devastated the Asheville program. As a freshman, Coty would play a great deal for the youngest and most inexperienced college basketball team in the history of the sport. The Bulldogs finished with a 4-27 overall record.
"The first year was a tough one. We were so young, and I played a great deal while learning a new system," said Jude. "But Coach Morrell was great. He worked us hard, told us what we needed to do but was so encouraging. I can't say enough about Coach Morrell. He's the best coach I've ever been around and he believed in us no matter how things were going."
But things would steadily get better. The following season had Asheville being one of the most improved teams in the country with a 15-16 overall record. Coty was a key reason for that improvement. He averaged 10 points per game and Bulldog fans will never forget him knocking down crucial three-pointers in a dramatic win at Charlotte that announced that the Asheville program was back.
Coty's freshman year wasn't all bad. He was put in touch with Dave and Donna. They became his mentors and a beautiful friendship ensued.
"I was so lucky to be involved in the mentor program at UNC Asheville and that's where I met Dave and Donna," said Jude. "We've built a wonderful relationship with each other and they have been so good to me. I've learned so much from them and that's why I'm still in Asheville."
Coty relayed to the Baileys that he was interested in a job in real estate. Thanks to Dave's contacts, Coty was able to get a job with Walnut Cove Realty. He started soon after graduating last May and has found a career that he's been interested in for a long time.
"We got to know Coty as an awkward freshman and have seen him grow into a sophisticated young man," stated Bailey. "We have really enjoyed getting to know Coty and being a part of his life these past four years."
"Coty told us in his junior year that he'd like to get into real estate, and we told him we would try to help him," added Bailey.
Much has been written about the real estate boom in the Asheville area. It seems like a great time to be selling real estate, but Coty isn't quite selling homes just yet.
"Right now, I'm learning and I learn every day. There's a big learning curve and I'm part of a team here at Walnut Cove Realty that's headed up by Josh Smith," commented Jude. "But I know working here is a tremendous opportunity and I am going to do everything I can to make it work."
As Donna explains, one doesn't just go out and become a realtor one day. There's a lot to do before you can become a licensed agent, but Coty is on the right path.
"Coty is doing just wonderful in his job. He's passed all three tests that you must pass to become an agent. Right now, Coty is learning how to measure houses and doing the work you have to do before you can begin selling properties and houses."
As a senior, Coty was appointed captain by Coach Morrell. He took that job seriously and became a wonderful leader to a Bulldog team that returned to post-season play in 2022. The Bulldogs won 17 games, the most in five seasons. Asheville was awarded a berth in the CBI tournament in Daytona Beach, Fla. The Dogs won their first postseason game in 11 years with a triumph over Stephen F. Austin before falling to Northern Colorado.
Coty hopes to use that experience to be a captain of his own real estate team in the future.
"I look forward to the day I get to lead my own team and close deals in real estate," said Jude. "I know that it's in the future and I'm excited about the possibilities it could bring. But I'm not there yet. I plan to keep doing whatever I can to help Josh and his team. I'm watching what they do and going to keep learning."
Coty and the Baileys are continuing their relationship.
"And it's worked out great. Coty is such a respectful young man with a wonderful sense of humor," she added. "We consider him part of our family right now."
And Donna believes it's only a matter of time before Coty is prospering in the real estate field.
"Coty has the right personality for the real estate world," explained Bailey. "He's a diligent worker and there's no doubt in our minds that Coty is going be quite successful in his career."
Players Mentioned
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