Record-setting night at annual Our Turn to Play event

ASHEVILLE, N.C. — The UNC Asheville Athletics Department hosted its annual "Our Turn to Play" dinner on Tuesday night and saw a record-breaking fundraising evening supporting women's athletics.

It was a momentous occasion, with a record-breaking 425 individuals gathered at Kimmel Arena in the Sherrill Center to champion Bulldog women's athletics. This unprecedented show of support, both from those present and those who could not attend but still contributed, led to a staggering fundraising total of over $330,000.

This year's keynote speaker was Amy Perko, who is the Chief Executive Officer of the Knight Commission. Debbie Antonelli returned as emcee for the fifth year and sat down with Perko to discuss the current and future nature of NCAA Athletics.

Three individuals were recognized at the event: Sonita Warren-Dixon, Asheville High School Athletic Director, earned the "Trailblazer Award," Ona Elkins earned the "Rising Leader Award," and Sophie Hefner earned the "Heart of a Bulldog Award."

Warren-Dixon is a three-time State Champion Head Coach for Girl's Basketball and began her Asheville City Schools tenure in 1991.

Elkins completed her senior season on the volleyball team in the fall of 2023 and holds a 4.00 GPA with a double major in Interdisciplinary Studies and Political Science and a minor in Asian Studies. This past season, Elkins was named the Big South Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year.

Hefner is the first to receive the "Heart of a Bulldog" Award. She is a senior on the UNC Asheville women's soccer team, and in April 2023, she was diagnosed with cancer. Since her diagnosis, Hefner has battled her way back to campus to finish her senior year of college and will be graduating later this month with a degree in Management.

"Last night was truly a special event for many different reasons," said Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone. "Seeing all of the support from our Bulldog friends for our female student-athletes was truly remarkable, and we are so grateful for everyone who attended or contributed in some way to help make this event unforgettable."

The Athletic Department would like to thank Presenting Sponsor First Bank, the official sponsor of Female Athletics, and Harry's on the Hill.

To learn more about the program or to donate, please visit the Our Turn to Play landing site here.