University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Mike Gore's "40-for-40": 2002 Volleyball Team
11.17.2025 | General, Women's Volleyball
As the UNC Asheville volleyball team heads toward the Big South Tournament, this time of the year always brings back some great volleyball memories.Â
Today, I look back on one of the best seasons we ever had, sparked by a special player.
Not much was expected from the 2002 Bulldog volleyball squad as they were picked last in the Big South Preseason Poll. The poll infuriated the Asheville squad, and the prediction was put on a chalkboard. Head Coach Julie Torbett placed the chalkboard in the Justice Center so her team would see that prediction every day they practiced.Â
But Asheville quickly proved the pollsters wrong, getting off to a great start in non-conference play. The first weekend of conference play saw the Bulldogs stun defending champion Liberty at Justice Center to let the league know that Asheville wasn't going to finish in last place in 2002.
Torbett's club had some impressive newcomers who were contributing right away, but it was a senior walk-on who was sparking the Bulldogs.
Leslie Whitfield hadn't played much during her career, but her hard work had been noticed, and she finally was able to get a scholarship her senior season. She became the Bulldogs' starting libero and went to have a spectacular campaign.Â
All Leslie did in her first real playing time was lead the nation in digs!!! She set a then-NCAA record Division I record for digs in a year with 763!!! Her 50 digs against Western Carolina that year were the most recorded by any player that year.Â
The team was thriving as it raced out to an 11-4 record before losing two league matches to Coastal Carolina and Winthrop. But the Bulldogs weren't going to be denied as they rattled off nine wins in their next 10 matches.Â
The winning streak set up a dramatic showdown for first place in the final home match of the year.Â
Asheville would face a Winthrop squad that was just beginning a major dynasty in league play. The Eagle program would win the next five league tournament championships, but in 2002, they would have to get by the Bulldogs to win a regular-season title. An Asheville win would give the Blue & White its first regular-season title in 10 years. Not bad for a team picked to finish in last place. Â
This was a strong Winthrop squad. They were the only team to beat Asheville in three sets that season. And they got off to a good start with a convincing first game win. However, the Bulldogs evened the set with a thrilling second set win, only to see Winthrop grab the third set.
Asheville would not go away as it roared back to win a tense fourth set to tie the match at 2 sets apiece, setting up a dramatic fifth set.
The Bulldogs were simply not going to be denied. Whitfield was everywhere, digging out balls that Winthrop hitters were ready to celebrate a dramatic kill, but Leslie would dig the ball out, keeping the play alive.
Asheville would sprint to an early lead in the fifth set and would never give that lead up. When the Bulldogs got the 15th point to win the match and the regular-season title, a raucous Justice Center crowd roared its approval.Â
Asheville would finish the 2002 season with an outstanding 26-8 overall record, the best mark in 10 years. The Bulldogs' win-loss record made them the most improved team in the country as Asheville went from 7-21 to 26-8.Â
And for Whitfield, she would become the first UNC Asheville student-athlete to be featured in Sports Illustrated. Athletics Communication assistant Leslie Sloan contacted the then-weekly publication for its Faces in the Crowd Section. Whitfield was featured in the December 16th edition.Â
It was a year that Bulldog fans will never forget. A team picked to finish last ended up in first place, led by a former walk-on student athlete. A walk-on named Leslie Whitfield, who would finish her final season as a Bulldog, hoping to get a chance to play more. She would end up playing a great deal, lead the nation in digs, and be featured in Sports Illustrated.Â
