University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
UNC Asheville to Retire Josh Pittman's No. 4 Jersey on Homecoming Weekend
02.07.2025 | General, Men's Basketball, Athletics News
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - UNC Asheville Athletics has announced that Josh Pittman's No. 4 jersey will be retired prior to the men's basketball game on Feb. 15 during Homecoming weekend.
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The jersey retirement ceremony will take place on Feb. 15, following the women's game and before the men's game against Charleston Southern in Kimmel Arena.Â
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"Josh was a sophomore my first year at Asheville, and I was shocked at how naturally talented he was," said Eddie Biedenbach, who coached UNC Asheville Men's Basketball from 1996-2013. "He led us the next year with his scoring and his play. The best part about him was that he was a great teammate and a great leader."
Pittman played at Asheville from 1994-98. He became the first Bulldog to ever be named Big South Player of the Year in 1997 as a junior. He was then named Big South Player of the Year in 1998, as well. Josh became just the second player in league history to repeat as Big South Player of the Year. Josh completed his career at Asheville with 1,547 points which at the time made him the school's third all-time leading scorer and leading Division I scorer. He is currently eighth in that category. Josh also completed his career as the program's all-time leader in steals with 175. He is now fifth all-time in steals. Josh helped lead UNC Asheville to the program's first ever Big South Conference regular-season titles in both 1997 and 1998. In 1997, the Bulldogs were a preseason pick to finish in sixth place in the league but led by Pittman, Asheville finished first for the first time in school history. He helped lead the Dogs to their best Division I record at the time at 18-10 which included wins over South Carolina, New Mexico State and Marshall. South Carolina would win the SEC that season. Josh led the Big South in scoring in 1998 with an 18.4 average. He became the first Bulldog to ever lead the league in scoring. Asheville was 24-4 in league games during Josh's final two seasons. In addition, he was a first-team All-Conference performer his final two years and made the Big South All-Tournament team twice. Josh was elected to the UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Big South Hall of Fame the same year. He became the first UNC Asheville men's basketball player to be enshrined in the Big South Hall of Fame. Josh graduated from UNC Asheville in 1998 and was the first Bulldog to ever be invited to the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational following the season. He received an invitation to the Los Angeles Lakers training camp before settling for a successful 17-year professional career in Europe and South America where he was named league MVP three times.
"This is a tremendous honor for Josh and for our men's basketball program," said Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone. "To have your number retired anywhere is an unbelievable accomplishment and we are proud of his time as a Bulldog."
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The jersey retirement ceremony will take place on Feb. 15, following the women's game and before the men's game against Charleston Southern in Kimmel Arena.Â
Â
"Josh was a sophomore my first year at Asheville, and I was shocked at how naturally talented he was," said Eddie Biedenbach, who coached UNC Asheville Men's Basketball from 1996-2013. "He led us the next year with his scoring and his play. The best part about him was that he was a great teammate and a great leader."
Pittman played at Asheville from 1994-98. He became the first Bulldog to ever be named Big South Player of the Year in 1997 as a junior. He was then named Big South Player of the Year in 1998, as well. Josh became just the second player in league history to repeat as Big South Player of the Year. Josh completed his career at Asheville with 1,547 points which at the time made him the school's third all-time leading scorer and leading Division I scorer. He is currently eighth in that category. Josh also completed his career as the program's all-time leader in steals with 175. He is now fifth all-time in steals. Josh helped lead UNC Asheville to the program's first ever Big South Conference regular-season titles in both 1997 and 1998. In 1997, the Bulldogs were a preseason pick to finish in sixth place in the league but led by Pittman, Asheville finished first for the first time in school history. He helped lead the Dogs to their best Division I record at the time at 18-10 which included wins over South Carolina, New Mexico State and Marshall. South Carolina would win the SEC that season. Josh led the Big South in scoring in 1998 with an 18.4 average. He became the first Bulldog to ever lead the league in scoring. Asheville was 24-4 in league games during Josh's final two seasons. In addition, he was a first-team All-Conference performer his final two years and made the Big South All-Tournament team twice. Josh was elected to the UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010 and the Big South Hall of Fame the same year. He became the first UNC Asheville men's basketball player to be enshrined in the Big South Hall of Fame. Josh graduated from UNC Asheville in 1998 and was the first Bulldog to ever be invited to the prestigious Portsmouth Invitational following the season. He received an invitation to the Los Angeles Lakers training camp before settling for a successful 17-year professional career in Europe and South America where he was named league MVP three times.
"This is a tremendous honor for Josh and for our men's basketball program," said Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone. "To have your number retired anywhere is an unbelievable accomplishment and we are proud of his time as a Bulldog."
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