University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
A Special Group: Reflecting on the 2025–26 Bulldogs
03.11.2026 | Men's Basketball
JOHNSON CITY, Tenn. – As Head Coach Mike Morrell shared in his postgame interview following Saturday's game, March is not always kind.
Part of what makes this year—and quite frankly every year—so unkind for the UNC Asheville men's basketball program to conclude is the quality of young men and the character of the players who wear the Bulldog uniform.
Of the 143 men's basketball players in the Big South during the 2024–25 season, only 46 active players returned for the 2025–26 season. UNC Asheville accounted for seven of those returners, with Justin Wright also returning after redshirting the 2024–25 season.
In a day and age when the transfer portal dominates the conversation around college athletics, Coach Morrell and his staff have built a program where the majority of the players that are brought in remain part of the program for more than just a single season. And for those who do spend only a year in Asheville—whether using their last year of eligibility or taking advantage of a one-year opportunity—many leave with a deep sense that Asheville felt like home.
The purpose of this release is to share with our supporters just how much being part of this program means—not only to Coach Morrell and his staff, but to the players themselves. The postgame interview following the conclusion of Asheville's tournament run offered a powerful glimpse into what it truly means to be a Bulldog.
