University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics
Mike Gore's "40-for-40": 2006 Big South Conference Baseball Championship
06.04.2026 | Baseball
ASHEVILLE, N.C. - It's hard to believe that it was 20 years ago that a young UNC Asheville baseball team shocked the Big South Conference and won the league tournament for the first time in school history.
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The 2006 Bulldogs, under second-year coach Willie Stewart, forged a weekend at Coastal Carolina Baseball Stadium that will never be forgotten by Asheville fans.
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Just getting into the tournament was a victory for UNC Asheville that year. The Big South has always been exceptionally good at baseball and 2006 was no exception. Birmingham-Southern, Winthrop, Coastal Carolina and Liberty all took turns being nationally ranked throughout the year.
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A young Bulldog team had only won 11 games in 2005 but had showed some potential throughout the season. They won non-conference games at Florida and Tennessee. Both teams ended up in the College World Series that year.
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In 2006, the Dogs were still young as many top players were sophomores. Asheville had started to learn how to win games. They posted impressive non-conference victories over Michigan and Georgia Southern along with a road win at NCAA Tournament club Texas-Arlington.
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The goal for Stewart's club was to simply make the six-team Big South Tournament. There were nine teams in the league and making the tournament would not be easy. However, Asheville won a key series at home against Liberty late in the year to seal sixth place and a trip to Conway for the tournament.Â
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The 2006 Bulldogs, under second-year coach Willie Stewart, forged a weekend at Coastal Carolina Baseball Stadium that will never be forgotten by Asheville fans.
Â
Just getting into the tournament was a victory for UNC Asheville that year. The Big South has always been exceptionally good at baseball and 2006 was no exception. Birmingham-Southern, Winthrop, Coastal Carolina and Liberty all took turns being nationally ranked throughout the year.
Â
A young Bulldog team had only won 11 games in 2005 but had showed some potential throughout the season. They won non-conference games at Florida and Tennessee. Both teams ended up in the College World Series that year.
Â
In 2006, the Dogs were still young as many top players were sophomores. Asheville had started to learn how to win games. They posted impressive non-conference victories over Michigan and Georgia Southern along with a road win at NCAA Tournament club Texas-Arlington.
Â
The goal for Stewart's club was to simply make the six-team Big South Tournament. There were nine teams in the league and making the tournament would not be easy. However, Asheville won a key series at home against Liberty late in the year to seal sixth place and a trip to Conway for the tournament.Â
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Tuesday, May 28
Tuesday, May 28
Tuesday, May 28
Monday, May 13