Our Turn To Play

Our Turn to Play is an annual event with a mission to highlight the accomplishments of women in collegiate sports and increase the scholarship fund for UNC Asheville female student-athletes presented by First Bank.

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You're invited to join us for Our Turn to Play on April 28th in Kimmel Arena for a special event to remember.
This year's keynote speaker is Katie Meier, former Miami Hurricanes women's basketball head coach, Co-National Coach of the Year, and Duke Hall of Famer, will be the Keynote Speaker. The annual scholarship dinner will be held on Tuesday, April 28, at 6 p.m. in Kimmel Arena.

First Bank is the Presenting Sponsor with support from Harry's on the Hill. Join us for a night of celebration and recognition of our female student-athletes and leaders as we look to the future of transformational change through scholarship funds
. Thank you for supporting our mission of impacting the lives of the female student-athletes of UNC Asheville.

This event features table sponsorships ($1,500) and individual tickets ($150). Table Sponsorships include seven guests and one UNC Asheville Student-Athlete with invitation to attend the VIP Lounge.

Please contact Donna Peek at DPEEK@UNCA.EDU for any questions!

Our Emcee this year will be Debbie Antonelli. Antonelli has been a familiar name for UNC Asheville Athletics as she has emceed the first two Celebration on the Court events and received the Trailblazer Award at the 2022 Our Turn to Play event. Antoonelli began her career in athletics as a star student-athlete, leading the NC State Wolfpack to four Women's NCAA Tournament appearances. She later got into coaching and athletic administration, before gaining national acclaim as a basketball analyst and sports broadcaster. Antonelli has since spent 34 years in the television industry, sharing the stories of collegiate athletes to homes all across the country, and was recently inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame. Antonelli has spent time broadcasting with ESPN, the ACC network, the Big Ten Network, CBS Sports, and FOX. On top of all of this, she has worked behind the scenes to improve the Women's NCAA Tournament, fighting for equitable treatment and resources for female athletes compared to their male counterparts.

Thank you to our Present Sponsor of UNC Asheville female Athletics and Our Turn to Play:

Thank you to our Partners for this Life Changing Event:
First Bank
Harry's on the Hill
Harrah's Cherokee Resort & Casino
Nova Kitchen & Bath
Pepsi & John Teeter
Wilma M. Sherrill
McMillan Pazdan Smith Architects
Gratz Park Private Wealth
Joe & Janice Brumit
Colton Groome Financial
Omni Grove Park Inn
Roger Aiken, Wells Fargo Wealth Advisors
Kelly Davis & John Kimberly, Park National Bank
Shelia Elingburg & Bob Maxwell
Darlene Davis
Arby's
Lynn & Will Penny
Chartwells
David & Traci Meyer
Hulisng Hotels/ARC
Bruce & Joyce Goforth
Tom & Sandy Bowles
Abert & Meta Laabs
First Team Sports
First Citizen's Bank
Asheville Tennis Association
Gary & Lynne Froeba
Janet R. Cone
Alexis Baker
Mike & Melba Tracy
TD Bank
Virtelle Hospitality Group
Elk Mountain Wealth Group
Peter & Sandi Heckman
Jennifer Marlowe & Kevin Pasarilla, Northwestern Mututal
Jani-King of Charlotte
Asheville-Buncombe Tech
Ric LaCivita
Explore Asheville
Firehouse Subs
Fans of Mae Mae Myers
YMCA
United Way of Asheville
Go Mini Storage
Council of Indeoendent Business Owners
HCA/Mission Health
Modera Wealth Management
Molly de Mattos & Heather Brown
Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Council

Presenting Sponsor of Our Turn to Play and Women's Sports: First Bank

Press Release from 2026 Our Turn To Play

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics