Our Turn To Play

Our Turn to Play, presented by First Bank, 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.

Click here to Make an Impact

You're invited to join us for the highly anticipated annual event, Our Turn to Play on Tuesday, April 28th, 2026 at 6:00 p.m. in Kimmel Arena.
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.

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 supporting UNC Asheville Athletics women's scholarships!
First Bank

Harry’s on the Hill
Harrah’s Cherokee Resort & Casino

Nova Kitch & Bath

Pepsi of Hickory

Jerry Sherrill in Memory of Wilma M Sherrill

McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

Gratz Park Private Wealth

Joe & Janice Brumit

Colton Groome Financial

Omni Grove Park Inn

Wells Fargo Advisors- Roger Aiken

Darlene Davis & Kelly, Randy, and Hunter Davis

Shelia Elingburg & Bob Maxwell

Skyla Credit Union

Arby’s

Penny Insurance

Chartwells

David & Traci Meyer

Chancellor Kimberly van Noort

Hulsing Hotels & Asheville Racquet Club

The Honorable Bruce Goforth

Tom & Sandy Bowles

Barringer Construction

Young Transportation

Sherri & Rob Daniels

First Team Sports

First Citizens Bank

Air Stream Ventures

Gary & Lynne Froeba

Janet R. Cone

Alexis Baker

Mike & Melba Tracy

UNC Asheville Foundation

Allen Stahl and Kilbourne Law

Champion Credit Union

Sue McClinton

Elk Mountain Wealth

Peter & Sandi Heckman

Northwestern Mutual with Jennifer Marlowe & Kevin Passarilla

White Insurance

Jani-King

Ric LaCivita

Explore Asheville

Firehouse Subs

Dave Steele

Asheville Buncombe Technical Community College

YMCA

United Way of Buncombe County

Council of Independent Business Owners

MB Haynes

Mission Health

Molly deMattos & Heather Brown

TD Bank

Vivenue

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

Keynote Speaker Announcement for Our Turn To Play

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics