The Bulldogs went 11-10 in dual action in Hale's first season, with Hale's first win as a Bulldog coming in a 7-0 shutout on Feb. 4 over King (Tenn.). Asheville collected several Big South Conference weekly awards along the way, with Harrison Cooper earning Freshman of the Week on Mar. 4 before Daniel Franco-Key earned back-to-back honors on Mar. 11 and Mar. 18. On Mar. 18 combined with the women's team, the Bulldogs executed a clean sweep of weekly awards for the first time since Gardner-Webb back on Mar. 10, 2022. Cooper then earned another Freshman of the Week honor on Mar. 25, before picking up another honor on Apr. 14. Leo Kolbe was also named to the Big South Conference All-Academic Team. The Bulldogs also had two College Sports Communicators Academic All-District selections in Trevor Gray and Cian Ingles.

Dustin Hale was named the new Head Men’s Tennis Coach for UNC Asheville on July 16, 2025. Hale is the 11th head coach in program history.

Hale comes to Asheville following eight seasons at the helm of the tennis program at Sweet Briar College. This past year, the Vixens went 15-7, finishing their season by winning the Eastern College Athletic Conference Division III Women's Tennis Championship. Hale is the winningest head coach in Sweet Briar program history, compiling a 105-59 record over eight seasons.

Hale led the Vixens to three consecutive Old Dominion Athletic Conference Championship appearances from 2021-23. During the 2021-22 and 2022-23 seasons, Sweet Briar posted back-to-back 9-1 conference records. Hale had two individuals make it to the NCAA Division III Women’s Tennis Doubles Championship during the 2020-21 season, marking the Vixens’ first appearance on the NCAA Doubles Championship stage since 1990.

The Vixens posted a 15-6 dual-season record during the 2020-21 season, with the .778 winning percentage marking the first above .700 since the 2003 season (11-4, .733) and the most combined singles and doubles wins (79) since 2015 (82).

For his efforts in 2021, Hale was named ODAC Coach of the Year and the Virginia Sports Information Directors Coach of the Year.

Hale’s teams have also found success off the court as he has had two ODAC Scholar-Athlete of the Year winners, 51 ODAC All-Academic Honorees, two ITA All-Academic teams (2022 & 2024), 20 ITA Scholar-Athletes, seven CSC Academic All-District recipients, and eight VaSID Academic honorees.

Hale arrived at Sweet Briar before the 2017-18 season, following a two-year stint as the head men's and women's tennis coach at his alma mater, North Carolina Wesleyan College. Hale led the men's program to a USA South regular season and tournament title in his debut season, while also leading the Battling Bishops into the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship Tournament.

While at N.C. Wesleyan, Hale saw his student-athletes recognized on the men's and women's side as All-USA South and All-USA South East Division honorees.

Hale made his collegiate head coaching debut in 2011-12, leading the men's program at Emory & Henry College. He posted a 29-11 record at Emory & Henry, and the Wasps reached the ODAC Tournament in both seasons he was at the helm.

During his time at Emory & Henry, the Wasps saw 11 All-ODAC selections and five VaSID All-State honorees.

Hale's coaching career started as an assistant coach at N.C. Wesleyan during the 2010 and 2011 seasons, when the Battling Bishops reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Division III Men's Tennis Championship Tournament in 2010 and the Elite 8 in 2011.

As a student-athlete, Hale played four seasons at N.C. Wesleyan, including posting a 6-1 singles mark as a senior, as the Battling Bishops won their first USA South regular season and tournament titles.

Hale received his Bachelor of Arts in both psychology and religious studies from N.C. Wesleyan in 2009.

Name	Title	Phone	Email Address
Dustin Hale	Head Coach	350-4556	dhale@unca.edu
Rhod Atkinson	Assistant Coach		ratkinso@unca.edu

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

2025-26 Men's Tennis Coaching Staff

Coaching Staff