Janet R. Cone has served as UNC Asheville’s Director of Athletics since 2004 and is the longest-tenured athletic director in the Big South Conference. Over more than two decades of leadership, Cone has transformed Bulldogs Athletics into one of the premier NCAA Division I programs among mid-major universities, building a culture defined by competitive excellence, academic achievement, community engagement, and holistic student-athlete development.

Since her arrival in Asheville, Bulldog teams have captured more than 30 Big South Conference championships, and numerous student-athletes have earned All-America honors. Academically, Asheville student-athletes consistently outperform the general student body in both graduation rate and grade point average — a point of pride that distinguishes the program nationally. Most recently, the department posted a 992 Academic Progress Rate and a 3.23 departmental GPA while earning a top-three finish in the Big South Sasser Cup standings for the first time in school history. Community service is also central to the department’s mission, with Bulldog student-athletes annually completing more than 2,500 hours of service in the Asheville community.

Cone’s leadership philosophy centers on developing “Champions in Athletics and Leaders in Life.” She has spearheaded multiple strategic initiatives to guide the department’s growth, including the “More Wins, More Friends, and More Resources” plan, “Believe. Achieve. Thrive.,” and most recently “Dream Bigger. Achieve More,” developed in partnership with Huron in fall 2022. This comprehensive five-year roadmap prioritizes investment, competitive success, and student-athlete development. Within 18 months of its launch, the department achieved nearly all measurable benchmarks established in the plan.

Her tenure has been marked by a strong commitment to gender and racial equity and inclusion. Upon arriving at UNC Asheville, Cone launched the “Our Turn to Play” luncheon to raise scholarship dollars for women’s athletics and increase Title IX awareness. She later announced the addition of women’s golf as the department’s 16th NCAA Division I sport and oversaw the revival of women’s swimming in 2012-13 — the first sport added in 20 years. In recognition of the department’s efforts in equity and belonging, Asheville received the Big South Conference’s inaugural Champions of Unity Award.

Facilities enhancement has been another hallmark of Cone’s leadership. The construction of the Wilma M. Sherrill Center and Kimmel Arena was completed during her tenure, transforming the competitive and campus environment for Bulldog Athletics. An updated Athletic Facility Master Plan was completed in 2020, and a comprehensive capital campaign is underway to support continued growth. Recent projects include the $4.5 million renovation and expansion of the Karl Straus Outdoor Track, which reopened in fall 2023, hosted its first home meet in 24 years in April 2024, and served as the site of the 2025 Big South Outdoor Track & Field Championships. The facility will host the 2026 NAIA National Championships. Cone also oversaw completion of the Jeff Fox Hitting Facility and announced plans for a new on-campus outdoor tennis complex as part of the ALL IN Comprehensive Campaign.

In 2024, Cone successfully guided all 16 athletic programs through significant relocation efforts following Helene’s impact in Western North Carolina, ensuring student-athletes continued training and competing while the university and Asheville community began recovery efforts. Her steady leadership during that time further underscored her commitment to student-athlete welfare and program stability.

Nationally respected for her leadership, Cone has held numerous prominent appointments. She served as President of the I-AAA Athletics Directors Association (ADA) during the 2023-24 academic year and as a member of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA) Executive Committee. She currently serves on the NCAA Division I Membership Committee (September 20, 2025 – August 31, 2027) and previously completed a five-year term on the NCAA Division I Men’s Basketball Committee responsible for selecting teams for the NCAA Tournament. She also serves on the NCAA I Men’s College Basketball Summer Initiative Working Group and remains active on several Big South Conference committees, including Finance, Hall of Fame, Membership, Nominations, and Strategic Planning. Additionally, Cone is a member of NACDA’s Honors and Awards Committee and the Learfield Directors’ Cup Committee.

Beyond campus, Cone helped establish the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, previously served as chair, and continues as a founding member. She also serves on the Board of Directors for the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Cone has received numerous national and regional honors recognizing her leadership and service. She was recently named a NACDA Athletic Director of the Year and received the Suzanne DeFerie Lifetime Achievement Award at the Asheville Chamber of Commerce’s WomanUP Awards ceremony. In 2023, she was honored with the John C. Pittman Lifetime Achievement Award by Samford University. Additional accolades include the 2019 I-AAA ADA Builders’ Award and the 2013 Under Armour Athletic Director of the Year Award presented by NACDA.

Prior to arriving in Asheville, Cone served as Associate Athletics Director at Samford University and was head women’s basketball coach at Samford, Saint Leo, Western Carolina, and Mars Hill. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Furman University and a master’s degree from the University of South Carolina.

UNC Asheville recently extended Cone’s contract through May 2027, affirming her continued leadership of Bulldog Athletics into its next chapter of growth and achievement.

Name	Title	Phone	Email Address
Ross Cash	Head Coach	255-7074	rcash1@unca.edu
Laura Smith	Assistant Coach		lsmith26@unca.edu
Dr. Shawn Stewart	Volunteer Assistant Coach

University of North Carolina Ashville Athletics

2025-26 Women's Golf Staff

Coaching Staff

Support Staff