UNC Asheville Athletics • May 2018 Bulldog Bites UNC Asheville Athletics Graduates 42 Student-Athletes Patten Makes History at NCAA Singles Championships 2 • Bulldog Bites May 2018 UNC Asheville Athletics Graduates 42 Student-Athletes ASHEVILLE, N.C. –The Pursuit sometimes I think what our student- Ben Chapal – Men’s Soccer Keller Dixon – Women’s Soccer of Champions and Leaders for UNC athletes are doing in the classroom is lost Zack Compton – Men’s Soccer Caroline Houser – Women’s Soccer Asheville athletics officially culminates in all of the great things they are doing Zak Davis (Master’s) - Men’s Soccer Emma Houser – Women’s Soccer when student-athletes graduate, and 42 athletically for our University. Their Ryan Enriquez – Men’s Soccer Brooke Miller – Women’s Soccer more were added to the prestigious list of efforts athletically are just one part of the Sam Holton – Men’s Soccer Courtney Naber – Women’s Soccer Bulldogs to graduate from the institution story. We truly have student-athletes at Andrew Lawrence – Men’s Soccer Katie Tuorto – Women’s Soccer on Saturday, May 12, 2018. UNC Asheville that value and champion Hayden Poell – Men’s Soccer Carly Emerson – Swimming The newest 42 athletic graduates took pursing greatness with their academic, Hunter Koike – Track and Field Shannon Kennedy – Swimming part in the May 2018 Commencement athletic and lifelong goals.” Chilton Birdwhistell – Cross Country Elizabeth Murray – Swimming exercises held at the quadrangle on the and Track and Field Alejandra Sanchez Garcia – Swimming UNC Asheville campus. 2018 UNC Asheville May Graduates Dominic Collichio – Cross Country and Stephanie Smith – Swimming UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Nick Boyles – Baseball Track and Field Allie Snyder – Swimming Janet R. Cone is extremely proud of the Jordan Fulbright – Baseball Jacob Fink – Cross Country and Track Brittany Thomas – Swimming 42 graduating Bulldog student-athletes. Jesse Juday – Baseball and Field Emily Werth – Swimming “Speaking for the entire department, I Joe Zayatz – Baseball David Hager – Cross Country and Track Kayli Nichols – Track and Field want to congratulate these tremendous Kevin Vannatta – Men’s Basketball and Field Maddie Lowe – Cross Country and student-athletes and wish all of them a Alec Wnuk – Men’s Basketball Bronaza Fitzgerald – Women’s Track and Field great deal of future success,” Cone said. Ahmad Thomas – Men’s Basketball Basketball Phoebe Schneider – Cross Country and “It’s been a special 2017-18 athletic year. Raekwon Miller – Men’s Basketball Khaila Webb – Women’s Basketball Track and Field We say it all the time, but truthfully Jackson Allen – Men’s Soccer Gretchen Dettlinger – Women’s Soccer Amalie Davidsen – Women’s Tennis May 2018 Bulldog Bites • 3 UNC Asheville Athletics Holds Annual ASHPYS Award Celebration ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Spotlight Performance of the Year: Dance): Tiffany Bailey Women’s Soccer: Kyra Kandel Asheville athletics department held its Men’s Tennis win over Clemson Spirt of the Bulldog Award (Gameday Women’s Swimming: Alejandra annual ASHPYS awards celebration on Record-Breaking Performance Award: Band): Maddie Wiggins Sanchez Garcia Monday, April 30, 2018. Ahmad Thomas, Men’s Basketball Bulldog Challenge Award Winner: Men’s Tennis: Henry Patten The 2018 ASHPYS hosted by the Bulldog Fan of the Year Award: Elijah Women’s Golf Women’s Tennis: Kylee Shipley Student-Athlete Advisory Committee Roberts Men’s Track and Field: Victor Mathuthu (SAAC) were held on the floor of Kimmel Comeback Athlete of the Year: Tiffany NCAA Woman of the Year Nominees: Women’s Track and Field: Kayli Nichols Arena inside the Sherrill Center with Wilson Women’s Basketball Caroline Houser, Women’s Soccer and Volleyball: Cara Guthrie the event starting with a dinner for UNC Best Postgame Celebration: UNC Kayli Nichols, Women’s Track and Field Asheville student-athletes before the Asheville Men’s Basketball After 2017-18 Scholar-Athlete Award awards celebration. Big South Title-Clinching Win Over Christenberry Award for Academic Winners “What a great night this was to Winthrop Excellence: Kayli Nichols, Track and celebrate our true champions and Co-Coach of the Year: Tom Hand, Field and Kevin Vannatta, Men’s Baseball: Jesse Juday leaders,” UNC Asheville Director of Men’s Tennis and Brenda Mock Basketball Men’s Basketball: Kevin Vannatta Athletics Janet R. Cone said. “The 2017- Kirkpatrick, Women’s Basketball Women’s Basketball: Ali Trani 18 athletic year is one that I will always Male Student-Athlete of the Year: 2017-18 Bulldog Award Winners Men’s Cross Country: Blanton Gillespie remember fondly, and I am thankful we Henry Patten, Men’s Tennis Women’s Cross Country: Phoebe had the opportunity to celebrate all of the Female Student-Athlete of the Year: Baseball: Carmine Pagano Schneider tremendous accomplishments over the Bronaza Fitzgerald, Women’s Basketball Men’s Basketball: Raekwon Miller Women’s Golf: Linna Brooks course of the year.” Female Big Dog Award: Madeline Women’s Basketball: Bronaza Men’s Soccer: Brendan O’Dowd Finley, Women’s Tennis Fitzgerald Women’s Soccer: Maura Coolbaugh 2017-18 ASHPYS Award Winners Male Big Dog Award: Chilton Men’s Cross Country: Dominic Women’s Swimming: Elizabeth Murray Birdwhistell, Track and Field Collichio Men’s Tennis: Andrew Sinai Male Freshman of the Year: Victor Janet R. Cone Bulldog Service and Women’s Cross Country: Kelley Women’s Tennis: Madeline Finley Mathuthu, Track and Field Leadership Award: Elizabeth Conte, Coleman Men’s Track and Field: Tyree McFalling Female Freshman of the Year: Taylor Women’s Swimming Women’s Golf: Adelyn Deery Women’s Track and Field: Jasmine Cox Hinson, Women’s Golf Spirit of the Bulldog Award (Cheer & Men’s Soccer: Joe LaCasto Volleyball: Carter Kennedy 4 • Bulldog Bites May 2018 Lindsay Vera Named UNC Asheville Women’s Soccer Head Coach ASHEVILLE, N.C. – The UNC Asheville Department of Athletics announced on Tuesday, May 22, that Lindsay Vera has been named the fourth women’s soccer head coach in program history. “We are excited to have Lindsay join our team,” UNC Asheville Director of Athletics Janet R. Cone said. “Having helped start the program at UTRGV, Lindsay knows what it takes to build a program from the ground up, and we know that her coaching and strong playing experience will allow her to be successful with the Bulldogs. We cannot wait to introduce Lindsay to Bulldogs everywhere.” Vera joins the Bulldog family from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, where she was an assistant coach under head coach Glad Bugariu. During her four-year stint at UTRGV, Vera was the assistant coach and camp director for the women’s club. While at UTRGV, she saw the squad go 32- 37-11, which included back-to-back winning seasons in 2016 and 2017. In the program’s third year of existence, UTRGV posted its first- ever winning season at 10-8-1. “I am so excited for the opportunity to lead the UNC Asheville women’s soccer program,” Vera said. “Asheville is a perfect fit for me, both personally and professionally, and I am ready to get there and push the Bulldogs forward. I want to thank Janet R. Cone and Terri Brne for all they have done for me thus far. “Furthermore, I could not make such a step in my career if it weren’t for Glad Bugariu, the coaching staff and all of our players at UTRGV. I’d also like to thank Chris King, Farrah Manthei and Lance Morgan for their continued support during my time in the Valley.” Prior to her arrival to UTRGV, Vera served as volunteer assistant coach at NC State from 2011-12. Her responsibilities included assisting in training plans, participating in training sessions, completing NCAA practice logs, reviewing game footage and handling team social media accounts. Vera also worked for the Capital Area Soccer League (CASL) in Raleigh, N.C., where she worked as a coach and Director of Marketing from 2009-13. She coached teams between the ages of 9-16, trained players individually and served as a camp coordinator and coach. On the marketing side, Vera planned and organized special events, created and maintained sponsorships, implemented fundraising events, organized the club’s seventh round (43rd overall) of the 2009 Shannon Boxx and Amy LePeilbet. two-time team captain, Vera earned All-ACC website and social media pages, generated Women’s Professional Soccer (WPS) League As a player, Vera finished her NC State second-team honors during each of her final presentations and marketing materials for Draft, which was the highest level of women’s playing career with 27 goals and 67 career three seasons after being named to the All- CASL programs and events and hired and professional soccer in North America. There, points. Her goal output was tied for 10th in ACC Freshman Team in 2005. She was an managed interns. she trained and competed with U.S. Women’s program history. She was the Wolfpack’s NSCAA All-Region selection in 2006 and the The Boston Breakers selected Vera in the National team players such as Kristine Lilly, leading scorer in three of her four seasons. A NC State Team MVP in 2007. May 2018 Bulldog Bites • 5 HISTORIC DAY! Henry Patten Picks Up First NCAA Win for UNC Asheville Men’s Tennis Two-time Big South Player of the Year Henry Patten became just the second player in Big South history to advance to the second round of the NCAA Men’s Tennis Singles Championship with a thrilling 4-6, 6-3, 6-4 win over Alex Lebedev of Notre Dame on Wednesday, May 23, at the Wake Forest Tennis Complex in Winston-Salem, N.C. The victory was the first win for the UNC Asheville men’s tennis program in the NCAA Men’s Tennis Singles Championship.