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USTA Welcomes Ukraine Billie Jean King Cup Team to Asheville, N.C., for 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifying April 15-16

USTA Welcomes Ukraine Billie Jean King Cup Team to Asheville, N.C., for 2022 Billie Jean King Cup Qualifying April 15-16

Portion of Ticket Revenue to be Donated to Ukraine Relief; Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos, Ingles Markets, New Belgium Brewing Company to Make Additional Donations

Danielle Collins, Jessica Pegula, Sloane Stephens, Shelby Rogers, Desirae Krawczyk to Represent Team USA

Elina Svitolina, Marta Kostyuk, Katarina Zavatska, Lyudmyla Kichenok, Nadiia Kichenok to Represent Ukraine

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., March 18, 2022 – The USTA and the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Team will welcome Team Ukraine to Asheville, N.C., and the Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville for a Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Qualifying tie April 15-16, 2022.

The USTA will donate 10 percent of the ticket revenue from the event to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by Global Giving, where local sponsors Harrah’s Cherokee Casinos, Ingles Markets and New Belgium Brewing Company will also make donations. The USTA will organize a number of visible support activations on the ground in Asheville and will encourage fans to make their own donations. Click to learn more or to donate to the Ukraine Crisis Relief Fund by Global Giving.

The teams representing both nations were nominated today:

· World No. 11 Danielle Collins, No. 19 Jessica Pegula, No. 38 Sloane Stephens, No. 49 Shelby Rogers and doubles No. 20 Desirae Krawczyk will represent the U.S. in Asheville for sixth-year Billie Jean King Cup captain Kathy Rinaldi.

· World No. 18 Elina Svitolina, No. 54 Marta Kostyuk, No. 210 Katarina Zavatska and doubles No. 30 Lyudmyla Kichenok and No. 37 Nadiia Kichenok will represent Ukraine.

“The USTA, along with all of tennis' governing bodies, condemns the invasion of Ukraine and continues to advocate for peace,” said Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive, Professional Tennis, USTA. “We’re committed to welcoming the Ukrainian team and to making sure they have all the support they need leading up to and during the competition in Asheville. Together, we will use this event to continue advocating for peace, along with providing aid and support for the people of Ukraine.”

On March 1, the USTA joined the six governing bodies of tennis in a statement condemning Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and taking a variety of steps, including: the suspension of ATP/WTA tour events; the indefinite suspension of all International Tennis Federation events in Russia and Belarus; the suspension of the Russian Tennis Federation and Belarus Tennis Federation from the ITF. The full statement can be read here.

The Billie Jean King Cup Qualifying matches in Asheville will be played Friday, April 15, and Saturday, April 16, on an indoor hardcourt inside Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, the third time the venue has hosted the competition – previously known as Fed Cup – since 2018.

The Qualifier is a best-of-five match series that begins Friday with two singles matches. Two reverse singles matches and the doubles match will follow on Saturday, with an amended Saturday schedule possible if one team clinches victory in the third or fourth match. The winner will advance to the 2022 Finals later this year at a location to be announced.

Tickets can be purchased at http://usta.com/bjkc or at Ticketmaster.

Collins, 28, is currently the top-ranked American singles player at No. 11. The two-time NCAA singles champion made her first Grand Slam singles final earlier this year at the Australian Open. She’s 4-0 in singles for the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Team, including a 3-0 mark in the 2021 Finals in Prague and a singles win in Asheville in 2019.

Pegula, 28, is currently ranked No. 19 and reached a career-high No. 14 in the world earlier this year. She reached the quarterfinals of the Australian Open for the second straight year in 2022 and had seven wins over Top-10 opponents in 2021.

Stephens, 28, is currently ranked No. 38 and is a former world No. 3. The 2017 US Open singles champion was a part of the U.S. team that won the 2017 Billie Jean King Cup and has won seven career WTA singles titles, including this year in Guadalajara.

Rogers, 29, is currently ranked No. 49 and was ranked as high as No. 36 earlier this year. A part of the U.S. team that won the Billie Jean King Cup title in 2017, Rogers has reached the quarterfinals of the US Open and French Open in singles and the Australian Open and French Open in doubles.

Krawczyk, 28, is currently ranked No. 20 in doubles and reached a career-high No. 15 in January. Krawczyk won three of four Grand Slam events in mixed doubles in 2021, a feat only achieved by seven players in the Open Era (since 1968).

Billie Jean King Cup is the world’s largest annual international team competition in women’s sport, with approximately 100 nations taking part each year. Deloitte is the official sponsor and Wilson is the official ball of the U.S. Billie Jean King Cup Team.

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The USTA is the national governing body for the sport of tennis in the U.S. and the leader in promoting and developing the growth of tennis at every level -- from local communities to the highest level of the professional game. A not-for-profit organization with more than 655,000 members, it invests 100% of its proceeds in growing the game. It owns and operates the US Open, one of the highest-attended annual sporting events in the world, and launched the US Open Series, linking nine summer WTA and ATP Tour tournaments to the US Open. In addition, it owns approximately 90 Pro Circuit events throughout the U.S. and selects the teams for the Davis Cup, Billie Jean King Cup, Olympic and Paralympic Games. The USTA’s philanthropic entity, the USTA Foundation, provides grants and scholarships in addition to supporting tennis and education programs nationwide to benefit under-resourced youth through the National Junior Tennis & Learning (NJTL) network. For more information about the USTA, go to USTA.com or follow the official accounts on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok.

ABOUT HARRAH’S CHEROKEE CENTER - ASHEVILLE (HCCA)

Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville (HCCA), which features the ExploreAsheville.com Arena and Thomas Wolfe Auditorium, annually hosts a diverse variety of events that reflect the creativity, uniqueness, and artistry that Asheville, N.C., and Western North Carolina is known for primarily. In recent years, the facility has hosted world-class sporting events such as NBA Preseason Games, two Billie Jean King Cups by BNP Paribas ties, the annual Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championships, Asheville Championship, and the Camping World Maui Invitational as well as music and performances by Bob Dylan, The Lumineers, Dave Chappelle, John Prine, Old Dominion, Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Widespread Panic, Billy Strings, Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam, and more. For more information, visit HarrahsCherokeeCenterAsheville.com.

For more information, contact:

Pat Mitsch, USTA Corporate Communications, (914) 656-9021, Mitsch@usta.com

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U.S. BILLIE JEAN KING CUP QUALIFIER TO BE HELD IN ASHEVILLE, N.C. IN APRIL

The U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team to return to Asheville for the third time in five years.

(ASHEVILLE, NC) November 16, 2021 - The U.S. Billie Jean King Cup team will return to Asheville, N.C. for the third time in five years in April when it hosts Ukraine with a spot in the 2022 Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas Finals at stake. The USTA has selected Harrah’s Cherokee Center as host for the April 15-16 qualifying tie, making Asheville just the second three-time host for a U.S. Billie Jean King Cup tie all-time.

Tickets for April's Qualifier will go on sale to the general public on Nov. 19 at 10:00 a.m. USTA members have the opportunity to purchase tickets in an exclusive presale from Nov. 16-18, while supplies last. Two-day packages for both Friday and Saturday, as well as single-day tickets for Friday or Saturday, are available. Click here to purchase tickets.

Team USA previously played at Harrah’s Cherokee Center -- Asheville in 2018 and 2019, when the competition was played as Fed Cup. The two events combined, both World Group first-round ties in the event's old competition structure, generated more than $8 million in economic impact for the region and spurred increases in tennis participation at the grassroots level.

“Asheville was a tremendous host in 2018 and 2019, and we’re happy to be coming back,” said Megan Rose, Managing Director, Major Events, USTA. “April will be an exciting time for women’s tennis in the Carolinas. The week before the Billie Jean King Cup returns to Asheville, the Credit One Open WTA event in Charleston is celebrating its 50th anniversary, with a new, state-of-the-art facility. When Billie Jean founded the WTA tour, her dream was that any girl in the world would have the opportunity to play professional tennis, and to be able to celebrate her vision 50 years later with the largest women’s-only tournament in U.S., the Credit One Open., followed by the international team event named in her honor is an incredible tribute to her dream being realized.”

The Qualifier is a best-of-five match series split across two days. It begins with two singles matches on Friday, April 15, with two reverse singles matches and the doubles match to follow on Saturday, April 16. Matches will be played on a temporary, indoor court laid down for the tie. The winner of April's tie will advance to the 2022 Finals in November at a location to be determined.

Team USA is 1-1 in its last two ties in Asheville, having beaten the Netherlands in 2018, 3-1, before losing a 3-2 tie to Australia in 2019.

"We are honored to become only the second city to host three Billie Jean King Cup ties,” said Chris Corl, General Manager, Harrah's Cherokee Center. “We thank the USTA and our local community partners, organizers and volunteers for their continued support with this event at the Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville. This event has played a pivotal role in the expansion of youth and adult tennis programs throughout Western North Carolina over the past five years."

Added Kelly Gaines, Executive Director, USTA North Carolina: "On behalf of USTA North Carolina and the USTA Southern Section, we are thrilled to have this prestigious international event come back to our area."

The U.S. was drawn against Ukraine at the conclusion of this year's Billie Jean King Cup Finals earlier this month. The two countries have played just once in the history of the competition since Ukraine's independence from the Soviet Union: a 5-0 World Group Play-off win for the U.S. on the road, on clay in Kharkiv, back in 2012. Notably, that tie marked the Billie Jean King Cup debut of future Top 10 player Elina Svitolina, who was then just 17 years old. The winning nations of the nine 2022 Qualifiers will advance to the 2022 Finals, a field which will be rounded out by Russia and Switzerland—the 2021 finalists—and either the hosts of the 2022 competition (if not already qualified when the host venue is announced) or the highest-ranked loser of a qualifying tie.

The Billie Jean King Cup by BNP Paribas is the flagship international team tennis competition for women and has been played since 1963. Approximately 100 nations participate in the competition at all levels annually, making it the largest international team competition in women's sport. The U.S. has won 18 titles in event history, and bids for the chance to win a record-extending 19th in 2022 after losing in the semifinals at the 2021 Finals in Prague. The site selection is subject to final approval by the International Tennis Federation.

Written By: Victoria Chiesa, USTA.com

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Roy Williams Announced as Tournament Ambassador for the Inaugural Asheville Championship as Tickets are Released to the Public

Hall of Fame basketball coach and Asheville native to help welcome the new men’s college basketball Championship to the Blue Ridge Mountains

(Asheville, NC) September 14, 2021 – The Asheville Championship announced today that North Carolina legend and Asheville native Coach Roy Williams has been named the official ambassador of the Tournament. Williams is dedicated to helping grow and expand the event to become a premier early- season championship featuring top basketball programs from across the country. Tickets were released to the public today for the inaugural Championship, which will feature South Carolina, Minnesota, Western Kentucky, and Princeton. The Tournament is scheduled to take place at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville on Nov.12 and 14, 2021.

“My love for the game of basketball was born in this city, so helping to start the newest early season college basketball tournament right here in Asheville means a great deal to me,” said Williams. “I believe that you never truly walk away from the game, which is why I’m honored to get to play a role in the inaugural Asheville Championship.”

Fans can purchase tickets through their respective schools, or at ashevillechamp.info/tickets. The Championship is created by KemperLesnik, who operates the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and manages the event portion of the McDonald’s All American Basketball Games. Coach David Odom serves as the official Chair of the Asheville Championship, in addition to his leadership role with the Maui Jim Maui Invitational. The former National Coach of the Year and three-time Atlantic Coast Conference Coach of the Year at Wake Forest has overseen tournament relations for the Maui Jim Maui Invitational since 2009.

“Roy Williams is as synonymous with college basketball as the state of North Carolina. We could not think of a more perfect ambassador than Roy to help us launch and grow this new tournament,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperLesnik. “We cannot wait to see the Asheville Championship continue to grow and evolve. If the outpouring of excitement we’ve received from fans in year one is any indication, we’re definitely on to something special.”

Williams and his family moved to Asheville when he was a child. While in Asheville, he lettered in basketball and baseball at T. C. Roberson High School, and was named all-county and all-conference in basketball for two years (1967 and 1968), all-western North Carolina in 1968 and served as captain in the North Carolina Blue-White All-Star Game. After attending college at the University of North Carolina (UNC), Williams came back to the Asheville area to coach at Charles D. Owen High School in 1973 before returning to UNC as an assistant coach in 1978.

While at the helm of two of the winningest programs in college basketball history - University of Kansas and UNC - for 33 years, Williams led his teams to 30 NCAA Tournaments, including nine Final Four

appearances and three National Championships. As one of the most decorated coaches of all time, Williams won countless awards, including Big Eight Coach of the Year (1990, 1992, 1995, 1996); Big 12 Coach of the Year (1997, 2002, 2003); ACC Coach of the Year (2006, 2011); AP Coach of the Year (1992, 2006); Naismith College Coach of the Year (1997); and USA Today Sports National Coach of the Year (2019). He was inducted into the College Basketball Hall of Fame in 2006 and the Basketball Hall of Fame in 2007. He is the only college basketball coach to win 400+ games with two different schools. Upon his retirement from UNC on April 1, 2021, Williams held

The Asheville Championship will air on the ESPN family of networks on Friday, Nov. 12 and Sunday, Nov. 14. Friday’s matchups include Western Kentucky vs. Minnesota at 6:00/6:30 pm ET and Princeton vs. South Carolina at 9:00 pm ET. Sunday’s third place game tips at 5:00 pm ET, followed by the Championship game at 7:30 pm ET.

Supporting partners for the tournament include Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, Cambria Downtown Asheville, Explore Asheville, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort, Ingles Markets, Liquidlogic Kayaks, and Wicked Weed.

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Asheville City Soccer Club Joins USL W League

Asheville City SC Announced As Newest USL W League Club

North Carolina-based club becomes the tenth confirmed participant for the W League’s inaugural season in 2022

ASHEVILLE, N.C.- The United Soccer League (USL) today announced Asheville City SC as the latest club to join the USL W League. The North Carolina-based club is the second club to join the W League out of the Carolinas and continues to grow the league’s footprint in preparation for the start of the league’s inaugural season in 2022.

“The addition of our second club out of the Carolinas speaks volumes about the growth of women’s pre-professional soccer in the South Atlantic region,” said Betsy Haugh, Director of Women’s Soccer for the USL W League. “Asheville City SC has a long history of success both on the field and within the greater Asheville community. We are excited to be adding a club of this caliber to the ranks of W League and look forward to all of the great work they will do in bringing awareness to the women’s pre-professional space.”

Founded in 2016, Asheville City SC was built on the mission of creating an environment that enables local players to pursue their dreams, using soccer as a force for good within the community and seeking to win championships for its supporters.

Asheville City SC has fielded a women’s team since 2018 and in joining the W League, the club will expand its ability to offer its players and coaches a competitive gameday environment in which they can exercise their skills and grow their careers to the greatest degree. In addition, the W League’s career development pillar will help continue Asheville City’s mission of helping players pursue their dreams both on and off the pitch.

“We couldn’t be more excited to join the USL W League at this point in our club’s history,” said Lydia Jackson, Technical Director for Asheville City SC. “We’ve come to know the professionalism with which USL conducts its leagues through our experience in USL League Two and we’re looking forward to competing against clubs that share our vision and ambition for the women’s game.”

To learn more about Asheville City SC, visit www.ashevillecitysc.com or follow Asheville City SC on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

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Asheville Championship Announced as Newest Early Season Men’s College Basketball Tournament

Inaugural tournament airing on ESPN prepared to crown the first champion of the season in the Blue Ridge Mountains

(Asheville, NC) August 4, 2021 – It all starts in Asheville. The Asheville Championship is the newest test for top college basketball programs looking to set the tone for the season and be crowned the first official champion of 2021-22. The four-team tournament will take place at Harrah’s Cherokee Center-Asheville, featuring South Carolina, Minnesota, Western Kentucky, and Princeton as the inaugural field. The event is created by KemperLesnik, who operates the Maui Jim Maui Invitational and manages the event portion of the McDonald’s All American Basketball Games.

The Asheville Championship will air on the ESPN family of networks on Friday, November 12 and Sunday, November 14. Friday’s match ups include Western Kentucky vs. Minnesota and Princeton vs. South Carolina.

“There could not be a better city than Asheville to have the honor of tipping off the season,” said Tom Valdiserri, executive vice president of KemperLesnik. “There is big demand from college programs, fans and networks to kick off the season with a new, neutral site championship, and we are honored to help make that happen in North Carolina, the heart of college basketball in the region. It is a great way to test early season conditioning and talent, as well as excite a fan base with quality competition and end-to-end action when fans are craving the start of a new college basketball season the most.”

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, KemperLesnik was forced to relocate the 2020 Camping World Maui Invitational from its home on the island of Maui to the mainland in Asheville. The 2020 event ended as the only early season men’s multi-team tournament to successfully take place in a secured bubble with its original field. Asheville became the first-ever non-Hawaiian site for the event, and its success spawned interest from college basketball programs and sponsors to establish the first annual tip-off tournament in the Blue Ridge Mountains. As a result, the Asheville Championship was formed and will now serve as a premier event celebrating the start of the college basketball season as well as the first-class music, food and outdoor activities Asheville has to offer.

“Asheville has a strong basketball fan base, and the city already serves as host for the annual Southern Conference tournament and other world-class events,” said Tournament Chairman David Odom. “Early season tournaments are known for excited fans and even more exciting play, often setting the tone for the season to come. Our hope is that the Asheville Championship will be the start of a new tradition in college basketball, serving as a cornerstone for some of the best programs and fans to rally together in the Blue Ridge Mountains and celebrate the beginning of another highly anticipated college basketball season.”

Tickets are available now exclusively through participating schools' ticket offices. Tickets for the general public go on sale September 14 at 10:00 am ET.

For more information, or to follow along as it all starts in Asheville, follow us on social media (Twitter, Instagram, Facebook).

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Gran Fondo Asheville Brings National Championship Cycling Back to North Carolina

Gran Fondo Asheville Brings National Championship Cycling Back to North Carolina

(Gettysburg, PA – July 14, 2021) On Sunday, July 18, 2021, the Colnago Gran Fondo National Series will hold the annual Gran Fondo Asheville cycling event, starting and finishing in downtown Asheville, North Carolina. The event is expected to bring 1,000 cyclists to the area to ride one of three area road routes. Riders who qualified at earlier events will also be competing for the official USA Cycling Gran Fondo National Championship.

The Gran Fondo Asheville event has a long history of working with local businesses and partners, along with the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission. The event will start and finish outside of The Twisted Laurel downtown, which is also hosting the post-ride party for all participants. The Sourwood Inn has offered a special prize the to the fastest male and female cyclists on a timed segment of Elk Mountain Scenic Highway. Local outdoor equipment companies Cane Creek and Industry Nine are sponsoring aid stations on the course where riders can replenish themselves with food and water. Eagles Nest Outfitters (ENO) will have a Recovery Zone at the finish area so rides can relax in hammocks. And there will be a beer garden for riders, sponsored by Oskar Blues Brewery.

The Colnago Gran Fondo National Series partners with local non-profits in each of the eight communities where Series events are held. In the Asheville area, the Series supports Asheville on Bikes, which cultivates the culture of urban and commuter cycling through advocacy and celebration, and believes cycling has direct benefit to the health of the community.

Cyclists will depart from The Twisted Laurel between 8:00-8:30am to ride their choice of a 100-, 60-, or 30-mile route (view route maps) that takes them into the hills and valleys northwest of Asheville. The unique ‘timed segment’ competition format of Colnago Gran Fondo National Series events largely eliminates the need for road closures. Roads that comprise the cycling routes will remain open to car traffic and both cyclist and drivers are asked to exhibit grace and patience as they share the roads for the day.

Volunteer positions are still available. Groups or individuals who want to help riders have a great experience at Gran Fondo Asheville can volunteer in a variety of areas, including course marshal, registration, and aid stations. Volunteers will receive a complementary entry to another Series event (or the 2022 Gran Fondo Asheville), an event t-shirt, and lunch. Information on volunteering.

About Gran Fondo National Series (granfondonationalseries.com)

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Asheville Lacrosse Classic Returns For Fifth Year

Asheville Lacrosse Classic Returns For Fifth Year

In 2016, Asheville welcomed Carpetbagger Lacrosse and the Asheville Lacrosse Classic to the Buncombe County Sports Park with 81 teams. In planning for the return of the event in 2021, the event was expanded to two weekends with the boys playing June 18-20, 2021 and the girls playing June 25-27, 2021. The tournament will be played at the Buncombe County Sports Park and John B. Lewis Soccer Complex.

“As we were planning, we asked to go to a two-weekend model based on the Covid-19 recommendations at the time. With the adjustments made by the State of North Carolina, tournament organizers have been able expand the tournament field while still meeting all recommended Covid-19 safety precautions,” said Demp Bradford, President of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission.

Pre-Tournament Impact data predicts that over the two weekends, the tournament will generate over 6,000 room nights and an event value estimation over $3.2 million dollars.

This tournament is a collaborative effort of the Asheville Buncombe Youth Soccer Association (ABYSA), Buncombe County Parks and Recreation, Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission and Explore Asheville. While not a soccer event, ABYSA has been the driving force in making sure that all fields are ready and the tournament is staffed and a success.

“We really strive to make the most of our relationships with Explore Asheville, Asheville Buncombe County Regional Sports Commission, the City of Asheville, and Buncombe County. In managing our relationships at the Buncombe County Sports Park and John B Lewis Soccer Complex, we have found a great balance in hosting sports tourism events that benefit the community economically, and benefit thousands of ABYSA soccer players and families the other 80% of the time. We are big fans of the “tourism builds community” idea and really love working with the Carpetbagger Lacrosse event owners, They are professionals and very good at what they do. Events like this help us make the most of the weekends that our facilities can serve sports tourism as opposed to just local soccer players,” said ABYSA Executive Director Mike Rottjakob.

ABYSA has helped to scheduled ultimate frisbee, rugby, and adult lacrosse events, in addition to three soccer tournament weekends in August. While just starting events in late June, this could still become a record-breaking event for the events held at facilities in Buncombe County. “Mike and his board have always been great partners believing that everyone benefits from these type of collaborative efforts not only the local soccer players,” said Bradford. “We could not host these type of events without the partnership with ABYSA and Buncombe County Parks and Recreation.”

Tournament History

2016: 81 Teams & 1458 Participants

2017: 85 Teams & 1530 Participants

2018: 93 Teams & 1674 Participants

2019: 95 Teams & 1710 Participants

2021 137* Teams & 2466* Participants

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Southern Conference Basketball Championships To Remain In Asheville Through 2026

Tournaments will have been in Asheville for 15 straight years at end of new deal

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – The Southern Conference has reached an agreement with representatives from the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville, Buncombe County and the City of Asheville, North Carolina, to continue to host the league’s men’s and women’s basketball championships at Harrah’s Cherokee Center Asheville through 2026. The new five-year deal extends a partnership that has proven successful for both the league and the Asheville community for more than two decades.

A formal press conference to announce the agreement will take place at 2 p.m. Wednesday in the banquet hall at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville.

“This is a historic day to extend the Southern Conference’s long-standing and successful partnership with Asheville to host our basketball championships,” SoCon Commissioner Jim Schaus said. “Over the 101 SoCon basketball championships, Asheville has hosted the most of any city. What makes this tournament special is how the city and area community embrace it, having an ideal venue and how much our schools and fans enjoy coming here.

“I would like to thank the sports commission, City of Asheville, Buncombe County commissioners, local organizing committee, volunteers, my outstanding staff and our title sponsor Ingles and presenting sponsor General Shale of the last several years for making this tournament not only the oldest conference basketball tournament but the best. We can’t wait to work together with our outstanding local team to continue grow this event for years to come.”

First contested in 1921, the SoCon men’s tournament is the nation’s oldest collegiate conference tournament. Asheville has served as host to the SoCon’s championship more than another other location, with the 22-year history of the tournament in the city comprising a 12-year run from 1984-95 and the current 10-year run that began in 2012. At the end of the current extension, the tournament will have been in Asheville for 15 consecutive years, which will eclipse a 14-year stay in Raleigh, North Carolina, from 1933-46 as the longest stretch the tournament has stayed in one location consecutively.

The SoCon women’s basketball championship has been contested in Asheville 11 times, with the semifinals and final played there in 1995 before the current 10-year stretch.

“The Southern Conference Basketball Championships have a rich tradition in Asheville and we are excited that the tournaments will remain in Asheville through 2026,” Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission President Demp Bradford said. “This is more than basketball for our community – it’s the Downtown Dribble, Education Days and Hometown Heroes. All of these special events surround some of the best basketball in the country, and Asheville is excited to continue to be the home of this tournament.”

After a 17-year absence, the SoCon tournaments’ return to Asheville in 2012 was a resounding success, with the men’s tournament drawing more than 12,000 additional fans from the year prior. The relationship between the tournament and Asheville has continued to flourish, as four of the last five tournament title games have sold out. The 2020 tournament averaged just under 5,000 fans per session, the best average attendance for the league since 2012.

While COVID protocols drastically limited attendance in 2021, all 18 SoCon teams were able to participate and the tournament was played to completion, sending men’s champion UNCG and women’s champion Mercer to the NCAA postseason.

“Explore Asheville and the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority is thrilled that the Southern Conference Basketball Championships will tip off in Asheville once again,” said Vic Isley, President & CEO of Explore Asheville. “The long-standing Southern Conference partnership results in positive economic value and meaningful community engagement, generating nearly $4 million direct spending for local businesses in past years just before we swing into spring season.”

The entirety of the men’s tournament run in Asheville has been contested at Harrah’s Cherokee Center – Asheville. With renovations to the building part of the initial draw to bring the SoCon back to Asheville, the venue has continued to make improvements, with new videoboards and ribbon boards installed ahead of the 2021 championships.

“For over 20 years, our venue has been proud to host the SoCon Championships for men’s and women’s basketball,” Harrah's Cherokee Center – Asheville General Manager Chris Corl said. “As we move forward in returning to large-scale elite athletic and music events, we are honored to say that the Southern Conference Basketball Championships will remain one of our favorite anchor events of the year.”

The 2022 SoCon Basketball Championships are scheduled for March 3-7.

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American Cornhole League Is Coming To Asheville

Professional Cornhole Is Making It’s Way to Asheville

Asheville, NC - American Cornhole League announced the host cities for the league’s newest event series called the American Cornhole League Pro Shootout Series. Asheville is one of the eight cities to host a Pro Shootout event this summer. The event is expected to draw between 200-250 professional cornhole players on June 11-12, 2021 at the Harrah’s Cherokee Center - Asheville.

“Asheville is excited to be hosting the American Cornhole League Pro Shootout at the Harrah's Cherokee Center-Asheville. Cornhole has grown in popularity nationally and this is an event which we feel will introduce our community to professional cornhole and opens the door to hosting more cornhole events in the near future,” said Demp Bradford, President of the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission.

Mostly known as recreational activity in the backyard or at tailgates, cornhole is one of the fastest growing competitive sports in the country and the American Cornhole League is one of the fastest growing sports leagues in the nation.

Western North Carolina is the home of two professional American Cornhole League players in Danny Williams from Hendersonville and Tyler Stephenson from Clyde. Williams and Stephenson are the 64th ranked pro doubles team in the American Cornhole League.

“I've enjoyed being able to go many different places all over the nation to play but now to have not only an ACL event, but an ACL Pro event in our local area is awesome. It's going to be great to be able to compete with the best cornhole players in the world right here in my own backyard,” said Stephenson.

The two-day event will be free for the public to attend on Friday, June 11 and Saturday, June 12. The Championship will be broadcasted live on the CBS Sports Network Saturday, June 12, 2021 from 6pm-8pm ET.

For more information on the tournament, please visit: www.iplaycornhole.com

For free tickets to Saturday, please visit: https://aclproshootout-hcca.eventbrite.com

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Students Adopt-a-Team for Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championships

Credit: BCS Communications Dept.

The 2021 Ingles Southern Conference Basketball Championships Presented By General Shale tipped off without spectators on Thursday, March 4, but that's not stopping Buncombe students from cheering on their teams!

This year, ten Buncombe County schools - one for each Southern Conference team - adopted a university to cheer on throughout the March 4-8 event. Organized through each school's physical education (PE) program, students and teachers teamed up to make signs and recorded themselves chanting and cheering. The video clips will be played on screens at Harrah's Cherokee Center throughout the tournament for both men's and women's matchups, giving athletes a virtual fan experience and letting them know their supporters are not far away. Additionally, PE teachers are organizing basketball-themed games and lessons in their classes this month, encouraging health and exercise with a fun March Madness twist.

At Enka Intermediate School, PE students will be checking in on Mercer University's progress throughout the tournament.

"When I told [students] we had the opportunity to adopt the Mercer Bears and be up on the screen, they got so excited," said Enka Intermediate PE teacher Katherine Thomas. "They wore their orange and black, we talked about where the university was and the team's record this year, and they just appreciated being a part."

After hearing about the students' efforts, some Southern Conference teams have already made plans to reach out to the schools. For example, Western Carolina University Coach Kiley Hill sent a special video message this week to the students at Johnston Elementary.

"We are so jacked that you've adopted us for this year, and we're excited to see you guys very, very soon," Hill said to the students.

During the tournament, three BCS high school JROTC units will virtually introduce games through formal Presentation of Colors videos, accompanied by student musicians. The groups include A.C. Reynolds High's Army JROTC and Chorale, Enka High's Air Force JROTC and Wind Ensemble, and T.C. Roberson High's Air Force JROTC and Chamber Choir. The virtual JROTC presentations were produced by the BCS Communications Dept.

In past years, third through eighth grade BCS students have attended games during the Southern Conference's Education Days, often as a reward for positive decision-making in school. Last year, just prior to the pandemic, nearly 2,900 BCS students and chaperones attended the games at Harrah's, and several arts programs and clubs performed during breaks.

The 2021 women's Southern Conference tournament runs March 4-7, and the men's tournament runs March 5-8.

Special thanks to the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission, Harrah's Cherokee Center Asheville, and the Southern Conference for their role in involving students in this tradition during this unusual year."

Southern Conference Basketball, 2021 BCS Adopt-a-Team
Chattanooga Mocs, West Buncombe Elementary
The Citadel Bulldogs, Haw Creek Elementary
East Tennessee State Buccaneers, Avery’s Creek Elementary
Furman Paladins, Emma Elementary
Mercer Bears, Enka Intermediate
Samford Bulldogs, Candler Elementary
UNC Greensboro Spartans, Leicester Elementary
Virginia Military Institute Keydets, Black Mountain Elementary
Western Carolina Catamounts, Johnston Elementary
Wofford Terriers, North Buncombe Elementary

Teams were adopted on a first-come first-served basis.

By: Benjamin Rickert
BCS Communications Dept.