UNC Asheville cherishes its opportunity to play at home while competing for a bigger purpose

Yet, it was much more than a typical home game for the UNC Asheville women’s basketball program. The Bulldogs’ home opener symbolized a return to normalcy, a moment of peace, and a glimmer of hope to a community devastated by cataclysmic flooding that changed lives forever.

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Deb Orianegbena smiled as she entered the Bulldogs’ familiar locker room. Briauna Thompson was grateful to be able to walk the recognized route to the training room and then to the basketball court.

Being able to blast loud music during shootaround and eat a pregame meal in the known environment of the conference room infused them with a surge of energy that strengthened their purpose. The blue-and-white banners hanging overhead in the Kimmel Center wrapped the UNC Asheville women’s basketball team in comfort.

Wearing their sparkling home white uniforms in front of a roaring crowd meant the world to the Bulldogs, who at one point worried if they would host a game at Kimmel Arena during the 2024-25 season.

“It was a wonderful experience,” Orianegbena said, standing outside her locker room following a 67-51 non-conference loss to Patriot League contender Loyola on November 23. “There were some people who were thinking we were not having a season. I knew we would have a season regardless because God can get everything situated.

“The way everything looked, it was as if there would not be a season. So, being able to play in our home that day was very amazing. The excitement was amazing. Seeing myself in my gym and playing a game was good.”

In many ways, this was a full-circle moment since the opponent was Charlotte. In a powerful display of unity and support, the Queen City embraced their mountain neighbors during a chaotic time following Hurricane Helene’s impact, which carved a path of destruction and death while leaving the Bulldogs as nomads for nearly a month.

Long Road Back To Asheville

Orianegbena and Thompson remembered the heavy rain. The thunder rumbled consistently, and the fury of the winds howled fiercely. Still, they dismissed it as just another dark and stormy night — nothing unusual, or so they thought.

After all, it had been raining for a few days, so this wasn’t anything different. Then they woke up the next morning without power, cell phone service, or Internet.

It was worse than the pair of UNC Asheville women’s basketball players ever imagined.

“It was quick,” Thompson said. “One night, it just was raining, and then the next day, everything was gone, right in the places where, you know, it got washed away. It was devastating to see how bad everything was because we didn’t know how bad it was until we got out of Asheville. We thank God every day that we didn’t just go through what the other people went through around the city area because they lost their homes and stuff like that.”

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The images of fallen trees on top of cars, loose tires resting on top of splintered wood, tree limbs floating in raging and debris-filled muddy water, items of colorful clothing strewn about the hillside, and cracked asphalt roads that were closed are seared forever into the memories of the Bulldog team.

Branches snapping terrifyingly and water rumbling angrily down the slopes in unstoppable torrents transformed Asheville into a scary place resembling a scene from a disaster movie. First responders perished while rescuing victims of a mudslide. Residents drowned in rising flood waters or died from mudslides. Over 200 people across six states were killed because of Hurricane Helene.

Most of the impact was felt in Asheville.

Basketball became secondary. Safety became a priority.

“It was tough, just the exhaustion of trying to figure out and find the kids during the storm,” UNC Asheville head coach Tynesha Lewis remembered. “Making sure they get out of there safely. I mean, we had a great (Athletic Director in Janet Cone), and it truly helped us. Janet was great … Then, figuring out where we were going to practice, where we were going to be, how long we would be there, and how we would get there. We had to orchestrate all of that.”

Even as they prepared for an uncertain season, the thoughts never drifted from the residents of Asheville.

UNC Asheville players were blessed with the opportunity to play basketball. It was the only thing that was normal for a month, even as they lived out of hotels in Charlotte and practiced on different campuses at Johnson C. Smith, Queens College, and the University of Charlotte, as well as inside of the Hornets’ practice facility.

The Bulldogs bonded while spending 26 days in Charlotte, staying together through practices, team activities and eating out together at various restaurants. Classes resumed in an online only format for the remainder of the semester at the end of October. Returning to Asheville was emotional, and they were grateful for their preserved belongings amidst others’ losses.

“I was very grateful to God because I could be in that situation of dying, or I could be in that situation of losing my house or losing all my property,” Orianegbena said. “The school is like my home. Imagine being in that situation where a flood took everything … I extended my prayers to them. We were grateful to go to Charlotte and have a second chance because most people did not.”

UNC Asheville moves forward

Many people, including South Carolina head women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley, who donated a “substantial amount of money towards meals” — according to Lewis — made significant contributions to the UNC Asheville program. Help also came in droves for the Bulldogs as Lewis’ sorority sisters of Delta Sigma Theta came through with meal gift cards, fundraising, and more. Their support ensured the Bulldogs had the resources to continue functioning as a program, embodying community spirit in the face of adversity.

“There are so many people who just really went out of the way to be helpful to us,” Lewis shared. “So just super grateful. There have been several universities. I mean, I got a list. We’ll send something out and a postcard of thanks as soon as I get a chance. We haven’t had a chance to do all that … It’s important to ensure that all our student-athletes knew what everyone was doing for us. It shows that people think about us and want us to do great.”

While Asheville recovers from the historic flooding, the Bulldogs continue to learn and grow under Lewis, who believes her team will factor in the Big South sooner than later despite dropping their first five games of the season.

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UNC Asheville plays five of its next six games on the road, a challenging itinerary that includes visits to Southern Conference opponents Wofford, Furman, and East Tennessee State. Bright lights on the court this season have been 5’11 senior forward Abigal Wilson (9.8 points per game), 5’8 graduate guard Alana Swift (8.8), and 5’9 senior guard Laimani Simmons (8.6). They’ve led through their actions and sterling play to start the season.

Faced with the prospect of not being able to play any home games, the resilient Bulldogs continued to work hard, confidently believing things would work out for them, thanks to the numerous people behind the scenes who worked tirelessly to ensure the campus was operational.

Now, they are using their gifts as a small step in uniting a community. As rebuilding continues, UNC Asheville home games provide a temporary escape from the rhythmic pounding of hammers, high-pitching whirring of drills, and the deep rumbling of excavators.

“We were aware that this was a tough situation for our young women,” Lewis said. “They practiced hard and did everything I asked them to do. They were always disciplined and just a great group. You know, if I was going to experience something like this with a group, this is the group I would want to do it with … We want to be a beacon in Asheville, and we will be, so to have an opportunity to play in front of our home crowd is always exciting.”