Photo Courtesy of UNCA Athletics
Men’s basketball assistant coach Nicholas McDevitt, second from left, looks on at his team at the Eddie Biedenbach Golf Classic.
Charity golf tournament raises $50,000 for UNCA Athletics
Justin Stewart
JASTEWAR@UNCA.EDU
STAFF WRITER
The Cliffs at Walnut Cove once again
hosted men’s basketball Head Coach Ed
die Biedenbach’s yearly golf tournament
to benefit UNC Asheville athletic pro
grams.
Biedenbach invited more than 30 of his
closest friends to the fundraising event last
Tuesday, where a star-studded field of per
sonalities known throughout the national
sports landscape participated in the second
annual Eddie Biedenbach Golf Classic.
“Biedenbach has a lot of contacts in the
athletic world, as he’s been involved with
intercollegiate athletics for over 40 years,”
said Mike Gore, UNCA’s associate ath
letics director for external affairs.
This year’s tournament featured some
of the more recognizable names in college
basketball. Many have been in acquain
tance with Biedenbach throughout his
longstanding career as a player, assistant
and coach.
College of Charleston’s coach, Bobby
Cremins, who played and coached against
"It was just a fantastic group of people. We had a lot
of greaf guys and a lot of great players. ”
- Eddie Biedenbach,
men’s basketball head coach
Biedenbach, as well as Davidson’s Bob
McKillop, highlighted the college coaches
in attendance.
Former North Carolina State Univer
sity basketball icons David Thompson
and Tom Burleson also participated in the
event. Thompson and Burleson were a
pivotal pair in N.C. State’s 1974 National
Championship squad, when they played
for Biedenbach, who was the Wolfpack’s
assistant coach.
“Most of these people played in the ’60’s
and ’70’s,” said Ken Hogue, UNCA direc
tor for development and alumni affairs.
“It was like going back in time for most
of the attendees. They just love hearing the
stories told about games that were played
in the old days.”
“It was just a fantastic group of people,”
Biedenbach said. “We had a lot of great
guys and a lot of great players.”
CBS Sports’ longtime college basketball
staple Bill Packer, as well as former NBA
player-tumed-ESPN analyst Jon Barry,
also took part in the tournament. Accord
ing to Hogue, Packer was among those
who stole the stage at the event’s reception
on Monday night at The Ramble’s Living
Well Center.
“Billy Packer is just an entertainer,”
Hogue said. “He’s unbelievable.”
The reception, which Hogue referred to
as the “Night of Legends,” allowed the ce
lebrity guests to take the podium and roast
Biedenbach, as well as answer questions
from the numerous local supporters of
Bulldog athletics.
Jack Nicklaus designed the Cliffs Wal
nut Cove establishment, located south of
Asheville. According to Hogue, the course
also fielded the legion of local UNCA
backers, who pledged $500 each to golf
alongside Biedenbach and his celebrity
invitees.
“We had just over 100 players, which
was a little short of a full field, but we’re
pleased with what we did,” Hogue said.
Biedenbach, who will enter his 15th
season as the men’s head basketball coach
this year, said he was equally satisfied with
the outpouring of support from the com
munity.
See GOLF Page 20