Some of the best things in life begin with something simple. Something as simple as an opportunity. And an opportunity is just what former student-athlete Guy Batsel received in the mid-1960s from former UNC Asheville Head Men’s Basketball Coach Bob Hartman.
Originally from Florida, Batsel began his collegiate playing career at Stetson University in Deland, Florida. After two seasons of limited playing time on the court he made the decision to forgo his scholarship and seek another opportunity.
His connection to Western North Carolina took root in Waynesville, N.C where he visited his grandparents every summer as he was growing up.
“My father drove me all over the south to visit several schools,” said Batsel. “They used to have pickup games on Saturday where the coaches could watch you play with guys from their team and the neighborhood. If they thought they saw something, they might give you a chance to come back.”
The opportunity to come back came when Coach Hartman made a straightforward deal with Batsel.
“Coach Hartman told me that if I made the starting five, I would have a scholarship,” Batsel said.
Batsel did more than make the starting lineup. He went on to become one of three Bulldogs to score 1,000 or more points in just two years. Batsel closed out his career for then Asheville-Biltmore College with 1,076 points and still owns UNC Asheville’s career per game scoring record with 21.9 points per game. In 2018, Batsel was inducted in the UNC Asheville Athletics Hall of Fame.
His success during his time at UNC Asheville was not limited to the court. True to the University’s commitment to supporting our student-athletes as they become champions in athletics and leaders in life, Batsel was elected student body president. He notes his decision to run for office was based on the encouragement of his coach.
“Coach Hartman was the perfect coach for me,” remarked Batsel. “He knew how to help his players by persuading them to do things to better themselves. Coach was the one that got me to run for student body president. He got me to run cross country and play tennis to help me stay in shape. I owe a lot of my great experiences at UNC Asheville to him.”
Batsel looks back on his time in Asheville fondly. So much so that he and his wife Debbie became the first members of UNC Asheville’s new Champions Society, a giving society for Bulldog Athletics. The Champions Society members are leadership investors who support the most critical priorities for UNC Asheville student-athlete success.
“My experiences at UNC Asheville are among the happiest and most rewarding in my life. Those experiences, along with the leadership of Chancellor Nancy Cable and Athletic Director Janet R. Cone, inspired us to contribute,” said Batsel.
As a founding member of the Champions Society, Batsel believes in the Athletic Department’s mission of creating champions in athletics and leaders in life.
“UNC Asheville, with its rich history of athletic and scholastic excellence, will continue to thrive as long we are all committed to paying it forward for future students in honor of the rewarding experiences we all enjoyed during our time at UNC Asheville,” said Batsel.
Supporting UNC Asheville’s next generation of students is what makes being a part of the Bulldog family so rewarding. Experiences at UNC Asheville that positively contribute to your life and the life of our student-athletes is just an opportunity away.
