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Janet R. Cone, who has served as UNC Asheville's Director of Athletics since 2004, is the only woman currently serving on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee that selects and seeds the teams for March Madness. She was one of just 28 Directors of Athletics to be named as an Under Armour AD of the Year in 2013 by the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics.

In 2014, she negotiated the first-ever college revenue development service platform with IMG College to combine athletics development and capital campaign with sponsorship sales. This partnership generated record breaking revenue for the Bulldogs.

Outside of UNC Asheville, Cone helped create the Asheville Buncombe Regional Sports Commission and was a former chair. She currently serves as a founding board member for the group. In addition to her term on the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee, she is currently serving on the NCAA Division I Institutional Performance Committee and on various Big South Conference Committees.

Under Cone's leadership, the Bulldogs have achieved unbelievable progress with the creation and implementation of the "More Wins, More Friends, and More Resources" strategic plan. Cone, who also serves as the Senior Administrator for University Enterprises, oversaw the successful opening of the Wilma M. Sherrill Center which houses the Kimmel Arena, a new tennis facility, and the expansion of the Karl Straus Track Facility. Cone also led the effort to add Women's Swimming and Women's Golf as the Bulldog's 15th and 16th sports programs. Presently, a campaign to build on-campus baseball and soccer stadiums is underway.

Prior to coming to Asheville, Cone served as the associate athletics director for Samford University, and also coached women's basketball at Samford, Saint Leo University, Western Carolina University and Mars Hill College. Cone holds a bachelor's degree from Furman University and a master's degree from the University of South Carolina.