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VOTE FOR
PAWS! INGLESCHALLENGE.COM
22 .........2023-24 WCU Men’s Basketball Radio / TV Roster 24..................... WCU Men’s Basketball – Did You Know...? 5...................................... WCU Athletics AD & Senior Staff 6................................................Athletics Clear Bag Policy 7..................................Catamount Athletics Head Coaches 8 .................Catamount Athletics Assistant Coaches & Staff 10 ..............................................Catamount Athletics Staff 12 ......................2023-24 WCU Men's Basketball Schedule 15-16............................ Catamount Head Coach Justin Gray 18...........................WCU Men's Basketball Coaches & Staff 21.........2023-24 Western Carolina Men’s Basketball Roster
28 ................ 2023-24 WCU Women's Basketball Schedule 31-32................................ Catamount Head Coach Kiley Hill 34..................... WCU Women's Basketball Coaches & Staff 37........2023-24 Western Carolina Women’s Basketball Roster 38......... 2023-24 WCU Women’s Basketball Radio / TV Roster 40.................WCU Women’s Basketball – Did You Know...? 42 ......................................... Court at the Ramsey Center 44 ............................................... the Cat House Pep Band 46 .................................................. the WCU Dance Team 48 ............................................. Catamount Cheerleaders
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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – DEPARTMENT SENIOR STAFF DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS ALEX GARY Alex Gary, Gary, a former studentathlete on the Western Carolina University baseball team was named director of the Catamount athletics program in February 2020. Gary had most recently served as senior associate athletics director for development at Oregon State University. WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown announced the selection of Gary on Friday, Feb. 28, 2020, to serve as director of athletics following approval of his contract by the university’s Board of Trustees during a special conference call meeting earlier in the day. The appointment followed a national search conducted by a 15-member committee working with the assistance of the North Carolina-based executive search consulting firm Collegiate Sports Associates. During his first couple of years as the Athletics Director at WCU, Gary successfully navigated the department through the COVID-19 pandemic while also overseeing the hiring of 50 employees including three high-profile sport head coaches – men's basketball head coach Justin Gray; Gray; Kerwin Bell, Bell, head football coach; and Alan Beck, Beck, head baseball coach.
Kyle Pifer
Deputy Athletics Director
Ashleigh Simmons Senior Associate AD for Student Success (SWA)
Gary was appointed to the 2022-23 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Committee, officially beginning his appointment on Sept. 1, 2022 with a term running through Aug. 31, 2027. He was also appointed to the NCAA Baseball Rules Committee. His four-year term on that committee also began Sept. 1, 2022, and continues through Aug. 31, 2026. Prior to coming to Cullowhee, Gary served as senior associate director of athletics and the department’s chief development officer at Oregon State beginning in September 2017. He previously served as associate athletics director for development and external relations at the University of Maryland from 2014 until 2017. He also has held development positions at the University of Michigan and the UNC Charlotte. Gary’s professional experience in major collegiate athletics conferences, such as the Pac-12 and Big Ten, combined with his personal familiarity with WCU as a former student-athlete make him a perfect fit to take over the helm of Catamount athletics. A native of Knoxville, Tennessee, who grew up in Charlotte, Gary was an outfielder on the WCU baseball team from 2001 until 2004, earning Southern Conference Player of the Week honors in March 2004. During his junior year of 2003, he was a member of WCU’s regular season and Southern Conference Tournament championship baseball team and participated in the NCAA regionals held in Wilson.
Chad Gerrety Senior Associate AD for External Affairs
Daniel Hooker
Associate Athletic Director for Media Relations
At Oregon State, he has been a member of the executive leadership team responsible for the athletics department’s $85 million budget, 150 employees and more than 500 student-athletes. He oversees the 16-member athletics development team, which raised nearly $26 million in 2019, a record for the Beavers’ athletics program. That fundraising effort included a $3.5 million sports performance center renovation, $2.3 million women’s locker room renovation, and $2.6 million baseball stadium expansion. During his stint at Maryland, Gary chaired a committee focused on the financial sustainability of the athletics department, and he led annual giving growth in the Terrapin Club by 22 percent in 2015 and 13 percent in 2016. As a member of the development team at Michigan from 2010 until 2014, he worked closely with the university’s athletics department, raising $12.8 million to support the Wolverines’ athletics program’s capital and endowment needs. He began his career in 2009 as assistant director of annual giving at UNC Charlotte. Gary earned a degree in business administration in 2005 from Virginia Commonwealth University and his master’s degree in business administration at UNC Charlotte in 2009. Gary and the former Katie Mavis of Saint Joseph, Mich., were married in a mountain-top ceremony in Oregon on Aug. 28, 2020. The couple has a daughter, Gianna.
Julie Miller
Associate Athletic Director for Development
Travis Chandler Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance
Amanda Murchie Assistant Athletic Director for Business
Western Carolina Athletics Mission Statement: Catamount Athletics strives to foster a championship culture while preparing student-athletes for livelong success. #FIGHTON Guiding Principles and Beliefs: Derived from the lyrics of the Western Carolina University's Fight Song, the phrase “FIGHT ON” has been associated with Catamount Athletics for a long time. This acronym now helps to outline the guiding principles and beliefs that will support the success of Catamount Athletics.
FIRST CLASS STUDENT EXPERIENCE:
We want all Catamount student-athletes to have an experience that allows them to reach their personal and competitive goals.
INNOVATE AND BUILD THE BRAND:
We commit to continuous improvement and making Catamount Athletics known.
GROW IN EVERY WAY:
We believe growth in all areas is necessary to reach our mission.
HOLISTIC STUDENT-ATHLETE DEVELOPMENT:
We believe that the future of a student-athlete is as important as the present.
TALENT AND CULTURE WINS:
We want Catamount Athletics to be a great place to be.
OUTREACH AND ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT:
We know that partnership is critical to reach our mission.
NOW IS OUR TIME!:
We believe that Catamount Athletics is positioned for a high level of competitive success. CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL | 5
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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – CATAMOUNT HEAD COACHES
ALAN BECK baseball
mens basketball
womens basketball
KILEY HILL
LAUREN BROOKS
KERWIN BELL
TIM ECKBERG
COURTNEY GUNTER
CHAD MILLER
JIM CLIFT
BRET BEAVER
JESSE NORMAN
KAREN GLOVER
football
softball
JUSTIN GRAY
mens golf
tennis
womens golf
xc / track and field
cheerleading
soccer
volleyball
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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – COACHES & STAFF
Volunteer Assistant Coach Baseball
Director of Player Development – Baseball
Graduate Assistant Coach Baseball
Nick Torres
Sarena Burrell
Jerry Odom
Kyle Dickey
Cody Edwards
Malik Goodman
Jeremy King
Greg McGruder
Jeff Burger
Todd Shealy
Trent Turknett
Sydney Spears
Jeff Korte
Derek Beasley
Rylan Wells
Brian Cochran Assistant Coach / DL Football
Assistant Coach / Tight Ends Football
Larry Murphy
Rudi Small
Dante Johnson
Assistant Coach Baseball
Assistant Coach Baseball
Assistant Coach / OC Football
Assistant Coach Football
Assistant Coach Football
Nick Whiting Associate Head Coach Women's Soccer
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JD Mundy
Quality Control – Defense Football
Seth Graves
Assistant Coach / LB Football
Volunteer Assistant Coach Football
Assistant Coach / Safeties Football
Director of Football Operations
Michael Mazarky Madison Armstrong Daniel Haakenson Volunteer Assistant Coach Women's Soccer
Assistant Coach Softball
Assistant Coach Track & Field
Assistant Coach Cheerleading
Assistant Coach / OL Football
Assistant Coach / WR Football
Director of Player Personnel Football
Gillian Urycki Assistant Coach Track & Field
Assistant Coach / DC Football
Director of On-Campus Recruiting
Taylor Svehla Assistant Coach Volleyball
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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – DEPARTMENT STAFF MEMBERS
Greg Hartlage
Josh Ragsdale
Patrick Mullaney
Marlon Howard Director of Creative Media
Assistant Athletics Director for Marketing & Promotions
Ben Frederick
Haley Mitchell
Arman Jones
Jordan Shepard
Kaleb Ambrose
Director of Media Relations
Ticket Operations and Marketing Intern
Director of Media Relations
Athletics Academic Advisor
Senior Athletics Academic Advisor
Mark Conlin
Mike Taylor
Director of Athletics Facilities and Grounds
Steven Honbarger Director of Sports Medicine (FB)
Director of Video Operations
Head Equipment Manager
Coulter Clement Associate Athletic Trainer (FB)
Tyler Spain Assistant Athletic Trainer (BASE)
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Kim Jamison
Athletics Department Administrative Assistant
Kaylyn Norville Associate Athletic Trainer (MBK)
Andrew Bates Director of Sports Performance
Athletics Academic Advisor
Austin Davis Assistant Director of Sports Performance
Academic Support Graduate Assistant
Todd Lawing Director of the Ramsey Center
Julia Daniel Assistant Athletic Trainer (XC/T&F)
Tyler Pope
Director of Development / Catamount Club
Jay Joya
Assistant Sports Performance Coach
Trey Fisher
Director of Athletics Facilities and Game Operations
Kim Cherry-Beck
Assistant Athletic Trainer (WBK)
Cody Jones
Ric Sisler
Director of Corporate Sponsorships
Nicole Skarbeck
Assistant Director of Facilities and Game Operations
Martin Unger
Kelly Reece
Assistant Sports Performance Coach
Director of Ticket Operations
Assistant Director of Development / Catamount Club
Assistant Athletic Trainer (VB & WGOLF)
Connor Owens
Michael Gilbert
Anthony Rocha Assistant Athletic Trainer (WSOC & SB)
Jacob Topple Assistant Sports Performance Coach
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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL
2023-24 SCHEDULE / RESULTS DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
GAME TIME
NOV. 7
DALTON STATE ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
Nov. 11
at Notre Dame ACCNX
South Bend, Ind.
2 pm
Nov. 13
at Middle Tennessee ESPN+
Murfreesboro, Tenn.
4 pm
NOV. 18
McNEESE STATE ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
NOV. 26
NORTH ALABAMA ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
Nov. 28
at Tennessee Tech ESPN+
Cookeville, Tenn.
7 pm
Dec. 2
at Gardner-Webb ESPN+
Boiling Springs, N.C.
7 pm
Dec. 5
at High Point ESPN+
High Point, N.C.
7 pm
DEC. 9
UNC ASHEVILLE (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
Dec. 16
at USC Upstate Nexstar/E+
Spartanburg, S.C.
Dec. 19
at Vanderbilt SECN+
Nashville, Tenn.
DEC. 21
BRESCIA ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
11:30 AM
DEC. 30
KING (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
Jan. 3
at The Citadel * ESPN+
Charleston, S.C.
7 pm
JAN. 6
WOFFORD * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
Jan. 10
at ETSU * Nexstar/E+
Johnson City, Tenn.
7 pm
Jan. 13
at Mercer * ESPN+
Macon, Ga.
2 pm 6 PM
4:30 pm 7 pm
JAN. 16
SAMFORD * CBSSN
CULLOWHEE
Jan. 20
at Furman * ESPN+
Greenville, S.C.
2 pm
JAN. 27
VMI * (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
5 PM
JAN. 31
CHATTANOOGA * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
Feb. 3
at Wofford * ESPN+
Spartanburg, S.C.
4 pm
FEB. 7
THE CITADEL * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
FEB. 10
MERCER * Nexstar/E+
CULLOWHEE
3 PM
Feb. 14
at Samford * ESPNU
Birmingham, Ala.
9 pm ET
FEB. 17
ETSU * (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
Feb. 21
at UNCG * CBSN
Greensboro, N.C.
6 pm
Feb. 24
at VMI * ESPN+
Lexington, Va.
1 pm
FEB. 28
FURMAN * ESPNU
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
MARCH 2
at Chattanooga * ESPN+
Chattanooga, Tenn.
2 pm
M 8-11
2024 Ingles SoCon Championship ^ Asheville, N.C.
DJ CAMPBELL
RUSSELL JONES JR.
VONTERIUS WOOLBRIGHT
TBA
ALL CAPS — indicates home games — All times listed are EASTERN * — Southern Conference Games ^ — 2024 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
TRE JACKSON
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Good Luck, WCU! ingles-markets.com CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL | 13
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BURGERS • BREWS • SPORTS
Where Every Day is Game Day!
WEEKLY SPECIALS MONDAY
1/2 Price Boneless Wings & $3 Domestic Draft Beer
TUESDAY
College Day 25% Discount for WCU & SCC students and faculty with ID
THURSDAY
$1 Traditional Wings & $15 Busch Light Buckets of Beer
FRIDAY
$12 Domestic Pitchers of Beer
SUNDAY
$4 Mimosas and $3 Seltzers Every Day Half Price Appetizers After 8 PM! 828-293-4426 www.rodgersbros.com 2968 Old Cullowhee Rd, Cullowhee, NC 28723 14 | FAST BREAK POINTS
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HEAD COACH JUSTIN GRAY
Third Season as Head Coach at WCU Justin Gray was named the 19th head men’s basketball coach at Western Carolina University on April 13, 2021. Over his first three seasons, Gray has helped raise the Catamount men’s basketball program to new heights. During his first season in Cullowhee, Gray introduced the Catamount Nation to the acronym, TJDK – or 'They Just Don’t Know' – promising the Catamount fan base he would bring a program that would arrive on the scene better than expected and one that would eventually challenge for championships and postseason play. Gray delivered on his promise in year one as his squad scored an exciting home victory in his first game, upsetting Mid-American Conference (MAC) foe Bowling Green in a thrilling overtime win in front of a raucous Ramsey Center crowd. WCU also defeated Southern Conference regular season and conference tournament champion Chattanooga in another exciting home win, 70-59, and added a win over perennial SoCon contender ETSU 87-84. Gray’s first season accomplishments were capped by Nicholas Robinson, who also collected weekly plaudits from the league during the year, landing on the third-team All-SoCon team, and Marcus Brown earning a place on the SoCon All-Freshman team at the season’s end. #TJDK was heightened in Gray’s second season in Cullowhee as he guided a squad that was picked to finish in eighth place in the preseason to an 18-win season, a fourth-place finish, and the program’s fourth postseason berth all time. WCU’s fourth-place finish was the program’s best since 2014. Along the way, WCU snapped a 13-game losing skid to eventual regular-season and tournament champion Furman with a 79-67 victory on New Year’s Eve, scoring the first win over the Paladins since 2016. The Catamounts also secured a regular-season sweep against ETSU for the first time since the 1984-85 campaign. Additionally, the Catamounts took both seasonal games against Mercer for the first time since 2015-16, VMI for the first time since 2017-18, and Wofford for the second time in four years. The 2022-23 Catamounts earned the school's fourth postseason berth all-time – and the first since 2016 – as the squad traveled to Daytona Beach, Fla., for the 2023 College Basketball Invitational (CBI), falling to the eventual CBI champion, Charlotte.
THE JUSTIN GRAY FILE PERSONAL:
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C. Family: Katerina (wife); Justin Jr. (son), Kristian (son), Jhai (daughter)
EDUCATION:
Wake Forest, 2006 – 3x All-ACC selection
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
WESTERN CAROLINA......... Head Coach........... 2021-present • 1st career victory – vs. Bowling Green in overtime (11/9/21)
Winthrop.............................Assistant Coach.....................2019-21 • 47 wins between 2019-21 at Winthrop • Big South tournament title in 2021
• Led the Big South in scoring (78.9 ppg) and 3-pointers made (8.4)
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Three Catamounts landed on the All-SoCon team with Vonterius Woolbright and Tre Jackson earning second-team honors from both the league’s head coaches and SoCon Sports Media Association, while Tyzhaun Claude collected third-team plaudits from the voting media. Woolbright also landed on the SoCon All-Tournament team for the Catamounts. Woolbright and Jackson, who both claimed player of the week accolades during the season, additionally earned National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) All-District second-team honors with Gray recognized as the NABC District 21 Coach of the Year. Entering his third season in 2023-24, Gray has solidified his presence in the mountains and has established a brand that resonates with college basketball fans, alumni, and the entire campus community. A new acronym – EDGE – was introduced in opening year three of the program as a new slogan and mentality of the program. EDGE – Energy, Discipline, Grit, Excellence – reflect the bedrock principles and an identity Gray has branded for year three and beyond. As a part of Gray’s philosophy of the ABC’s – Academics, Basketball, Character – Catamount student-athletes have excelled off the court as well. Cam Bacote was named to the 2022-23 NABC Honors Court Honors Court which includes junior, senior, and graduate student men’s basketball players who finish the year with a cumulative GPA of 3.2 or higher. Over the first two years leading the Catamount program, five seniors have each earned their degrees. Gray came to Cullowhee after serving two seasons as an assistant coach on Pat Kelsey’s staff at Winthrop University. He also served as the Director of Basketball Development within the Deacon Club at his alma mater, Wake Forest, which came on the heels of a successful 12-year professional playing career overseas. On staff at Winthrop, Gray helped guide the Eagles to 47 victories over two seasons including a 24-10 mark in 2019-20 and a 23-2 campaign in 2020-21. Winthrop claimed the 2021 Big South tournament title and earned the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. With Gray helping coordinate the offense, Winthrop led the Big South with a 78.9 point per game average with a league-best 15.0 assists per game and 8.4 made 3-pointers per contest. During the 2019-20 season, Gray had his hand in the development of Big South Freshman of the Year, DJ Burns, and
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second-team All-Big South Conference selection in point guard Chandler Vaudrin. In the 2020-21 championship season, Burns was named Big South Player of the Year, while Vauldrin earned first-team all-conference before playing professionally with the NBA G-League Motor City Cruise. Another Gray protege, Adonis Arms was named honorable mention All-Big South and is likewise playing professionally with the NBA G-League Memphis Hustle. A three-time All-ACC selection in his playing career at Wake Forest (2002-06), Gray left Winston-Salem as one of the program’s most prolific 3-point shooter. He scored 1,946 career points over 120 career games for the Demon Deacons, finishing his career ranked eighth in program history in scoring while average 16.2 points per game. Gray continues to rank second on Wake’s career 3-pointers made chart with 319 treys. He additionally holds three of the top six spots among the Deacons’ single-season 3-pointers made list. In his sophomore season, Gray and eventual first-round NBA draft pick Chris Paul teamed up to become one of the best backcourts in the ACC as Gray averaged 17.0 ppg on his way to AllACC First Team honors. In 2002-03, Gray played a role in helping the Demon Deacons to an ACC Regular Season Championship with a 13-3 league mark. His collegiate career plaudits also include being named to the ACC All-Freshman team, as well as a three-time USBWA AllDistrict Team and two-time NABC All-District Team selection. During his 12-year professional career overseas, Gray played for various teams from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Ukraine, China, Germany, France, Turkey, Lebanon, Bulgaria, Romania, and Belarus. He also had a couple of stints in the NBA Summer League. Gray won three Belarusian League Championships and three Belarusian Cup Championships. He also guided teams to a Czech Republic League and Cup championship as well as participating in the VTB United League All-Star Game in 2016. Gray competed in the highest level of European competitions: Euroleague, EuroCup, and FIBA Europe Cup. Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Gray played at West Charlotte High before concluding his prep career at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He has two sons – Justin, Jr. (JJ) and Kristian, and a daughter, Jhai.
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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL – ASSISTANT COACHES & STAFF
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WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS
2023-24 MEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER No. Name 0 Kamar Robertson
(Pronunciation)
Pos.
Ht.
Wt.
Cl.
(kuh–MARR)
G
6-0
180
Gr.
Alpharetta, Ga. (Mercer / Cambridge HS)
G
5-8
175
Sr.
Columbia, S.C. (Wintrhop / Westwood HS) Albany, Ga. (Lawson State CC / Thomasville HS)
1 Russell Jones Jr. 2 Vonterius Woolbright
(von-TARE-e-us)
Hometown (Previous School / High School)
G
6-6
215
Sr.
3 Tre Jackson
G
6-1
175
Sr.
Columbia, S.C. (Iowa State / Blythewood HS)
4 Bernard Pelote
F
6-8
225
R-Jr.
Savannah, Ga. (Catawba / Woodville-Tompkins HS)
(puh–LOAT)
5 DJ Campbell
G
6-2
205
So.
Hampton, Va. (Kecoughtan HS)
11 Keshawn Brown Jr.
G
5-10
165
Fr.
Durham, N.C. (Combine Academy)
12 Cinque Lemon
R-Fr.
Spring Lake, N.C. (Liberty Height Athletic Institute)
F
6-7
215
22 Corneilous Williams
(sin–QUE)
F
6-9
205 R-Fr.
Meridian, Miss. (LSU / Combine Academy)
23 Marcus Kell
F
6-8
215
So.
Rock Hill, S.C. (Legion Collegiate Academy)
24 Kamari Jones
(kuh–MARR–ee)
G
6-4
175
Fr.
Indianapolis, Ind. (Hillcrest Prep (Gilbert, Ariz.))
32 Colin Granger
(GRAIN–jurr)
F
6-9
245
R-Jr.
Johns Creek, Ga. (Ohio Univ. / Lambert HS)
42 Charles Lampten
(LAMP–tuhn)
F
6-11
225
Gr.
Roanoke, Texas (CofC / Byron Nelson HS)
(SY–lurr)
C
6-9
257
Fr.
Fayetteville, N.C. (Carmel Christian School)
45 Kaleb Siler
HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Gray (Wake Forest, 2006) • Third season at WCU ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jayson Gee (University of Charleston, 1988) • Third season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zack Freesman (North Florida, 2016) • Third season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ryne Lightfoot (Bethel (Ind.) Univ., 2010) • Second season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH / DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cody Cohen (Florida Atlantic, 2014) • Third Season at WCU GRADUATE ASSISTANT: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jaylen Gore (Guilford, 2022) • Second season at WCU DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Molly Bachand (Kansas, 2007) • Third season at WCU ATHLETIC TRAINER:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaylyn Norville (North Carolina, 2022) • Second Season at WCU SPORTS PERFORMANCE:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Austin Davis (Michigan, 2020) • Second Season at WCU CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL | 21
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WESTERN CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL – 2023-24 Radio / TV Chart
0
1
2
3
Kamar ROBERTSON G | 6-0 | 180 lbs. | Gr.
Russell JONES JR. G | 5-8 | 175 lbs. | Sr.
Vonterius WOOLBRIGHT G | 6-6 | 215 lbs. | Sr.
Tre JACKSON G | 6-1 | 175 lbs. | Sr.
4
5
11
12
Bernard PELOTE F | 6-8 | 224 lbs. | R-Jr.
D.J. CAMPBELL G | 6-2 | 205 lbs. | So.
Keshawn BROWN JR. G | 5-10 | 162 lbs. | Fr.
Cinque LEMON F | 6-7 | 215 lbs. | R-Fr.
24
32
22 Corneilous WILLIAMS F | 6-9 | 205 lbs. | R-Fr.
23 Marcus KELL F | 6-8 | 213 lbs. | So.
42 Charles LAMPTEN F | 6-11 | 225 lbs. | Gr. 22 | FAST BREAK POINTS
Kamari JONES G | 6-4 | 177 lbs. | Fr.
45 Kaleb SILER C | 6-9 | 257 lbs. | Fr.
Colin GRANGER F | 6-9 | 245 lbs. | R-Jr.
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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL – DID YOU KNOW...? • Western Carolina’s HENRY LOGAN – the program’s all-time leading scorer – helped break the color barrier in college basketball when he signed with WCU in 1964 becoming the first African-American collegiate athlete in the history of North Carolina and perhaps at any predominantly white institution in the southeastern United States ... Logan scored an astounding 3,290 points – an average of 30.7 points per game – during his WCU career and was a four-time NAIA All-America selection ... One of 11 in WCU’s initial Athletics Hall of Fame Class in 1990, Logan was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2000;
RONALD ROGERS
• WCU gave birth to the 3-point shot in the NCAA as former Catamount RONNIE CARR buried the first 3-pointer in WCU’s 77-70 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 29, 1980 … the ball he used is on display at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. … The shot was made from the left corner with 16:09 left in the first half (7:06 pm) ... Carr, who is in the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame, actually took and missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the 18:15 mark of the first half;
FRANKIE KING
• WCU finished as the 1963 NAIA National Runner-Up under head coach Jim Gudger ... With a 28-7 overall record, WCU won the Carolina’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAC) tournament and the NAIA District title ... the Catamounts then rattled off wins on consecutive days over Eastern Montana, Miles, Lewis & Clark and Fort Hayes State before falling in the championship game to Texas Pan American;
HENRY LOGAN
• In its only NCAA tournament appearance, the 1996 Catamounts led by WCU Hall of Famer ANQUELL McCOLLUM nearly pulled off the most improbable of upsets as the No. 16 seed fell by two, 73-71, to No. 1 seed Purdue in Albuquerque, N.M. ... the game was tied 71-71 with under three minutes to play with Purdue’s Brandon Brantley scoring the game’s final bucket with 1:30 showing on the clock at “The Pit” ... WCU had two looks at both a game-winning and a game-tying shot inside the closing seconds but both attempts missed;
ANQUELL McCOLLUM
• WCU’s bid to play in the CollegeInsider.com Post-Season Tournament (CIT) following the 2009-10 season represented the Catamounts’ return to post-season play for the first time since 1996 ... WCU made its third post-season appearance all-time in 201516 when it traveld to Burlington, Vt., in the first-ever meeting against the Vermont Catamounts in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI); • WCU’s most recent former player to play in the NBA is KEVIN MARTIN, who played for the Catamounts from 2001-04 ... Martin, a 2019 inductee into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame and the first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings in ‘04, was the FIRST Catamount to ever be selected in the first round of the NFL, NBA or MLB Draft;
RONNIE CARR
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• KEVIN MARTIN (2001-04) and FRANKIE KING (1993-95) were both named to the Southern Conference's 100th Anniversary Men's Basketball team at the end of the year-long celebration in 2021.
KEVIN MARTIN
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CATAMOUNT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL
2023-24 SCHEDULE / RESULTS DATE
OPPONENT
LOCATION
GAME TIME
NOV. 6
AGNES SCOTT
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
NOV. 9
RADFORD ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
Nov. 13
at UAB ESPN+
Birmingham, Ala.
7 pm
Nov. 16
at UNC Wilmington FLO
Wilmington, N.C.
11 am
Nov. 18
at Campbell FLO
Buies Creek, N.C.
2 pm
Nov. 22
at NC Central
Durham,N.C.
1 pm
NOV. 28
GEORGIA STATE ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
DEC. 2
PRESBYTERIAN ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
4 PM
DEC. 5
USC UPSTATE ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
11:30 AM
DEC. 9
UNC ASHEVILLE (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
Dec. 15
at #25/24 North Carolina ACCNX
Chapel Hill, N.C.
7 pm
DEC. 18
MURRAY STATE ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
2 PM
Dec. 20
at Queens ESPN+
Charlotte, N.C.
3 pm
DEC. 30
SOU. WESLEYAN (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
1 PM
JAN. 7
MONTREAT ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
2 PM
JAN. 11
FURMAN * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
JAN. 13
WOFFORD * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
2 PM
Jan. 18
at Samford * ESPN+
Birmingham, Ala.
7 pm
Jan. 20
at Mercer * ESPN+
Macon, Ga.
2 pm
JAN. 25
ETSU * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
JAN. 27
CHATTANOOGA * (DH) ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
2 PM
FEB. 3
UNCG * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
2 PM
Feb. 8
at Wofford * ESPN+
Spartanburg, S.C.
11 am
Feb. 10
at Furman * ESPN+
Greenville, S.C.
2 pm
FEB. 15
MERCER * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
FEB. 17
SAMFORD * ESPN+
CULLOWHEE
7 PM
Feb. 22
at Chattanooga * ESPN+
Chattanooga, Tenn.
7 pm
Feb. 24
at ETSU * ESPN+
Johnson City, Tenn.
2 pm
March 2
at UNCG * ESPN+
Greensboro, N.C.
2 pm
March 7-10
ESPN+
2024 Ingles SoCon Championship ^ Asheville, N.C.
AUDREY MEYERS
ZANORIA CRUZ
EWA KIELAR
TBA
ALL CAPS — indicates home games — All times listed are EASTERN * — Southern Conference Games ^ — 2024 Ingles Southern Conference Men’s Basketball Championship
MYA LOVE
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HEAD COACH KILEY HILL
Fifth Season as Head Coach at WCU KILEY HILL is amidst his fifth season as the head women's basketball coach at Western Carolina. A veteran coach with more than 25 years experience in collegiate women's basketball including 22 as a head coach, Hill scored his 300th career coaching victory on the Catamount sidelines during the 2020-21 season. The former associate head coach at Southern Mississippi and head coach at both West Alabama and Valdosta State, Hill was named head coach at Western Carolina on July 8, 2019. His experience also includes a 16 year stint as the head coach at Valdosta State in Georgia, and a four-year term at West Alabama in Livingston, Ala. – one as head coach preceded by three as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. In his first four seasons on the WCU sidelines, seven Catamounts earned postseason accolades including three collecting All-Southern Conference plaudits in Jewel Smalls (2019-20), Nadia Marshall (2020-21), and Kyla Allison (2022-23). Allison was also named the Ann Lashley Inspiration Award Winner. Joi Reid earned a spot on the 2022 SoCon All-Defensive Team, a first in program history. Additionally, three first-year players have earned SoCon AllFreshman honors including Andrea Martin Ruiz and Alyssa Walker in 2019-20 and Zanoria Cruz in 2020-21. His 2021-22 squad scored the most seasonal wins (7) for Catamount women's basketball since 2016-17, eclipsed in 2022-23 with a nine-win campaign and The 2020-21 Catamounts garnering the program's highest SoCon tournament seed since 2015-16. It was also during the 2020-21 season Hill hit his 300th career win as a head coach. In 2022-23, Hill became the first head in Western Carolina's women's basketball program history to win twice at Chattanooga (2020, 2023). Under Hill’s tutelage in the first season, the Catamounts won five games – one more then the team had in the previous two seasons. Western Carolina also won two Southern Conference games, one on the road and one at home – the most by WCU since the 2016-17 season. Both SoCon wins were ground-breaking for a program that had struggled for over 10 years. Hill’s coaching of the team saw Western Carolina defeat perennial power in the conference Mercer for the first time in the team’s previous 17 meetings. Another streak was broken a few weeks later when the Catamounts knocked off Chattanooga in Chattanooga defeating the Mocs on their home court for the first time since 2009 and ending a 21-game losing streak. Player development was also on Hill’s agenda and it paid off ten-fold. Sophomore guard Jewel Smalls was named SoCon Player of the Week twice in the 2019-20 season, SoCon Player of the Month for November and SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week. Lauren LaPlant was also named Student-Athlete of the Week. End of season accolades included SoCon Allfreshman honors for Andrea Martin Ruiz and Alyssa Walker along with Smalls earning SoCon
THE KILEY HILL FILE PERSONAL:
Hometown: Hot Springs, Ark. Family: Molly Longing (wife); Whitney (daughter) and Skyler (son)
EDUCATION:
Arkansas Tech, 1995 West Alabama, 1997
COACHING EXPERIENCE:
WESTERN CAROLINA......... Head Coach........... 2019-present • 1st victory at WCU – vs. UVA-Wise, 64-55 (11/5/19) • 300th career victory – vs. Newberry, 63-44 (12/9/20)
Southern Mississippi.......... Associate Head.....................2016-19 Valdosta State.......................Head Coach......................2000-16 West Alabama........................Head Coach................. 1999-2000 West Alabama.....................Assistant Coach.................... 1997-99 Arkansas Tech................. Graduate Assistant................. 1995-97
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All-Conference third team by the media. It wasn’t just honor’s for Catamount players under Hill, the team and individuals made strides as well. LaPlant broke the program record for most 3-pointers in a season, ending with 80. The team also broke the program record for most 3-pointers on the year concluding the year with 215. Three different Catamounts saw scoring increases under Hill: LaPlant (361 – 12 points per game); Tembre Moates (245 – 8.2 points per game) and Smalls (379 – 12.6 points per game). Smalls also had 11 double-doubles – the most based on recorded records and ended the year with 286 rebounds – ranked fourth in the WCU record books. A veteran coach with more than 25 years’ experience in collegiate women’s basketball including 17 as a head coach, Hill comes to Western Carolina after spending the last three seasons as the associate head coach at Conference USA-member, Southern Miss in Hattiesburg, Miss. His experience also includes a 16-year stint as the head coach at Valdosta State in Georgia, and a four-year term at West Alabama in Livingston, Ala. – one as head coach preceded by three as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. As the associate head coach at Southern Miss, Hill helped the team amass a record of 56-40 including a 23-11 tally in the 2016-17 season that finished with a return to the Conference USA championship game. Hill's experience helped an undersized squad, nicknamed the “Feisty Bunch,” rank 11th nationally for total steals (370) and finish No. 20 in steals per game (10.9). In the 2017-18 season with the Eagles, Hill helped 10 players surpass their career-highs in season points. Jayla King joined the 1,000-point club with 1,023 points, and Shonte Hailes led C-USA in assist-to-turnover ratio at 2.4, while also leading the conference in 3-point field goal percentage at 45.2 percent. This past season, 2018-19, Hill and the Eagles strung together a record of 18-14, reaching the second round of the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) postseason tournament before being edged by North Alabama 69-65. The Eagles had an AllConference USA selection as the team ranked third in the conference in scoring defense limiting opponents to an average of 59.1 points per game while also ranking second in steals (8.9). Hill came to Southern Miss following a 16 year stint as head women's basketball coach at Valdosta State where he compiled a 279-177 record. He established himself as one of the top
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NCAA Division II coaches in the nation and was recognized as the 2012 Women's Basketball Coaches Association's (WBCA) South Region Coach of the Year. Year. He stacked that on top of being named the Gulf South Conference (GSC) East Division's Coach of the Decade. Decade. During his time at Valdosta, Hill garnered the GSC East Coach of the Year twice. Hill advanced to postseason play 14 times during his tenure at VSU. Ten of his 16 teams ranked in the Top 10 or no lower than 25th in the nation in team defense. He had six teams finish in the top two in the Gulf South Conference Eastern Division and collectively, averaged 19 wins over his last 10 seasons. During his tenure, Hill coached three All-Americans, two GSC All-Decade team selections, a GSC Female Athlete of the Year and 22 of his players earned all-conference plaudits. Not only did his teams perform well on the court, but off the court as well as his teams produced 28 academic all-conference accolades and were twice named to a WBCA Academic Honor Roll while boasting a team GPA of 3.0 or higher. Hill joined the VSU staff in 2000 after a year as the head coach at the University of West Alabama that was preceded by three seasons as the assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. While on the bench at UWA from 1996-2000, Hill helped orchestrate the program’s first 20-win season since 1982 and produced four all-conference performers and six all-academic conference selection. A four-year letter winner on the baseball diamond and a 1995 graduate of Arkansas Tech in Russellville, Ark., Hill got his start in collegiate coaching at his alma mater as a graduate assistant. Hill is married to the former Molly Longing and the couple has two children; Whitley and Skyler.
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CATAMOUNT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – ASSISTANT COACHES & STAFF
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WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS
2023-24 WOMEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER No. Name
(Pronunciation)
0 Tamori Plantin
(tuh–MORE–ree)
F
6-1
So.
Buford, Ga. (Buford HS)
1 Lonasia Brewer
(low–NAY-zhuh)
F
6-0
Gr.
Akron, Ohio (Toledo / Akron / Archbishop Hoban HS)
(KIND–day awb–uh–SUE–ee) G
Villa Rica, Ga. (Carrollton HS)
2 Kehinde Obasui
Pos.
Ht.
Cl.
Hometown (Previous School / High School)
5-5
So.
3 Reagan Trumm
G
5-9
So.
Powell, Tenn. (Powell HS)
4 Mya Love
(MY–yuh)
G
5-8
Sr.
Jonesboro, Ark. (Arkansas State / Nettleton HS)
5 Tyza Beans
(TIE–zhuh)
G/F
5-11
Fr.
Daytona Beach, Fla. (Spruce Creek HS)
10 Jada Burton
(JAY–duh)
G
5-8
Jr.
Spartanburg, S.C. (Otero Coll. / Dodge City CC / Byrnes HS) McKinney, Texas (CofC / McLennan Coll. / McKinney North HS)
11 Chelsea Wooten
G
5-9
Jr.
13 Zanoria Cruz
(zuh–NORE–ree–uh)
G / F 5-10
Sr.
Orlando, Fla. (Lake Highland Prep)
15 Ewa Kielar
(EV–uh KEY–uh–larr)
F
6-1
Sr.
Pabianice, Poland (South Plains College)
22 Nicole Azar
(A–zarr)
Atlanta, Ga. (Samford / Hebron Christian)
G
5-11 R-So.
23 Erin Stack
F
6-2
So.
St. Charles, Ill. (St. Charles North HS)
25 Bailey Trumm
G
5-7
Jr.
Powell, Tenn. (Appalachian State / Powell HS)
31 Audrey Meyers
G/F
6-0
Sr.
Columbia, S.C. (Cardinal Newman HS)
35 Tyra Robinson
F
6-3
Fr.
Little Rock, Ark. (Parkview HS)
(TIE–ruh)
WESTERN CAROLINA COACHES AND SUPPORT STAFF:
HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kiley Hill (Arkansas Tech, 1995) • Fifth season at WCU ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kendra Samuels–Eaton (Western Carolina, 2009) • Third season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Eileen Van Horn (Marist, 2016) • Second season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Shayna Gore (Marshall, 2019) • First season at WCU DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPS:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Madison Cope (Western Carolina, 2023) • First season at WCU ATHLETIC TRAINER:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jay Joya (Bridgewater College, 2022) • First Season at WCU SPORTS PERFORMANCE:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Connor Owens (Lynn University, 2020) • Second Season at WCU CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL | 37
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WESTERN CAROLINA WOMEN’S BASKETBALL – 2023-24 Radio / TV Chart
0
1
2
3
Tamori PLANTIN F • 6-1 • Sophomore
Lonasia BREWER F • 6-0 • Grad Student
Kehinde OBASUYI G • 5-5 • Sophomore
Reagan TRUMM G • 5-9 • Sophomore
4
5
10
11
Mya LOVE G • 5-8 • Senior
13
Tyja BEANS G/F • 5-11 • Freshman
15
Zanoria CRUZ G/F • 5-10 • Senior
Ewa KIELAR F • 6-1 • Senior
25
31
Bailey TRUMM G • 5-7 • Junior 38 | FAST BREAK POINTS
Jada BURTON G • 5-8 • Junior
Chelsea WOOTEN G • 5-9 • Junior
22
23
Nicole AZAR G • 5-11 • R-Sophomore
Erin STACK G/F • 6-2 • Sophomore
Audrey MEYERS G/F • 6-0 • Senior
35 Tyra ROBINSON F • 6-3 • Freshman
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CATAMOUNT WOMEN'S BASKETBALL – DID YOU KNOW...? • Western Carolina’s 1969 women’s basketball team made history on March 22 as the first team to compete in the CIAW Championship, facing West Chester State (Pa.) in the title game, falling 65-39 ... Coached by BETTY WESTMORELAND, the team finished its fourth season with a 14-3 record, losing only to UNC Greensboro twice and West Chester in the final game ... the 1969 Catamount women’s basketball team was inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003; • JAYNE ARLEDGE was the first female student-athlete to receive athletic grant-in aid at WCU in 1976 and was later the first female student-athlete to have her jersey retired in school history ... In 1992, Arledge was inducted into the Western Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame ... She coached at North Greenville University for 36 years, remaining on-staff as the Senior Woman Administrator ... She was inducted into the Crusaders’ Athletics Hall of Fame in 2019;
BETTY WESTMORELAND
• JAYNE ARLEDGE is the program’s all-time leading scorer, finishing with 1,928 career points, averaging 21.7 points per game over four seasons ... Arledge scored 30 points five times and owns 11 Western Carolina game, season and career records ... Arledge led the Catamounts to four-consecutive winning seasons and was twice named All-State; • WCU won its first Southern Conference tournament title in 2005, outlasting fifth-seeded Georgia Southern, 97-95, in double overtime to earn the program’s first trip to the NCAA Tournament ... WCU also became the first team in SoCon history to reach and win the tournament championship after playing in the opening round;
LAURA ECHOLS
• In 2007, Western Carolina won its first SoCon regular season title ... the Catamounts won a school-record 15 league games and tied Chattanooga for the regular season title, earning the program’s first-ever No. 1 seed in the SoCon tournament ... WCU went on to play in the postseason WNIT; • It took three overtime periods, 101 points and clutch free throws down the stretch, but WCU weathered it all to capture the 2009 SoCon Tournament title, the second in program history ... No. 3 seed WCU defeated No. 5 seed College of Charleston, 101-87, in the come-from-behind victory ... the game was the third-highest scoring game in SoCon Tournament history and also the first triple OT game in the tournament ... WCU earned a No. 13 seed in the NCAA tournament, the highest in school history;
JAYNE ARLEDGE
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• LAURA ECHOLS (1998-2002) and JENNIFER GARDNER (2001-05) were both named to the SoCon's 100th Anniversary Women's Basketball team at the end of the year-long celebration in 2021 ... Both Echols and Gardner were three-time, first-team All-SoCon selections in their WCU careers.
JENNIFER GARDNER
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RAMSEY CENTER QUICK FACTS:
DEDICATION: December 6, 1986 First Game / First Women’s Basketball Game: Western Carolina 65, Mars Hill 61 (12/4/86) First Men’s Basketball Game: N.C. State 96, Western Carolina 75 (12/6/86) First Men’s Basketball Win: Western Carolina 90, Tusculum 58 (1/5/87) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Top Men’s Basketball Attendances: 8,114 North Carolina State (12/6/86) 6,024 Appalachian State (2/06/10) 5,018 Samford (1/16/24) 4,765 College of Charleston (1/25/10) 4,603 No. 16 Kansas (12/3/87) 4,577 Appalachian State (2/26/96) 4,343 Chattanooga (1/14/06) 4,217 Georgia Southern (2/10/07) 4,178 Davidson (1/24/13) 4,121 Appalachian State (2/28/04) Top Women’s Basketball Attendance: 2,178 - vs. Chattanooga (02/10/07) (02/10/07)
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PRESENTED BY EDWARD JONES: JUSTIN CASTLE FOR CATAMOUNT FANS OVER 55 YEARS OLD
ONLY $25 MEMBERS RECEIVE:
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CAT HOUSE PEP BAND
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2023-24 WCU DANCE TEAM
Friends. Family. Community. We’re all in this together. State Farm® has a long tradition of being there. That's one reason why I'm proud to support Western Carolina University.
Get to a better State.®
Charles Wolfe, Agent 180 Webster Road Sylva, NC 28779 Bus: 828-586-4026 charles.w.wolfe.bwll@statefarm.com
1211009
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State Farm, Bloomington, IL
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2023-24 CATAMOUNT CHEERLEADERS
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