2021-22 Catamount Men's Basketball - Digital Game Day Program (February)

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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL

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24 ......... 2021-22 WCU Men’s Basketball Radio / TV Roster 27...............................Catamount Athletics Head Coaches 5................................ Catamount Head Coach Justin Gray

28 ..............Catamount Athletics Assistant Coaches & Staff

6............................WCU Men's Basketball Coaches & Staff

30 .............................................Catamount Athletics Staff

8................................................Athletics Clear Bag Policy

32 ............................... Ingles Court at the Ramsey Center

10 .................................... WCU Athletics AD & Senior Staff

35..................... WCU Men’s Basketball – Did You Know...?

14 .......... 2021-22 WCU Men's Basketball Schedule/Results

36 .............................................. the Cat House Pep Band

17, 19-20 ...............................................Opponent Rosters

38 .................................................. the WCU Dance Team

23........ 2021-22 Western Carolina Men’s Basketball Roster

40 ............................................. Catamount Cheerleaders

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HEAD COACH JUSTIN GRAY First 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.

Gray came to Cullowhee after serving two seasons at Winthrop University and he had initially made the move to the College of Charleston with the staff's hiring in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Before his time in Rock Hill, Gray 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.

At Winthrop, Gray helped guide the Eagles to 47 victories over the past 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 earning 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.

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 shooters. 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 and holds three of the top six spots among the school's 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 All-ACC First Team honors. In 2002-03, Gray played a role in helping Wake 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 All-District 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.

Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Gray played at West Charlotte High before concluding his prep career at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He and his wife, Katerina, have two sons – Justin, Jr. (JJ) and Kristian, and a daughter, Jhai.

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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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL – COACHES & STAFF

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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – DEPARTMENT SENIOR STAFF DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS ALEX GARY Alex Gary, a former student-athlete on the Western Carolina University baseball team was dubbed the next director of the Catamount athletics program in late 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 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, which is effective May 1, follows 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.

Gary served as senior associate director of athletics and the department’s chief development officer at Oregon State since September 2017. He previously served as associate athletics director for development and external relations at the University of Maryland from 2014

Kyle Pifer

Deputy Athletics Director

Stacey Miller

Associate AD for Academics & Compliance (SWA)

until 2017. He also has held development positions at the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina at 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 the Catamount athletics program, Brown said.

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.

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.

Chad Gerrety

Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs

Julie Miller

Associate Athletic Director for Development

During his stint at the University of 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 the University of 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.

He 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 was selected from a slate of more than 40 qualified candidates for the position after an initial narrowing of a larger list of possibilities, said Ivy Gibson, WCU associate general counsel and chair of the athletics director search committee. Six candidates were interviewed by the search committee off-site in Charlotte.

Gary and the former Katie Mavis of Saint Joseph, Mich., were married in a mountain-top ceremony in Oregon on Aug. 28, 2020.

Travis Chandler Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance

Daniel Hooker

Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

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.

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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.

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PRESENTED BY EDWARD JONES: JUSTIN CASTLE FOR CATAMOUNT FANS OVER 55 YEARS OLD

ONLY $25 MEMBERS RECEIVE:

- Free “Silver Cats” T-Shirt - Free Admission to:

1 Home Football Game 4 Home Basketball Games 6 Home Baseball Games Interested in joining? Please contact the Catamount Ticket office

Working with a Financial Advisor Help create a better future with a financial advisor who puts you at the center - New investors - Military professionals and veterans - Business retirement plans - Entrepreneurs & business owners - Portfolio reviews - Retirement income strategies

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CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL

2021-22 SCHEDULE / RESULTS DATE

OPPONENT

LOCATION

NOV. 1

CAMPBELLSVILLE-HARRODSBURG

CULLOWHEE

W, 106-62 (exh.)

TIME/RESULT

NOV. 9

BOWLING GREEN (DH)

CULLOWHEE

W, 79-71 (OT)

Nov. 12

at Wake Forest

Winston-Salem, N.C.

L, 87-75

Nov. 14

at East Carolina

Greenville, S.C.

L, 87-75

Nov. 19

vs. UMBC

Farmville, Va.

L, 91-75

Nov. 20

vs. American

Farvmille, Va.

W, 80-79 W, 64-53

Nov. 21

at Longwood

Farmville, Va.

Nov. 27

at Gardner-Webb

Boiling Springs, N.C.

DEC. 1

WARREN WILSON (DH)

CULLOWHEE

Dec. 4

L, 87-59 W, 102-47

at USC Upstate

Spartanburg, S.C.

DEC. 8

TENNESSEE TECH

CULLOWHEE

W, 74-69 (OT)

DEC. 11

UNC ASHEVILLE

CULLOWHEE

L, 73-72

Dec. 20

at Georgia

Athens, Ga.

L, 85-79

Dec. 22

at Charlotte

Charlotte, N.C.

L, 98-82

JAN. 5

THE CITADEL *

CULLOWHEE

W, 94-90 (OT)

at Samford *

Birmingham, Ala.

Jan. 8 Jan. 10

W, 78-73

L, 85-60

at ETSU * (from Jan. 1)

Johnson City, Tenn.

JAN. 12

CHATTANOOGA *

CULLOWHEE

W, 70-59

JAN. 15

MARVIN PRICE

L, 87-69

WOFFORD * (DH)

CULLOWHEE

L, 84-64

Jan. 19

at Furman *

Greenville, S.C.

L, 88-50

Jan. 22

at Mercer *

Macon, Ga.

L, 72-64

Jan. 26

at The Citadel *

Charleston, S.C.

L, 68-66

JAN. 29

MARCUS BANKS

SAMFORD * (DH)

CULLOWHEE

L, 74-64

FEB. 2

ETSU *

CULLOWHEE

7:00 PM

Feb. 4

at VMI *

Lexington, Va.

6:00 pm

FEB. 7

UNCG * (FROM DEC. 29)

CULLOWHEE

7:00 PM 7:00 pm

Feb. 9

at Chattanooga *

Chattanooga, Tenn.

Feb. 12

at Wofford *

Spartanburg, S.C.

7:00 pm

FEB. 16

FURMAN *

CULLOWHEE

7:00 PM

FEB. 19

MERCER * (DH - Pack the RAC)

CULLOWHEE

2:00 PM

Feb. 23

at UNCG *

Greensboro, N.C.

7:00 pm

FEB. 26

VMI *

CULLOWHEE

7:00 PM

MAR. 4-7

@ SoCon Championships

Asheville, N.C.

TBA

CAM BACOTE

– Dates & Times are subject to change / HOME = ALL CAPS * denotes Southern Conference game

NICHOLAS ROBINSON

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Good Luck, WCU! ingles-markets.com CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL

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ETSU BUCCANEERS No. Name

(Pronunciation)

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

(MOE-haab YAH-sir)

G

6-5

183

Fr. Giza, Egypt (NBA Academy Africa / Zamalek Sporting Club (Egypt))

2 Jordan King

G

6-0

172

So.

Albany, N.Y. (Siena / Christian Brothers Academy)

4 David Sloan

G

6-0

180

Gr.

Louisville, Ky. (Kansas State / John A. Logan College)

5 Allen Strothers

G

6-1

167

Fr.

Newport News, Va. (Menchville HS)

11 Brandon Hall

G

6-3

191

Fr.

Chicago, Ill. (Thornton Township HS)

1 Mohab Yasser

Hometown (Previous School / High School)

14 Ty Brewer

F

6-9

205

Jr.

Meridian, Miss. (Southeastern Louisiana / Meridian HS)

15 Cameron George

G

6-3

184

Fr.

Knoxville, Tenn. (William Blount HS)

20 Kordell Charles

F

6-8

200

Fr.

Ontario, Canada (IMG Academy)

21 Matt Nunez

C

6-10

246

Fr.

Newport News, Va. (Hargrave Military Academy)

22 Jaden Seymour

F

6-8

191

Fr.

Charlotte, N.C. (Wichita State / Northside Christian)

24 Isaac Farah

F

6-7

208

Fr.

25 Ledarrius Brewer

G

6-5

190

R-Jr.

Meridian, Miss. (Southeast Missouri State / Meridian HS)

33 Charlie Weber

F

6-9

215

So.

Owings, Md. (Bishop O’Connell HS)

HEAD COACH: ASSISTANT COACHES: DIRECTOR OF OPS: ATHLETIC TRAINER:

(FAIR-uh)

Fishers, Ind. (Liberty Heights Athletic Institute)

Desmond Oliver (Dominican College, 1992) • 1st season Mark Bialkoski (Georgia Southern, 2008) • 1st season Patrice Days (New Orleans, 2010) • 1st season Mantoris Robinson (Winthrop, 2010) • 1st season Lucas Campbell Brett Lewis

QUICK FACTS: LOCATION: Johnson City, Tenn.

ENROLLMENT: 14,400 PRESIDENT: Dr. Brian Noland ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Scott Carter WEBSITE: ETSUBucs.com

UNCG SPARTANS No. Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

Hometown (Previous School / High School)

0 Keyshaun Langley

(Pronunciation)

G

6-1

180

Jr.

High Point, N.C. (Southwest Guilford HS)

2 AJ Williams

G

6-0

180

Fr.

Richmond, Va. (Oak Hill Academy)

3 Kobe Langley

G

6-1

175

Jr.

High Point, N.C. (Southwest Guilford HS)

F

6-9

255

Sr.

Ibadan, Oyo State, Nigeria (Link Year Prep)

10 De’Monte Buckingham

4 Mohammed Abdulsalam (ab-DUL-sa-lam)

G

6-4

220

Gr.

Richmond, Va. (Cal State Bakersfield / Henrico HS)

11 J.C. Tharrington

G

6-1

170

Jr.

Charlotte, N.C. (App State / Charlotte Christian)

12 Khyre Thompson

F

6-6

195

R-Jr.

13 Miles Jones

F

6-6

215

Jr.

Radford, Va. (Radford / Radford HS)

14 Jalen White

F

6-5

240

Jr.

St. Petersburg, Fla. (Texas A&M-Corpus Christi / Lakewood HS)

20 Reggie Raynor

G

6-5

205

So.

Fayetteville, N.C. (Northwood Temple)

22 Jalen Breath

F

6-8

225

Fr.

Oklahoma City, Okla. (Link Year Prep)

24 Dante Treacy

G

6-0

170

Sr.

Orlando, Fla. (Robert Morris / Central Florida Christian)

F

6-10

220

Jr.

Bergen op Zoom, Netherlands (New Hampton)

G

6-4

190

Gr.

Louisburg, N.C. (Neuse Christian)

33 Bas Leyte

(ky-REE)

(b-AS LIGHT-a)

44 Kaleb Hunter HEAD COACH: ASSISTANT COACHES: DIRECTOR OF OPS: DIRECTOR OF RECRUITING: PROGRAM MANAGER:

Kernersville, N.C. (Wesleyan Academy)

Mike Jones (Howard, 1990) • 1st season Ron Jirsa (Gettysburg, 1981) • 1st season David Boyden (Western Kentucky, 2003) • 1st season Donny Lind (Loyola, Md., 2010) • 1st season Asad Lamot (UNCG, 2016) • 1st season (3rd overall) Brett Gilbert (Lebanon Valley, 2018) Randy "Pop" Phillips (Radford, 2018

QUICK FACTS: LOCATION: Greensboro, N.C. ENROLLMENT: 20,196 CHANCELLOR: Franklin D. Gilliam Jr. ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Brian Mackin WEBSITE: UNCGSpartans.com CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL

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FURMAN PALADINS No. 0 1 2 3 5 10 11 12 13 14 15 20 21 22 24 35 51

Name (Pronunciation) JP Pegues (puh-GEEZ) Jaylon Pugh (PEW) Colin Kenney Mike Bothwell Marcus Foster Alex Hunter Robert Swanson Jonny Lawrence Garrett Hien (HEEHN) Rett Lister Tyrese Hughey (HEW-ee) Jalen Slawson Ben Beeker Joe Anderson Alex Williams James Repass (REE-pass) Conley Garrison

HEAD COACH: ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH: ASSISTANT COACHES: DIRECTOR OF OPS: ASSISTANT TO THE HEAD COACH:

Pos. Ht. G 6-2 G 6-0 G 6-1 G 6-3 G 6-4 G 5-11 G 5-10 F 6-10 F 6-9 G 6-1 F 6-6 F 6-7 F 6-9 G 6-0 F 6-5 F 6-10 G 6-1

Wt. Cl. 165 Fr. 173 Sr. 172 Jr. 195 Sr. 210 R-So. 180 5th 165 Sr. 205 R-So. 205 So. 167 Jr. 210 Fr. 218 Sr. 225 Jr. 170 So. 205 Fr. 250 Fr. 170 Gr.

Hometown (Previous School / High School) Nashville, Tenn. (Hillsboro HS) Cartersville, Ga. (Cartersville HS) Michigan City, Ind. (Marquette HS) Cleveland Heights, Ohio (Cornerstone Christian) Atlanta, Ga. (Drew Charter HS) Raleigh, N.C. (Leesville Road HS) Myrtle Beach, S.C. (Myrtle Beach HS) Orlando, Fla. (Lake Howell HS) Charlotte, N.C. (Concord First Assembly) Easley, S.C. (Easley HS) Columbus, Ohio (Thomas Worthington HS) Summerville, S.C. (Pinewood Prep) Hendersonville, N.C. (Hendersonville HS) Maryville, Tenn. (Maryville HS) Xenia, Ohio (Archbishop Moeller HS) Jacksonville, Fla. (Providence School) Bolivar, Mo. (Drury University / Bolivar HS)

Bob Richey (North Greenville, 2006) • 5th season QUICK FACTS: Jeremy Growe (Indiana, 2009) • 3rd season LOCATION: Greenville, S.C. Tim Johnson (Wofford, 2011) • 3rd season ENROLLMENT: 2,700 Jimmie Williams (MidAmerica Nazarene, 2002) • 4th season PRESIDENT: Dr. Elizabeth Davis Jon D'Angelo (Miami (Fla.), 2016) • 4th season ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Jason Donnelly Daniel Fowler (Furman, 2018) • 4th season WEBSITE: FurmanPaladins.com

MERCER BEARS No. Name

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

1 Kamar Robertson

(Pronunciation)

G

6-2

160

Jr.

2 Neftali Alvarez

G

6-2

165

R-Jr.

(NEFF-tuh-lee)

Hometown (Previous School / High School) Alpharetta, Ga. (Cambridge HS) Cantano, P.R. (Fairfield / Miami Christian)

3 Shannon Grant

C

6-10

280

So.

Sylacauga, Ala. (Sylacauga HS)

10 Jordan Jones

G

6-0

175

Fr.

Macon, Ga. (First Presbyterian Day)

11 Jovan Tucker

G

6-3

175

So.

Atlanta, Ga. (McEachern HS)

14 Victor Bafutto

C

6-10

230

R-Sr.

Brasilia, Brazil (Centro Educational Sigma)

(bah-FOO-toe)

15 John Treanor

F

6-6

210

So.

Roswell, Ga. (Marist School)

20 Jalen Johnson

G

6-6

195

Gr.

Durham, N.C. (Wake Forest / Tennessee / Wesleyan Christian)

22 Felipe Haase

F

6-9

253

R-Sr.

23 James Glisson III

F

6-6

210

Jr.

Decatur, Ga. (Southwest DeKalb HS)

25 Shawn Walker Jr.

G

6-6

202

Jr.

Elizabeth City, N.C. (Tallahassee CC / Bishop Sullivan Catholic)

30 Diego Rivera

G

6-2

180

Jr.

Baymon, P.R. (Miami Christian HS)

31 Jacksen Greco

G

6-3

180

So.

Canton, Ga. (Sequoyah HS)

32 Harrison Drake

G

6-3

180

Jr.

Chattanooga, Tenn. (Baylor School)

HEAD COACH: ASSISTANT COACHES: DIRECTOR OF OPS: ATHLETIC TRAINER:

(fa-LEAP-ay HAAS-ay)

Greg Gary (Tulane, 1992) • 3rd season Bobby Kummer (Charlotte, 1996) • 3rd season Kim Lewis (Tulane, 1994) • 3rd season DJ Byrd (Purdue, 2013) • 3rd season Ryne Smith (Purdue, 2012) • 1st season Christian Floirendo (Florida Southern, 2015)

Osorno, Chile (South Carolina / Miami Christian)

QUICK FACTS: LOCATION: Macon, Ga. ENROLLMENT: 9,026 PRESIDENT: Dr. William Underwood ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Jim Cole WEBSITE: MercerBears.com CATAMOUNT MEN'S BASKETBALL

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VMI KEYDETS No. 0 1 2 3 10 11 12 14 15 21 24 30 34 35 42

Name (Pronunciation) Louis Tang Brennan Watkins Trey Bonham (BAW-num) Honor Huff Kamdyn Curfman (CAM-duhn) Devin Butler Lewis Rowe Sam Wolfe Cooper Sisco (SIS-coh) Connor Arnold Tanner Mans Sean Conway Jake Stephens KC Etienne (EH-tee-en) DJ Nussbaum

HEAD COACH: ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH: ASSISTANT COACHES: DIRECTOR OF OPS: ASSISTANT DIR. OF OPS:

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Pos. Ht. G 6-4 G 5-11 G 6-0 G 5-10 G 6-1 G 6-2 C 6-10 F 6-8 G 6-5 F 6-7 G 6-6 G 6-5 C 6-11 C 6-8 C 6-9

Wt. 195 162 170 155 186 195 260 214 185 206 187 215 266 225 230

Cl. Jr. Fr. So. Fr. Jr. So. Fr. Jr. Fr. Sr. So. Jr. Sr. Fr. So.

Hometown (Previous School / High School) Kaohsiung, Taiwan (St. Mary's Ryken HS) Kearney, Mo. (Kearney HS) Mobile, Ala. (UMS-Wright Prep) Brooklyn, N.Y. (Perkiomen School) North Bethesda, Md. (Georgetown Prep) Ridgeland, S.C. (Ridgeland-Hardeeville HS) Adeliade S. Australia (Triton College (Ill.)) Charlotte, N.C. (United Faith) Frisco, Texas (Wakeland HS) Knoxville, Tenn. (Beckley Prep / Grace Christian) Wichita, Kan. (Bishop Carroll HS) Fairfield, Conn. (Fairfield Warde / Cushing Academy) Bunker Hill, W.Va. (Musselman HS) Newburgh, N.Y. (St. John Paul the Great HS) Houston, Texas (Episcopal HS)

Dan Earl (Penn State, 1997) • 7th season QUICK FACTS: Ander Galfsky (Birmingham-Southern, 2015) • 3rd season LOCATION: Lexington, Va. Austin Kenon (VMI, 2011) • 5th season ENROLLMENT: 1,700 Logan Dahms (Covenant, 2011) • 3rd season SUPERINTENDENT: Maj. Gen. Cedric T. Wins Tom Kiely • 4th season ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Jim Miller Daniel Roibal • 1st season WEBSITE: VMIKeydets.com

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WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS

2021-22 MEN’S BASKETBALL ROSTER No. Name

(Pronunciation)

Pos.

Ht.

Wt.

Cl.

Hometown (Previous School / High School)

2 Vonterius Woolbright

(von-TARE-e-us)

G

6-5

208

Jr.

Albany, Ga. (Lawson State CC / Thomasville HS)

4 Tyler Harris

G/F

6-7

198

Jr.

Charlotte, N.C. (Independence HS)

5 Josh Massey

G

6-6

198

So.

Monroe, N.C. (United Faith Christian Academy)

11 Cam Bacote

G

6-3

173

Gr.

Hampton, Va. (Indiana State / Bethel HS)

F

6-5

230

Jr.

Baltimore, Md. (Salt Lake CC / Patterson HS) Charlotte, N.C. (Independence CC / SouthLake Christian)

(BAY-coat)

13 Marvin Price 21 Madison Monroe

G

6-3

193

Jr.

22 Brad Halvorsen

G

6-0

161

So.

Kingsport, Tenn. (Christ School (N.C.))

23 Marlow Gilmore

F

6-5

191

Jr.

Norway, S.C. (Dodge City CC / Hunter-Kinard-Tyler HS)

(HAL-verr-sin)

24 Marcus Banks

G

6-2

187

Fr.

Hampton, Va. (Fork Union Military Academy)

25 Nicholas Robinson

G

6-6

220

Gr.

Chicago, Ill. (Valparaiso / Kenwood Academy)

33 Joe Petrakis

Wichita, Kan. (Kansas State / Valley Center HS)

F

6-10

224

R-Jr.

34 KJ Odour

(puh-TRACK-us)

F

6-9

198

Fr.

41 Jordian Fox

F

6-5

200

Fr.

Fayetteville, N.C. (Jack Britt HS)

42 Max Rogers

G

6-2

180

Fr.

Waynesville, N.C. (Asheville Christian Academy)

45 Davion Everett

G

6-4

215

Fr.

Columbia, S.C. (Ridge View HS)

(DAY-vee-on)

Kisumu, Kenya (Spire Academy)

HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Justin Gray (Wake Forest, 2006) • First season at WCU ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jayson Gee (University of Charleston, 1988) • First season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Brian Graves (Catawba, 2006) • First season at WCU ASSISTANT COACH: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Zack Freesman (North Florida, 2016) • First season at WCU DIRECTOR OF BASKETBALL OPS:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Molly Bachand (Kansas, 2007) • First season at WCU VIDEO COORDINATOR:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Cody Cohen (Florida Atlantic, 2014) • First Season at WCU ATHLETIC TRAINER:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Braxton Zeigler (Valdosta State, 2019) • Second Season at WCU SPORTS PERFORMANCE:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Collin Lawless (Christopher Newport Univ., 2017) • First Season at WCU

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WESTERN CAROLINA MEN’S BASKETBALL – 2021-22 Radio / TV Chart

2

4

Vonterius WOOLBRIGHT 6-5 | 208 lbs. | Jr.

13

Tyler HARRIS 6-6 | 198 lbs. | Jr.

21

Marvin PRICE 6-5 | 230 lbs. | Jr.

24

Madison MONROE 6-3 | 193 lbs. | Jr.

Jordian FOX 6-5 | 200 lbs. | Fr. FAST BREAK POINTS

Josh MASSEY 6-6 | 198 lbs. | So.

Brad HALVORSEN 6-1 | 161 lbs. | So.

Max ROGERS 6-2 | 180 lbs. | Fr.

Marlow GILMORE 6-5 | 191 lbs. | Jr.

34

Joe PETRAKIS 6-10 | 224 lbs. | R-Jr.

42

Cam BACOTE 6-3 | 173 lbs. | Gr.

23

33

Nicholas ROBINSON 6-6 | 220 lbs. | Gr.

41

11

22

25

Marcus BANKS 6-2 | 187 lbs. | Fr.

24 |

5

KJ ODOUR 6-9 | 198 lbs. | Fr.

45 Davion EVERETT 6-4 | 215 lbs. | Fr.

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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – CATAMOUNT HEAD COACHES

BOBBY MORANDA baseball

mens basketball

JUSTIN GRAY

womens basketball

KILEY HILL

KERWIN BELL

TIM ECKBERG

COURTNEY GUNTER

CHAD MILLER

JIM CLIFT

mens golf

womens golf

BRET BEAVER tennis

JESSE NORMAN / track and field

xc

football

soccer

softball

KAREN GLOVER volleyball

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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – COACHES & STAFF

Taylor Sandefur Head Assistant Coach Baseball

Andrew Cox Assistant Coach Baseball

Darryln McDonough

JJ Laster

Assistant Coach Women's Basketball

Justin Hinds

Chazmon Scales

Rudi Small

Dennis Thomas

Rylan Wells

Cody Edwards

Greg McGruder

Trent Turknett

Todd Herman

Madison Armstrong

David Johnston

Greg Lambert

Larry Murphy

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Shyla Coleman

Assistant Coach Women's Basketball

Kade Bell

Assistant Coach Cheerleading

Director of Football Operations

Megan Brown

Associate Head Coach Women's Basketball

Assistant Coach / OC Football

Head Coach Cheerleading

Todd Shealy

Hailey Schenk

Kendra Samuels-Eaton

Assistant Coach Cheerleading

Ashley Morgan Crowe Kourtney Sandefur

Assistant Coach Football

Jeff Lavin

Volunteer Assistant Coach Baseball

Assistant Coach Football

Director of Player Personnel Football

FAST BREAK POINTS

Assistant Coach Football

Assistant Coach Women's Soccer

Assistant Coach Football

Assistant Coach Softball

Assistant Coach / DC Football

Quality Control – Defense Football

Assistant Coach Track & Field

Assistant Coach Football

Quality Control – Offense Football

Assistant Coach Track & Field

Director of Women's Basketball Operations

Assistant Coach Football

Jeff Burger

Volunteer Assistant Coach Football

Josh Hall

Graduate Assistant Coach Track & Field

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WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – DEPARTMENT STAFF MEMBERS

Ben Page

Zach Denitto

Denise Gideon

Greg Camillone

Patrick Mullaney Assistant Director of Video Operations

Director of Athletics Marketing & Fan Engagement

Director of Corporate Sponsorships

Director of Ticket Operations & Data Analytics

Ashley Buck

Justin Dowd

Haley Townsend

Mark Conlin

Rory Jimerson

Eynde Frazier Game Operations & Facilities Assistant

Athletics Department Administrative Assistant

Director of Media Relations

Assistant Director of Academic Support

Director of Creative Media

Assistant Director of Academic Support

Assistant Director of Academic Support

Tyler Pope

Director of Athletic Facilities

Ric Sisler

Director of Game Operations & Facilities

Athletics Ticketing Operations & Marketing Assistant

Kim Jamison

Associate Director of Development / Catamount Club

Associate Director of Development / Catamount Club

Assistant Director of Development, Events & Stewardship

Assistant Director of Development / Catamount Club

JP Hill

Jeff Bewsey

Mike Taylor

Spencer Wright

Steven Honbarger

Rob Reyburn

Nicole Bohannon

Julia Daniel

Alisha Grisby

Tyler Spain

Lindsey Bartle

Ben Jacobs

Brian Dryden

Bailey Forst

Connor Owens

Todd Lawing

Blake Cantrell

Director of Sports Medicine (FB)

LeeAnn Grayson Athletic Training Intern

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Anthony Miele

Associate Head Athletic Trainer (FB)

Director of Sports Performance & Nutrition

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Lauren Rhyne

Assistant Athletic Trainer (WSOC)

Assistant Sports Performance Coach

Assistant Athletic Trainer (XC/T&F)

Assistant Sports Performance Coach

Catamount Club Assistant

Assistant Athletic Trainer (WBK)

Assistant Sports Performance Coach

Head Equipment Manager

Assistant Athletic Trainer (BASE)

Director of the Ramsey Center

Assistant Equipment Manager

Athletic Training Intern

Nick Mashburn

Assistant Director of Operations – Ramsey Center

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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) 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) 4,107 Appalachian State (1/28/02) Top Women’s Basketball Attendance: 2,178 - vs. Chattanooga (02/10/07) (02/10/07)

FOLLOW CATAMOUNT BASKETBALL >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ALL SEASON LONG

FB.COM/CATAMOUNTSPORTS @CATAMOUNTS | WCU_CATAMOUNTS 32 |

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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

• 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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CAT HOUSE PEP BAND

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2021-22 WCU DANCE TEAM FRONT ROW (l-r): Tamia Miller, Cassie Ramaswamy, Meredith Gillespie, Lauren Roberts, Michaela Morgan, Maddie Price, Katie Clippard MIDDLE ROW (l-r): Megan Normandin, Alyssa Malgrat, Kimberly Hydrick, Manci McMullan, Alexandria Henry, Naidelyn Cruz, Madison Tadlock BACK ROW (l-r): Samantha Harp, Skylar Poulos, Julia Gerrer, Brenna Orr, Ashley Avant, Nicole Stauffer, Michelle Davis

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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2021-22 CATAMOUNT CHEERLEADERS FRONT ROW (l-r): Hannah Wing, Lauren Brooks, Liz Liner, Emma Page, Sarena Burrell, Kristin Cates, Olivia Hawkins, Scottie Branning MIDDLE ROW (l-r): Marissa Clontz, Kylee Johnson, Makenna Shipley, Izzy Wilson, Caroline Lopp, Airica Anderson, Mary Morrison, Kamdyn Anderson, Trinity Turner BACK ROW (l-r): Shelby Bramlett, Kasi Jones, Savannah Jones, Sara-Grace Smith, Nicole Carmical, Molly McAvoy, Natalie McIver, Becca Kilpatrick, Leah Bridges, Brayden Short, Riley Sanz

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