2021 Western Carolina Football Digital Game Day Program - at Mercer (3/20/21)

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INSIDE

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Table of Contents .............................................................. 4

#65 ISAIAH HELMS

WCU 2020-21 Football Schedule....................................... 5

SOPHOMORE OFFENSIVE LINEMAN

Scouting Western Carolina................................................. 6 A Look at Today’s Opponent: Mercer................................. 8 Western Carolina Numerical Roster...................................11 Mercer Numerical Roster..................................................13 WCU vs. Mercer – Two-Deep............................................16 WCU vs. Mercer – Stat Comparison.................................20 Looking Back: Last Time We Met.................................... 22 WCU Head Football Coach, Mark Speir......................27-28 WCU Football Coaching Staff......................................32-36 Football Time in Cullowhee............................................. 37 WCU Football Support Staff............................................. 38 WCU Athletics Director Alex Gary................................ 40-41 WCU Athletics Department Staff...................................... 45 WCU Athletics Coaching Staff.......................................... 46 Meet the 2020-21 Catamounts.................................48-56 Through the Lens: Home Win over The Citadel........... 60-61 Recent Catamounts in NFL Camps................................... 62 Dr. Kelli R. Brown, WCU Chancellor.................................. 65 “Whee Are One” Campaign.......................................68-69 The Catamount Club Membership.............................. 70-74 Catamount Club – Donor Spotlight................................. 75 Catamount Football – Postseason Teams........................ 76 E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field........................ 78 The Southern Conference................................................80 WCU Football Honored Jerseys....................................... 82 History of the Victory Bell................................................. 82 NCAA Officials Signals...................................................... 84 EXTRA POINTS, the official game program and online digital program for Western Carolina Catamount Football, is a publication of the WCU Athletics Media Relations Office.

Editorial content, layout and design has been provided

by Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations, Daniel Hooker (WCU, 2001).

Special thanks to the staffs of both WCU Athletics Media Relations and Todd Charles. Photography provided by Ashley Evans, Caitlin Penna, Sam Wallace and various student assistants in the Western Carolina Public Relations Department; WCU PR retiree, Mark Haskett; Andy Padyk; Jason Hall of Valleytown Photo; and WCU students, Spencer Douglas and Jared Draney.

TODAY’S GAME IS PRESENTED BY:

Advertising sales for EXTRA POINTS are administered by both Chad Gerrety and Michael Ceccarelli. To advertise, contact WCU Athletics at (828) 227-2767 or (828) 227-2038, respectively.

JOIN THE

CATAMOUNT CLUB TODAY!

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Nov. 14, 2020

Nov. 21, 2020

at #22 Liberty - L, 58-14

at EKU - L, 49-14

Feb. 27, 2021

March 6, 2021

at Samford* – L, 55-27

March 27, 2021 at ETSU* – 1 pm

Blue Ridge Border Battle

vs. VMI* – L, 30-7

April 3, 2021

vs. CHATTANOOGA* – 1 pm

Dec. 5, 2020

Feb. 20, 2021

at #17 UNC – L, 49-9

at Furman* – L, 35-7

March 13, 2021

March 20, 2021

April 10, 2021

April 24, 2021

vs. THE CITADEL* – W, 21-14

vs. WOFFORD* – 2 pm

at Mercer* – 4 pm

TBD

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SCOUTING WESTERN CAROLINA u Western

Carolina opens a two-game Southern Conference road swing this weekend traveling to Five Star Stadium to face the Mercer Bears ... Saturday’s game has been billed the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week and marked for linear television on through Nexstar Media ... WCU will play back-to-back weeks in the league’s TV game, doing so on March 27 in the mountain-rivalry “Blue Ridge Border Battle” with ETSU in Johnson City, Tenn.;

u Western

Carolina put the clamps on an eight-game slide that dated back to the final two games of the 2019 season and the first six of the 2020-21 schedule with its 21-14 home victory over The Citadel last weekend in Cullowhee ... WCU’s first victory of the 2020-21 season also halted a four-game skid in Southern Conference play and two-game slides in both the overall series with The Citadel and in home games against the Bulldogs; u

Western Carolina head coach MARK SPEIR earned his 33rd career victory ... He ranks fourth in program history, just six victories shy of third-place Tom Young (39 wins, 1946-55);

u Western

Carolina and Mercer meet for the seventh time on the football gridiron on Saturday in Macon, Ga. ... WCU trails in the all-time series, 2-4 ... the Catamounts have dropped the last four series meetings since winning the first two in 2014 and 2015;

WESTERN CAROLINA / MERCER INSIDE THE ALL-TIME SERIES

ALL-TIME SERIES. . . . . . . . . . . . WCU TRAILS, 2-4

In Macon, Ga. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .WCU trails, 1-2

In Cullowhee. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WCU trails, 10-12

Current Streak. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . WCU, L–2

Longest Winning Streak:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2 games Longest Losing Skid:. . . . . . . . . . . 4 games (active) WCU Average Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31.5 ppg Mercer Average Points. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 37.2 ppg

ALL-TIME SERIES HISTORY: March 20, 2021

Macon, Ga.

Aug. 31, 2019

Cullowhee

L, 49-27

Oct. 20, 2018

Macon, Ga.

L, 59-46

RB DONNAVAN SPENCER (pictured right) rushed for a career-best 220 yards in last Saturday’s home win, the eighth-best single-game rushing performance by a Catamount running back all-time ... Spencer earned Southern Conference Offensive Player of the Week honors following his performance and was dubbed an honorable mention for the Stats Perform FCS national award;

Nov. 11, 2017

Cullowhee

L, 35-33

Oct. 15, 2016

Macon, Ga.

L, 38-24

Oct. 10, 2015

Cullowhee

W, 24-21

Spencer’s 220 yards represent the 15th 200-yard game in WCU program history … It was Spencer’s fifth 100+ yard rushing performance in his career;

Oct. 18, 2014

Macon, Ga.

W, 35-21

u

WCU trails in the all-time series in games played in Macon, 1-2, that includes two-consecutive losses to the Bears at Five Star Stadium;

u Senior

u

u

u

u

Adding 45 receiving yards, Spencer led WCU with a career-high 265 all-purpose yards – 18 yards more than his previous high of 247 yards established in 2019 in a road win at VMI – 137 rushing yards and 110 receiving yards; Spencer’s 220 rushing yards against The Citadel represent the second-best individual rushing performance in the NCAA FCS this season, just behind Brian Snead of Austin Peay who ran for an FCSbest 227 yards in a game this year; The weekly plaudits are the second of Spencer’s career, earning the same top offensive player honors in the 2019 season following the road win at VMI in which he set his previous career benchmark with 247 all-purpose yards – 137 rushing yards and his career-best of 110 yards receiving ... He is the second Catamount to capture a weekly award this season as freshman kicker PAXTON ROBERTSON earned special team honors back on Feb. 22;

u Freshman

RB MIKAI STANLEY ran for a career-best 65 yards in Saturday’s win, scoring a touchdown on the ground for a second-straight week ... WR RAEKWON HEATH caught a career-best four passes to lead the Catamounts while LUKE SUTTON tied his career-high for a third time with a pair of receptions;

RB #20 DONNAVAN SPENCER PHOTO BY ASHLEY EVANS

u WCU’s

offense rushed for a season-high 281 yards in the win over The Citadel and for the first-time in the 2020-21 season, finished with more yards than its opposition – 367-to-341 … WCU’s 281 rushing yards were its most since running for 423 yards against Chattanooga on Sept. 28, 2019 … the 341 yards by The Citadel were the fewest allowed by the Catamount defense this season;

u Senior

LB TY HARRIS posted the 13th double-digit tackle performance of his career finishing with a team-high 13 tackles last Saturday against The Citadel ... It’s his fifth, double-figure tackle performance of the season ... Among the Catamount defenders tallying career-highs against The Citadel were MICAH NELSON (9 tackles), DARRIUS BELL (8 tackles), TRE JOLLY (7 tackles), while AARON GETHERS (4 tackles) and JAQUARIUS GUINN (3 tackles) both matched their career bests … Jolly added a career-best 1.5 tackles for loss on sacks and recovered a fumble that was forced by WILLIE HAMPTON.

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WCU DEFENSE VS. THE CITADEL PHOTO BY ASHLEY EVANS

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Pre-Engineered Building Specialists – Furnish and Erection of Athletic, Retail, Commercial, Religious and Agricultural Steel Buildings.

Proud Sponsor of Catamount Football!

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A LOOK AT TODAY’S OPPONENT: MERCER u Mercer

(1-5, 1-2 SoCon) was among the four Southern Conference teams to compete during the fall portion of the 2020-21 schedule, playing three games in October ... the Bears played one NCAA FBS team, traveling to Army West Point (Oct. 24) ... the other two contests included traveling to Jacksonville State (Oct. 10) and hosting Abilene Christian (Oct. 31); u

u

u

WCU and Mercer share two common FCS opponents to date – The Citadel and VMI ... Both squads lost to VMI – WCU, 30-7 in Cullowhee on March 6 and last week, Mercer fell 41-14 in Lexington, Va. ... Both teams also scored a league victory over The Citadel – WCU won 21-14 in Cullowhee last week while Mercer won at home, 42-28, back on Feb. 27; Mercer’s win over The Citadel its first win in 483 days ... Prior to beating the Bulldogs, Mercer’s last win came on Nov. 2, 2019 over Samford in triple-overtime at Five Star Stadium; On Oct. 24, the Bears were held without a touchdown in the 49-3 loss at Army West Point ... It was the first time since Nov. 18, 2017 that Mercer was unable to reach the end zone;

u Saturday’s

game has been billed the Ingles SoCon Game of the Week and will be televised on the Nexstar family of stations as well as ESPN+ ... It’s the second-straight week that Mercer is in the league’s linear television game as the Bears and VMI Keydets were featured last week ... WCU will be in the game of the week in consecutive weeks – at Mercer and again at ETSU (March 27); u

Mercer plays its third home game of the 2020-21 season when it hosts the Catamounts ... the Bears are 27-17 in games played at Five Star Stadium in Macon, including a 1-1 overall record this season – 1-0 against conference opponents;

u Mercer

was picked to finish SIXTH by both the league head coaches the voting media in the Southern Conference preseason polls ... the Bears were tied with VMI in the coaches’ tabulations;

u Mercer

was the only team in the Southern Conference not to have a player selected to the preseason first or second all-conference teams selected by the league’s head coaches and announced by the conference office; u

Despite not having anyone honored by the SoCon on the preseason all-conference squads, In late July, three members of the Mercer football team were recognized by the Phil Steele Magazine by being named to the preseason All-Southern Conference team ... Senior CB HARRISON POOLE, and sophomore kicker CALEB DOWDEN all earned third team honors;

ABOUT MERCER SCOUTING THE BEARS

QUICK FACTS:

Location:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Macon, Ga. Founded:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1833 Enrollment:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8,700 Colors:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Orange & Black Conference:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Southern (SoCon) Facility (Capacity):. . . . . . Five Star Stadium (11,332) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Limited seating capacity due to COVID Surface:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Artificial President:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . William D. Underwood Athletics Director:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Jim Cole Head Coach:. . . . . . . . . . . Drew Cronic (Georgia, 1996) Record at MER:. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1-5 (first yr) Overall Record: . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48-11 (16 yrs)

2020-21 SCHEDULE:

Oct. 10 Oct. 24 Oct. 31 Feb. 20 Feb. 27 March 13 March 20 March 27 April 3 April 10 April 17

at Jacksonville State at Army West Point ABILENE CHRISTIAN at Wofford * THE CITADEL * at VMI * WESTERN CAROLINA * at Chattanooga * FURMAN * ETSU * at Samford *

L, 34-28 L, 49-3 L, 20-17 L, 31-14 W, 42-28 L, 41-14 4 pm Noon 3:30 pm 6 pm 1 pm ET

u Freshman

CARTER PEEVY is penciled in as the Bears’ starting quarterback and has split time with redshirt junior HARRISON FROST this year ... the two have combined to go 70-for-127 with eight touchdowns but have tossed five interceptions ... Freshman WR ETHAN DIRRIM (pictured right) has a team-best 12 catches for 165 yards and three touchdowns;

u Mercer

is averaging 19.7 points per game on offense with a balanced attack between the run and pass – 138.2 yards per game on the ground and a 134.5 yards per game average through the air ... the Bears rank ninth in the SoCon with 272.7 yards of total offense per game;

u Mercer’s

defense is being led by a youth movement ... Sophomore safety LANCE WISE leads the Bears in tackles with 59 over six games, averaging 9.8 stops per game, second in the SoCon ... Freshman linebacker ISAAC DOWLING is second on the squad with 45 stops including a career-best 16 tackles in his collegiate debut last fall against Jacksonville State and a team-high 5.0 sacks ... Sophomore LB KEN STANDLEY has two doublefigure tackle games and 31 stops on the year, matching freshman DL JADEN TAYLOR (31 tackles) ... Junior CB MICHAEL CAMPBELL (pictured lower right) has Mercer’s lone interception of the season to go along with 30 total tackles and a pair of pass break-ups;

WR #7 ETHAN DIRRIM

u DID

YOU KNOW: Mercer first-year head coach DREW CRONIC is very familiar with the Southern Conference, spending 10 seasons coaching at Furman from 2002-2010 and again in 2017 before taking the head coaching job at Lenoir-Rhyne in Hickory, N.C. ... Cronic guided the L-R Bears from three wins in 2017 to 12 wins in 2018 marking the largest turnaround in the nation ... Cronic scored his first career NCAA D-I victory as a head coach in the win over The Citadel on Feb. 27. u

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Eight of Mercer’s assistant coaches are in their first full season with the Bears ... Wide receivers coach La’Donte Harris is in his fourth season on the Mercer sidelines and safeties coach Mike Adams is in his second season in Macon.

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CB #9 MICHAEL CAMPBELL

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WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS – 2020-21 NUMERICAL ROSTER NO. NAME

POS.

HT.

WT.

NO. NAME

POS.

HT.

WT.

YR.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS COLLEGE / HIGH SCHOOL)

2 Aaron Gethers

CB

5-10

185

R-So. Blythewood, S.C. (Boston College / Bishop McDevitt HS)

YR.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS COLLEGE / HIGH SCHOOL)

53 Jaylen Moore *

RUSH

6-2

225

Fr.

Greenville, N.C. (Hardin Valley Academy (Tenn.))

3 D.J. Thorpe

WR

6-3

195

R-Jr.

Nashville, Tenn. (Cane Ridge HS)

55 Kevin Thompson

LS

5-10

210

So.

Rock Hill, S.C. (Northwestern HS)

3 Darrius Smith

LB

5-11

225

Jr.

Roberson, N.C. (South Creek HS)

58 Giovanni Ricciardi

LB

6-0

215

Fr.

Clemmons, N.C. (West Forsyth HS)

4 Kason Lincke

RUSH 5-10

QB

6-1

200

Fr.

Mobile, Ala. (Mobile Christian HS)

59 John Esposito

205

R-Sr. Staten Island, N.Y. (Buffalo State / St. Joseph by the Sea)

4 A.J. Rogers

S

6-0

180

Jr.

Duncan, S.C. (Byrnes HS)

60 Joaquin Layno

DT

5-10

275

R-Fr.

Cherokee, N.C. (Cherokee HS)

5 Syheam McQueen

RB

6-0

205

R-Fr.

Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County HS)

61 Dawson Johnson

OL

6-2

265

R-Jr.

Taylorsville, N.C. (Alexander Central HS)

6 Daquan Patten

WR

5-6

185

R-Sr.

Columbia, S.C. (Blythewood HS)

62 Michael Harper

OL

6-4

285

R-Jr.

Wilkesboro, N.C. (Fork Union Military)

63 Sam Buff

OL

6-1

280

Fr.

Statesville, N.C. (South Iredell HS)

64 Colby Cross

LS

6-0

215

Fr.

Mooresville, N.C. (Lake Norman HS)

65 Isaiah Helms

OL

6-3

325

So.

Lenoir, N.C. (West Caldwell HS)

66 Gabe Jones

OL

6-2

265

Fr.

Southern Pines, N.C. (Pinecrest HS)

6 Mahari Stribling

S

6-3

180

R-So.

7 Ryan Glover

QB

6-2

210

Gr.

7 Charles Gadie

Loganville, Ga. (Grayson HS) Atlanta, Ga. (Penn / Woodward Academy

CB

5-9

170

R-So.

8 L.A. Rogers-Anderson S

6-0

200

Jr.

Douglasville, Ga. (Douglas County HS)

9 Dorian Davis

S

6-0

190

R-Fr.

Shelby, N.C. (Shelby HS)

68 Torrion Stevenson

DT

6-1

305

R-So.

10 Malik Richardson

RB

6-4

200

R-Fr.

Sumter, S.C. (Lakewood HS)

69 Dillon Luther

OL

6-3

300

So.

Asheville, N.C. (Erwin HS)

10 Willie Hampton

LB

6-1

210

R-Jr.

Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. (Garden City CC / American Heritage HS)

70 Caleb Carter

OL

6-3

275

Fr.

Jacksonville, N.C. (Southwest Onslow HS)

11 Carlos Davis

QB

6-3

215

R-So.

Baltimore, Md. (East Mississippi CC)

71 Austin Grunden

OL

6-2

205

Fr.

Kannapolis, N.C. (A.L. Brown HS)

12 Cade Snotherly

QB

6-0

185

Fr.

Franklinville, N.C. (Eastern Randolph HS)

72 Blake Whitmore

OL

6-2

285

R-Fr.

13 Calvin Jones

RB

5-10

170

Fr.

Forest City, N.C. (East Rutherford HS)

73 Nathaniel Dozier

DT

6-2

255

Fr.

13 Ronald Kent Jr.

CB

5-10

165

Jr.

Harrisburg, Pa. (Harrisburg HS)

74 Tyler Smith

OL

6-8

300

R-So.

Laurinburg, N.C. (Scotland County HS)

14 Quintin Thames

CB

5-11

175

R-So.

Grayson, Ga. (Grayson HS)

75 Zach Hayes

OL

6-3

325

R-Fr.

Jonesboro, Ga. (Jonesboro HS)

15 Will Jones

QB

6-4

220

R-Jr.

Greensboro, N.C. (Page HS)

76 Jacob Combs

OL

6-4

280

So.

North Wilkesboro, N.C. (North Wilkes HS)

16 Tristan Sens

WR

6-1

180

R-Fr.

Holly Springs, N.C. (Holly Springs HS)

77 Chris Morgan

DT

6-0

255

Fr.

Maiden, N.C. (Maiden HS)

17 Reggie Jones

WR

5-11

175

R-Jr.

Sharpsburg, Ga. (East Coweta HS)

78 Garrett Bowman

OL

6-4

270

R-So.

Arab, Ala. (Arab HS)

19 Raekwon Heath

WR

6-2

185

R-Jr.

Columbia, S.C. (Independence CC / Irmo HS)

79 Aidan Alston

OL

6-2

250

R-Fr.

Southern Pines, N.C. (Pinecrest HS)

20 Donnavan Spencer

RB

5-10

190

R-Sr.

80 Keenan Hambrick

WR

6-3

195

Fr.

Athens, Ala. (Athens HS)

22 Mikai Stanley

RB

6-2

235

Fr.

Wilmington, N.C. (New Hanover HS)

81 Kendall Alford

WR

5-10

175

R-Fr.

Marietta, Ga. (Walton HS)

24 Quintin Talley

S

6-0

175

Fr.

Spartanburg, S.C. (Byrnes HS)

82 JaKobe Quillen

25 Dejon DeCruz

LB

6-1

225

So.

Durham, N.C. (Riverside HS)

26 Tyree Nelson

RB

5-10

200

Fr.

Atlanta, Ga. (Mays HS)

27 Trevor Childers

LB

6-1

215

Sr.

Lincolnton, N.C. (East Lincoln HS)

28 Rod Gattison

DB

5-11

180

So.

Hartsell, S.C. (Georgia Military / Hartsell HS)

29 Jayden Pauling

RUSH

6-3

225

Jr.

Raleigh, N.C. (Louisburg College / Millbrook HS)

30 Micah Nelson

SPUR

6-3

200

R-Fr.

31 Kevon Angry

CB

5-11

180

Fr.

32 Jaiden Bond

WR

5-9

170

Fr.

33 Curtis Roach

SPUR

6-1

200

R-Jr.

Sumter, S.C. (Western Kentucky / Ridgeview HS)

Charlotte, N.C. (Vance HS)

Murphy, N.C. (Murphy HS) Powder Springs, Ga. (McEachern HS) Boone, N.C. (Watagua HS) Cumming, Ga. (South Forsyth HS)

Branchville, S.C. (Branchville HS)

Raleigh, N.C. (Millbrook HS) Chesterfield, Va. (Matoaca HS)

WR

6-3

190

Fr.

Florence, S.C. (Wilson HS)

83 Brandon Dickerson

P

5-11

195

So.

Fort Mill, S.C. (Indian Land HS)

84 Owen Cosenke

TE

6-3

235

Sr.

Aldie, Va. (Fork Union Military / John Champe HS)

85 Luke Britt

TE

6-6

220

R-So.

Calypso, N.C. (North Duplin HS)

86 Clayton Bardall

TE

6-3

225

R-So.

Cumming, Ga. (North Forsyth HS)

87 Dylan Abernethy

WR

6-0

165

Fr.

88 Luke Sutton

Maiden, N.C. (Maiden HS)

WR

5-8

180

Fr.

89 Richard McCollum

K

5-9

170

R-So.

Sanford, N.C. (Southern Lee HS)

Concord, N.C. (Cox Mill HS)

90 Tre’ Jolly

DE

6-2

210

R-Fr.

Shelby, N.C. (Shelby HS)

91 Jaquarius Guinn

DT

6-2

295

Fr.

Clover, S.C. (Clover HS)

34 Quenten Zanders

RB

5-8

175

Jr.

Shelby, N.C. (Cleveland CC / Crest HS)

92 Darrius Bell

DE

6-2

230

R-Fr.

Gilbert, S.C. (Gilbert HS)

35 Glenn Young

RB

5-9

200

Fr.

Fayetteville, N.C. (Trinity Christian HS)

93 Roman Johnson

DT

6-3

260

So.

Greensboro, N.C. (Southern Guilford HS)

36 Skylin Thomas 37 Ty Harris

SPUR 5-10 LB

6-1

190

So.

Lenoir, N.C. (Hibriten HS)

94 Timothy Jamison

DE

6-4

260

Jr.

West Columbia, S.C. (Hutchinson CC / White Knoll HS)

245

Sr.

Dacula, Ga. (Dacula HS)

95 Laquavion Haynes

DE

6-4

230

Fr.

Moultrie, Ga. (Colquitt County HS)

96 K.J. Milner

DE

6-4

260

Jr.

Hinesville, Ga. (Bradwell Institute)

98 Christian Harris

DT

6-3

260

R-Fr.

99 Ricky Palao

DT

6-2

270

Sr.

Hoover, Ala. (Hoover HS)

WR

5-9

200

Fr.

Greensboro, N.C. (Dudley HS)

38 Jacob Harris

CB

6-1

195

So.

Greer, S.C. (Independence CC / Greer HS)

39 Trae Churn

WR

6-5

220

Gr.

Columbia, S.C. (SC State / Blythewood HS)

41 Cinsere Allison

S

6-0

185

R-So.

Kannapolis, N.C. (A.L. Brown HS)

42 Jontavious Shotwell

S

5-11

175

R-So.

Hoschton, Ga. (Mill Creek HS)

Branson Adams

43 Luke Hoggard

TE

6-0

220

R-Jr.

Edenton, N.C. (North Carolina / Edenton HS)

44 Nigel Manns

LB

6-1

220

Fr.

45 Ethan Harris

DB

5-8

145

46 Paxton Robertson

K

6-0

200

49 Demorian Smith

RUSH

6-0

50 Alex McConnell

OL

6-4

51 Matthew Bair

OL

6-3

Raleigh, N.C. (Baylor School)

Tyler Anderson

LB

6-0

205

Fr.

Greensboro, N.C. (Northern Guilford HS)

Byron, Ga. (Peach County HS)

Anthony Badgett

CB

5-9

170

R-So.

Greensboro, N.C. (Southeast Guilford HS)

Fr.

Duncan, S.C. (Byrnes HS)

Matthew Cherry

DE

6-3

185

Fr.

Rocky Mount, N.C. (Rocky Mount HS)

Fr.

Knoxville, Tenn. (Knoxville Catholic HS)

Trevor Fournet

LB

5-11

195

Fr.

Cornelius, N.C. (Hough HS)

220

Fr.

Robersonville, N.C. (South Creek HS)

Jamauree Haith

RUSH

6-2

230

Fr.

Burlington, N.C. (Williams HS)

275

R-So.

Boone, N.C. (Watagua HS)

DB

6-0

205

So.

Alpharetta, Ga. (Johns Creek HS)

285

R-Sr.

Anderson, S.C. (T.L. Hanna HS)

Neil Ilenrrey

* Has opted out of the spring 2021 season

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MERCER BEARS – 2020-21 NUMERICAL ROSTER NO. NAME

POS.

HT.

WT.

YR.

POS.

HT.

WT.

YR.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS COLLEGE / HIGH SCHOOL)

1 Deondre Johnson

JOKER 5-7

175

R-So.

HOMETOWN (PREVIOUS COLLEGE / HIGH SCHOOL) Reidsville, Ga. (Tattnall County HS)

53 Luke Szabados

OL

6-2

230

R-Fr.

Liberty Township, Ohio (Moeller HS)

So.

Waycross, Ga. (Ware County HS)

NO. NAME

2 Yahsyn McKee

CB

5-10

172

So.

Stockbridge, Ga. (Stockbridge HS)

54 Ken Standley

LB

5-10

205

3 Lance Wise

S

5-8

179

So.

Marietta, Ga. (Hillgrove HS)

56 Collin Foster

OL

6-3

260

Jr.

4 Fred Payton

QB

6-2

210

Jr.

Suwanee, Ga. (Coastal Carolina / Parkview HS)

57 John Harris

OL

6-3

282

R-So.

5 Fred Davis

210

So.

Fortson, Ga. (Northside HS)

5-11

204

R-Fr.

Warner Robins, Ga. (Warner Robins HS)

7 Ethan Dirrim

JOKER 6-3

210

Fr.

Canton, Ga. (Creekview HS)

8 Brandon Marshall

JOKER 5-7

185

So.

Jacksonville, Fla. (Raines HS)

62 Zach Lassiter

LS

6-0

169

Jr.

Darien, Ga. (McIntosh County Academy)

63 Aidan Higgins

OL

5-11

6 Dylan Fromm

9 Michael Campbell 10 Robert Riddle 11 Brandon Mays

JOKER 5-11 QB

DL

6-1

274

Fr.

59 Bailey Clark

OL

6-2

287

R-Jr.

Savannah, Ga. (Benedictine Military School)

60 Conner Krieger

OL

6-1

287

R-Sr.

Bogart, Ga. (North Oconee HS)

194

So.

Cochran, Ga. (Bleckley County HS)

256

R-Fr.

Duluth, Ga. (Mountain View HS)

5-11

QB

6-4

215

R-Jr.

Lookout Mountain, Tenn. (The McCallie School)

64 Riley Adcock

OL

6-0

270

Fr.

JOKER 5-11

200

R-So.

Danville, Ga. (Wilkinson County HS)

65 Cyril Turner

OLB

6-2

225

R-Fr.

67 Ni Mansell

OL

6-3

270

Fr.

CB

5-11

196

R-Sr.

St. Mary’s, Ga. (Camden County HS)

13 Ty James

WB

6-1

190

R-Fr.

Norcross, Ga. (Georgia / Greater Atlanta Christian)

14 Nakendrick Clark

RB

5-9

200

Gr.

Statesville, N.C. (Appalachian State / Statesville HS)

15 Carter Peevy

QB

6-3

209

Fr.

16 Laderrick Johnson

CB

5-11

190

R-Fr.

JOKER 5-10

17 Landon Miller

58 Jaden Taylor

CB

12 Harrison Poole

Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer HS) Jackson, Ga. (Navy / Jackson HS)

Buford, Ga. (Lanier HS) Hoschton, Ga. (Virgina Tech / Mill Creek HS) Durham, N.C. (North Durham HS)

Dacula, Ga. (Dacula HS) McDonough, Ga. (Eagles Landing Christian Academy) Anderson, S.C. (Westside HS)

69 Philip Hatcher

LS

5-7

235

R-So.

Norcross, Ga. (Norcross HS)

70 Santo DeFranco

OL

6-4

250

R-So.

Salinas, Calif. (Hartnell College / Palma HS)

73 John Thomas

OL

6-3

300

So.

Marietta, Ga. (Hillgrove HS)

74 Luke Barlow

OL

6-2

275

Fr.

Savannah, Ga. (Benedictine Military School)

76 Vinny Carnazzo

DL

6-0

290

Fr.

Newnan, Ga. (The Heritage School)

77 Trey Iorillo

OL

6-3

311

R-Jr.

Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison HS)

81 Bryce Lawrence

TE

6-3

230

R-So.

McDonough, Ga. (Ola HS)

180

R-So.

Macon, Ga. (Rutland HS)

18 Harrison Frost

QB

6-1

195

R-Jr.

Kennesaw, Ga. (Harrison HS)

20 Richie Coffey

S

5-10

167

So.

Jacksonville, Fla. (Baldwin HS)

175

Fr.

Hoschton, Ga. (Air Force Prep / Mill Creek HS)

82 Andrew May

TE

6-4

225

Fr.

Evans, Ga. (Lakeside HS)

190

R-So.

LaGrange, Ga. (Callaway HS)

83 Drake Starks

TE

6-3

240

Jr.

Ringgold, Ga. (Lenoir-Rhyne / Ringgold HS)

86 Justin Bray

TE

6-3

230

R-Fr.

21 Parker Wroble 22 DQ Wilkerson

Joker 5-10 S

6-0

23 Tyler Mackey

S

5-9

193

Fr.

24 Danijah Gammage

LB

6-1

209

R-Jr.

25 TJ Moore

CB

6-0

160

Fr.

26 Byron Bacon

S

6-0

185

27 Taylor Goodson

S

5-10

183

28 Kenyatta Ward

CB

5-8

165

Fr.

29 Al Wooten II

RB

6-0

220

Fr.

30 Rick Lester III

S

6-2

205

R-So.

Houston, Texas (Cisco College / St. Pius X HS)

31 Luke Ward

S

6-1

201

R-Jr.

Atmore, Ala. (Northwest (Fla.) HS)

32 Kainalu Pu’u Robinson S

6-1

190

R-Fr.

Honolulu, Hawaii (Punahou HS)

JOKER 5-10

Norcross, Ga. (Greater Atlanta Christian HS)

35 Max Burke

Fort Lauderdale, Fla. (St. Thomas Aquinas HS) Brunswick, Ga. (Brunswick HS)

Collierville, Tenn. (St. George’s Independent School)

87 Pedro Rodriguez

TE

6-3

257

R-Fr.

Lake Mary, Fla. (Lake Mary HS)

Riverdale, Ga. (Riverdale HS)

89 Mac Johnson

TE

6-2

215

Fr.

Waycross, Ga. (Ware County HS)

Fr.

Brunswick, Ga. (Glynn Academy)

91 Jordan Swain

DL

6-3

250

Fr.

Brunswick, Ga. (Glynn Academy)

Fr.

Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett HS)

92 Caleb Dowden

P/K

5-11

174

R-So.

Statesboro, Ga. (Statesboro HS)

Newnan, Ga. (Newnan HS)

93 Devin Folser

P/K

6-2

170

So.

Lakeland, Tenn. (Christian Brothers HS)

95 Barron King

DL

6-3

278

R-Jr.

96 Xavier Correa

OLB

6-4

236

Fr.

97 Grant Goupil

P/K

6-1

184

R-Jr.

Lake Mary, Fla. (Lake Mary HS)

98 Chris Hill

DL

6-2

275

R-Fr.

Statesboro, Ga. (Statesboro HS)

McDonough, Ga. (Ola HS) Gainesville, Ga. (Chestatee HS) Port St. Lucie, Fla. (Treasure Coast HS)

185

R-So.

99 DJ McDaniel

DL

6-0

285

Jr.

38 Julian Beris

RB

5-11

215

Fr.

Douglasville, Ga. (South Paulding HS)

Clay Baker

OL

5-11

220

Fr.

Trion, Ga. (Trion HS)

39 Alex Ferry

LB

6-0

190

R-So.

Suwanee, Ga. (Peachtree Ridge HS)

Davis Bell

OL

6-0

270

Fr.

Atlanta, Ga. (North Atlanta HS)

40 Jordan Williams

OLB

6-3

220

Gr.

Columbia, S.C. (The Citadel / Spring Valley HS)

Ben Carnazzo

OL

6-0

345

R-Fr.

41 Zach Hopkins

LB

6-0

212

So.

Madison, Ala. (James Clemens HS)

Ronnie Faison

WR

6-0

160

Fr.

East Point, Ga. (Tri-Cities HS)

42 Alvin Ward Jr.

OLB

6-4

240

Gr.

Ahoskie, N.C. (Georgia Southern / Hertford County HS)

Isaia Harris

WR

6-2

185

Fr.

Warner Robins, Ga. (Houston County HS)

43 Myles Jones

OLB

6-2

220

Fr.

Charlotte, N.C. (Hough HS)

Ari Kamau

OL

6-3

275

Fr.

Suwanee, Ga. (North Gwinnett HS)

44 Richard Benton Jr.

DE

6-2

243

R-Fr.

Atlanta, Ga. (B.E.S.T. Academy)

TJ Parks

DL

6-0

280

Fr.

White, Ga. (Cherokee HS)

45 Dyvon McKinney

LB

6-0

207

Fr.

Asheboro, N.C. (Asheboro HS)

Mark Prince

OL

6-3

250

Fr.

Columbus, Ga. (Chattahoochee County HS)

46 Isaac Dowling

LB

5-10

210

Fr.

Lawrenceville, Ga. (Shiloh HS)

Nathan Seiy

DL

6-0

225

Fr.

Gray, Ga. (Jones County HS)

47 Tommy Pollack

LB

6-0

210

Fr.

Powder Springs, Ga. (Harrison HS)

Jack Shryock

S

6-2

160

Fr.

Davidson, N.C. ( Hough HS)

48 Solomon Zubairu

DL

6-1

240

So.

Lawrenceville, Ga. (Archer HS)

S

5-11

175

Fr.

Powder Springs, Ga. (Harrison HS)

49 Chris Taylor

LB

6-1

218

R-Fr.

Suwanee, Ga. (Lambert HS)

QB

5-9

175

R-Fr.

52 Kashawn Baker

DL

6-2

237

R-So.

Roberta, Ga. (Crawford County HS)

Gavin Spratt Anthony Squitieri

Indian Trail, N.C. (Porter Ridge HS)

Newnan, Ga. (Wofford / The Heritage School)

Bradenton, Fla. (Manatee HS)

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WESTERN CAROLINA – DEPTH CHART

MERCER – DEPTH CHART

CATAMOUNTS OFFENSE

QB - OR -

7 11

RYAN GLOVER CARLOS DAVIS

RB 20 22

DONNAVAN SPENCER Mikai Stanley

WR 80

3

KEENAN HAMBRICK D.J. Thorpe

WR

CALVIN JONES Daquan Patten

13 6

BEARS OFFENSE 6-2 6-3

210 215

GR. R-SO.

5-10 6-2

190 235

R-SR. Fr.

6-3 6-3

195 195

FR. R-Jr.

5-10 5-6

170 185

FR. r-Sr.

WR 19

82

RAEKWON HEATH Jakobe Quillen

6-2 6-3

185 190

R-JR. Fr.

TE 86 39

CLAYTON BARDALL Trae Churn

6-3 6-5

225 220

R-SO. Gr.

LT 74 50

TYLER SMITH Alex McConnell

6-8 6-4

300 275

R-SO. R-So.

LG 69 78

DILLON LUTHER Garrett Bowman

6-3 6-4

300 270

SO. R-So.

C 65 72

ISAIAH HELMS Blake Whitmore

6-3 6-2

325 285

SO. R-Fr.

RG 51 70

MATTHEW BAIR Caleb Carter

6-3 6-3

285 275

R-SR. Fr.

RT 76 62

JACOB COMBS Michael Harper

6-4 6-4

280 285

SO. R-Jr.

CATAMOUNTS DEFENSE

DE

96 95

K.J. MILNER LaQuavion Haynes

6-4 6-4

260 230

JR. Fr.

NOSE

99 91

RICKY PALAO Jaquarius Guinn

6-2 6-2

270 295

SR. Fr.

DT

- or -

94 93 92

TIMOTHY JAMISON Roman Johnson Darrius Bell

6-4 6-3 6-2

260 260 230

JR. Fr. R-Fr.

RUSH

- or -

30 44 90

MICAH NELSON Nigel Manns Tre Jolly

6-3 6-1 6-2

200 220 210

R-FR. Fr. R-Fr.

MIKE

37 25

TY HARRIS Dejon DeCruz

6-1 61

245 225

SR. So.

WILL

10 27

WILLIE HAMPTON Trevor Childers

6-1 6-1

210 215

R-JR. Sr.

SPUR

8 33

L.A. ROGERS-ANDERSON Curtis Roach

6-0 6-1

200 200

JR. R-So.

CB

13 14

RONALD KENT JR. Quintin Thames

5-10 5-11

165 175

JR. R-So.

FS

9 4

DORIAN DAVIS A.J. Rogers

6-0 6-0

190 175

R-FR. JR.

SS

38 7

JACOB HARRIS Charles Gadie

6-1 5-9

195 170

SO. R-So.

2 28

AARON GETHERS Rod Gattison

5-10 5-11

185 180

R-SO. So.

CB

CATAMOUNTS SPECIALISTS

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KO - OR -

46 89

PAXTON ROBERTSON RICHARD MCCOLLUM

6-0 5-9

200 170

FR. R-SO.

PK - OR -

89 46

RICHARD MCCOLLUM PAXTON ROBERTSON

5-9 6-0

170 200

R-SO. FR.

H

12 88

CADE SNOTHERLY Luke Sutton

6-0 5-8

185 180

FR. Fr.

P - OR -

46 89

PAXTON ROBERTSON RICHARD MCCOLLUM

6-0 5-9

200 170

FR. R-SO.

LS

64 55

COLBY CROSS Kevin Thompson

6-0 5-10

215 210

FR. So.

KOR - AND -

13 26

CALVIN JONES TYREE NELSON

5-10 5-10

170 200

FR. FR.

PR

13 6

CALVIN JONES Daquan Patten

5-10 5-6

170 185

FR. R-Sr.

at Mercer

QB

- or -

15 18 6

CARTER PEEVY Harrison Frost Dylan Fromm

6-3 6-1 5-11

209 195 204

FR. R-Jr. R-Fr.

RB

14 29

NAKENDRICK CLARK Al Wooten II

5-9 6-0

200 220

GR. Fr.

JOKER-A

1 8

DEONDRE JOHNSON Brandon Marshall

5-7 5-7

175 185

R-SO. R-Fr.

JOKER-Z

7 35

ETHAN DIRRIM Max Burke

6-3 5-10

210 185

FR. R-So.

WR-X

13 82

TY JAMES Andrew May

6-1 6-4

190 225

R-FR. Fr.

TE

- or -

83 87 81

DRAKE STARKS Pedro Rodriguez Bryce Lawrence

6-3 6-3 6-3

240 257 230

JR. R-Fr. R-So.

LT

73 77

JOHN THOMAS Trey Iorillo

6-3 6-3

300 311

SO. R-Jr.

LG

59 56

BAILEY CLARK Collin Foster

6-2 6-3

287 260

R-JR. Jr.

C

74 64

LUKE BARLOW Riley Adcock

6-2 6-0

275 270

FR. Fr.

RG

57 67

JOHN HARRIS Ni Mansell

6-3 6-3

285 270

R-SO. Fr.

RT

70 60

SANTO DeFRANCO Conner Krieger

6-4 275 R-SO. 6-1 287 R-So.

KAT

42 40

ALVIN WARD JR. Jordan Williams

6-4 6-3

240 220

GR. Gr.

DT

98 58

CHRIS HILL Jaden Taylor

6-2 6-1

275 274

R-FR. Fr.

NOSE

95 99

BARRON KING D.J. McDaniel

6-3 6-0

278 285

R-JR. Jr.

DE

48 91

SOLOMON ZUBAIRU Jordan Swain

6-1 6-3

240 250

SO. Fr.

LB

54 24

KEN STANDLEY Danijah Gammage

5-10 6-1

215 209

SO. R-Jr.

LB

46 39

ISAAC DOWLING Alex Ferry

5-10 6-0

210 190

FR. R-So.

BANDIT

12 20

HARRISON POOLE Richie Coffey

5-11 5-10

196 167

R-SR. So.

CB

9 2

MICHAEL CAMPBELL Yahsyn McKee

6-0 5-10

190 172

JR. So.

S

31 23

LUKE WARD Tyler Mackey

6-1 5-9

201 193

R-JR. Fr.

S

3 32

LANCE WISE Kainalu Pu’u Robinson

5-8 6-1

179 190

SO. R-Fr.

CB

25 16

T.J. MOORE Laderrick Johnson

6-0 5-11

160 190

FR. R-Fr.

K0

93 92

DEVIN FOSLER Caleb Dowden

6-2 5-11

170 174

SO. So.

PK

92 93

CALEB DOWDEN Devin Fosler

5-11 6-2

174 170

SO. So.

H

18 97

HARRISON FROST Grant Goupil

6-1 6-1

195 184

R-JR. R-Jr.

LS

62 87

ZACH LASSITER Pedro Rodriguez

6-0 6-3

194 257

SO. R-Fr.

P

97 92

GRANT GOUPIL Caleb Dowden

6-1 5-11

184 174

R-JR. So.

KOR

9 1

MICHAEL CAMPBELL DEONDRE JOHNSON

6-0 5-7

190 175

JR. R-SO.

PR

17 2

LANDON MILLER Yahsyn McKee

5-10 5-10

180 172

R-SO. So.

BEARS DEFENSE

BEARS SPECIALISTS

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WESTERN CAROLINA vs. mercer bears 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS RUSHING

Donnavan Spencer Mikai Stanley Will Jones

PASSING Ryan Glover Will Jones

RECEIVING

Calvin Jones Donnavan Spencer Reggie Jones Clayton Bardall Owen Cosenke

GP 7 7 4 GP 4 3

Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G 107 615 15 600 5.6 3 67 85.7 40 216 11 205 5.1 2 21 29.3 15 85 33 52 3.5 0 28 13.0 Effic Cmp-Att-Int 111.8 56-94-3 96.4 26-52-2

GP 7 7 5 6 4

PUNT RETURNS

Daquan Patten

No. 17 12 10 9 9

Yds 123 108 106 112 108

No. Yds 4 31

PUNTING

No. 24 20

KICK RETURNS

No. Yds Avg 11 225 20.5

Paxton Robertson Brandon Dickerson Reggie Jones

SCORING

Yds 971 770

Yds TD Lng Avg/G 577 2 59 144.2 256 2 40 64.0

PASSING

Avg 7.2 9.0 10.6 12.4 12.0

TD 1 0 0 2 0

RECEIVING

Ethan Dirrim Ty James Deondre Johnson Drake Starks Zacch Davis

Avg 7.8

TD Long 0 11

Avg Long 40.5 58 38.5 52

Long Avg/G 28 17.6 36 15.4 59 21.2 40 18.7 40 27.0

TB FC I20 50+ 1 6 10 4 0 3 10 1

GP 3 6 4

Nakendrick Clark Brandon Marshall Deondre Johnson

Att Gain Loss Net Avg TD Long Avg/G 42 177 9 168 4.0 0 21 56.0 26 124 11 113 4.3 1 37 18.8 16 112 1 111 6.9 1 38 27.8

GP Effic Cmp-Att-Int 5 120.28 40-66-4 4 122.62 30-61-1

Harrison Frost Carter Peevy

GP 6 6 4 3 3

No. 12 10 14 5 3

Pct 60.6 49.2

Yds TD Lng Avg/G 407 4 48 81.4 400 4 75 100.0

Yds Avg TD Long Avg/G 165 13.8 3 30 27.5 150 15.0 1 40 25.0 141 10.1 1 48 35.3 119 23.8 1 75 39.7 62 20.7 1 30 20.7

PUNT RETURNS

No. Yds Avg TD Long Landon Miller 5 43 8.6 0 12 Blkd 0 0

TD Long 0 31

FGs Kick Rush Rcv Pass DXP Saf Points 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 18 2-5 12-13 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 18 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 12

PUNTING

No. 18 7

KICK RETURNS

No. Yds Avg 5 195 39.0

Grant Goupil Caleb Dowden Deondre Johnson

Yds 745 257

Avg Long 41.4 51 36.7 46

TB FC I20 50+ 1 7 5 1 0 2 1 0

Blkd 1 0

TD Long 1 100

|------------- PATs -------------|

SCORING

TD 4 0 3

Ethan Dirrim Caleb Dowden Deondre Johnson

FGs Kick Rush Rcv Pass DXP Saf Points 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 24 2-4 16-16 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 22 0-0 0-0 0-0 0 0-0 0 0 18

TOTAL OFFENSE

G Plays Rush Pass Total Avg/G 4 124 28 577 605 151.2 7 107 600 0 600 85.7 6 67 52 256 308 51.3 7 40 205 0 205 29.3

TOTAL OFFENSE

G Plays Rush Pass Total Avg/G 4 92 58 400 458 114.5 5 75 1 407 408 81.6 3 42 168 0 168 56.0

ALL PURPOSE

G Rush Rec 7 600 108 5 0 106 7 205 8

ALL PURPOSE

Deondre Johnson Ethan Dirrim Nakendrick Clark Brandon Marshall

G Rush Rec PR KOR IR Tot Avg/G 4 111 141 0 195 0 447 111.75 6 10 165 0 45 0 220 36.67 3 168 0 0 0 0 168 56.0 6 113 43 0 9 0 165 27.5

Ryan Glover Donnavan Spencer Will Jones Mikai Stanley Donnavan Spencer Reggie Jones Mikai Stanley

PR KOR 0 0 0 225 0 0

2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Tackles Leaders: GP UA–AA = Total Avg. Ty Harris............................7....................43–27 = 70................10.0 A.J. Rogers........................7.................... 26–21 = 47..................6.7 Trevor Childers..................7................... 23–22 = 45..................6.4 Willie Hampton.................7..................... 17–19 = 36...................5.1 Ronald Kent Jr. .................7....................25–10 = 35................. 5.0 Jacob Harris......................5...................... 9–16 = 25................. 5.0 Dorian Davis.....................7...................... 16–8 = 24..................3.4 Curtis Roach......................7.....................12–10 = 22...................3.1 Roman Johnson................7...................... 9–13 = 22...................3.1 Darrius Bell.......................7.......................8–13 = 21................. 3.0 Micah Nelson....................7...................... 10–11 = 21................. 3.0 TFL Leaders: Total Yds Ty Harris.................................................6.0................................ 29 K.J. Milner..............................................3.0...................................8 Sacks Leaders: Total Yds Ty Harris.................................................4.0................................ 25 Tre Jolly..................................................1.5.................................. 15 Interceptions Leaders: Total – Return Yds Six players tied.............................................................................. 1 Fumbles Forced Leader: Total Willie Hampmton...........................................................................2 Fumbles Recovered Leader: Total – Return Yds Six players tied.............................................................................. 1

20 |

RUSHING

Pct 59.6 50.0

|------------- PATs -------------|

TD Donnavan Spencer 3 Richard McCollum 0 Clayton Bardall / Mikai Stanley 2

2020-21 MERCER INDIVIDUAL STATISTICAL LEADERS

at Mercer

IR Tot Avg/G 0 708 101.1 0 331 66.2 0 213 30.4

Carter Peevy Harrison Frost Nakendrick Clark

HEAD–TO–HEAD TEAM COMPARISONS:

WCU Offense MER 102...............................Scoring...............................81 14.6...................... Points Per Game.....................13.5 101........................... First Downs........................... 94 1,966..................Total Yards Gained................ 1,690 280.9....................Yards Per Game.................... 281.7 999...................... Rushing Yardage...................1,322 142.7............Rushing Average per Game.........220.3 967...................... Passing Yardage..................... 368 138.1.............Passing Average per Game.............61.3 WCU Team Stats MER 37–302 (43.1)............. Penalties–Yards........... 42–382 (63.7) 26/91, 29%..............3rd Down Conversion.......... 40/96, 42.0% 4/12, 33%...............4th Down Conversion.............11/16, 69% WCU Defense MER 290........................Points Allowed.......................194 41.4............... Points Allowed Per Game............. 32.3 3,759.................Total Yards Allowed................. 2,145 537.0.............Yards Allowed Per Game............ 357.5 1,845............... Rushing Yards Allowed.............. 1,021 263.6............Rushing Average Allowed............170.2 1,914................Passing Yards Allowed...............1,124 273.4............ Passing Average Allowed............ 187.3

2020-21 MERCER DEFENSIVE LEADERS: Tackles Leaders: GP UA–AA = Total Avg. Lance Wise........................6................... 29–30 = 59..................9.8 Isaac Dowling...................5.................... 17–28 = 45................. 9.0 Ken Standley.....................6......................12–19 = 31................. 5.2 Jaden Taylor.....................6.......................7–24 = 31................. 5.2 Michael Campbell.............6..................... 17–13 = 30................ .5.0 Zach Hopkins....................4...................... 9–21 = 30.................. 7.5 Danijah Gammage............5...................... 8–16 = 24..................4.8 Alvin Ward Jr.....................3......................12–11 = 23...................7.7 Luke Ward.........................6.......................13–8 = 21................. 3.5 Solomon Zubairu..............6......................5–15 = 20..................3.3 Richie Coffey.....................6.........................9–8 = 17................. 2.8 TFL Leaders: Total Yds Isaac Dowling........................................8.0.................................54 Jaden Taylor..........................................4.5................................. 19 Sacks Leaders: Total Yds Isaac Dowling........................................5.0.................................42 Jaden Taylor..........................................2.5................................. 10 Interceptions Leaders: Total – Return Yds Michael Campbell....................................................................1 – 0 Fumbles Forced Leader: Total Four players tied............................................................................ 1 Fumbles Recovered Leader: Total Solomon Zubairu...........................................................................2

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LOOKING BACK: LAST TIME WE MET MERCER 49, WESTERN CAROLINA 27 E.J. WHITMIRE STADIUM / BOB WATERS FIELD CULLOWHEE, N.C. – SAT., AUG. 31, 2019

MERCER

1ST 2ND 3RD 4TH FINAL

14 28 7 0 49

WESTERN CAROLINA 7 7 7 6 27 ATTENDANCE: 10,542

SCORING SUMMARY: QTR 1st 1st 1st 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 2nd 3rd 3rd 4th

TIME 13:35 11:39 01:53 14:39 10:31 06:07 04:42 02:40 07:14 01:13 08:47

PLAY DRIVE MER WCU MER - Tyray Devezin 12 yd pass from Robert Riddle (Dowden kick) 3 plays, 18 yards, TOP 1:25 7 0 MER - David Durden 32 yd pass from Robert Riddle (Dowden kick) 1 play, 37 yards, TOP 0:25 14 0 WCU - J. Brannon III 23 yd interception (R. McCollum kick) – 14 7 MER - Tucker Cannon 85 yd pass from Robert Riddle (Dowden kick) 1 play, 85 yards, TOP 0:11 21 7 MER - Deondre Johnson 64 yd run (Dowden kick) 2 plays, 67 yards, TOP 0:42 28 7 WCU - Daquan Patten 33 yd pass from Tyrie Adams (Horton kick) 4 plays, 61 yards, TOP 1:08 28 14 MER - Tyray Devezin 1 yd run (Dowden kick) 4 plays, 59 yards, TOP 1:25 35 14 MER - Chris Ellington 1 yd pass from Robert Riddle (Dowden kick) 2 plays, 3 yards, TOP 0:50 42 14 MER - Tyray Devezin 38 yd run (Dowden kick) 9 plays, 77 yards, TOP 2:57 49 14 WCU - Owen Cosenke 5 yd pass from Tyrie Adams (Horton kick) 13 plays, 75 yards, TOP 6:01 49 21 WCU - Tyrie Adams 5 yd run (Tyrie Adams pass failed) 10 plays, 74 yards, TOP 3:42 49 27

WR DAQUAN PATTEN (6) and D.J. THORPE (3) caught six passes apiece in the home loss to Mercer.

Patten and TE OWEN COSENKE (84) both recorded receiving touchdowns as QB TYRIE ADAMS threw for 318 yards and two scores against the Bears in the 2019 season opener.

FIRST DOWNS Rushing Passing Penalty RUSHING Rushing Att Yds per rush Rushing TDs Yards Gained Yards Lost PASSING Comp-Att Yds per pass Passing TDs TOTAL YARDS Plays

MER WCU 14 22 9 7 5 13 0 2 212 127 31 39 6.8 3.3 3 1 219 151 7 24 207 318 11-24-1 25-38-1 18.8 12.7 4 2 419 445 55 77

Fumbles–Lost Interceptions PENALTIES TURNOVERS TIME OF POSS. 3RD DOWN CONV. 4TH DOWN CONV. FGS MADE

0–0 1–1 1 1 7–82 8–43 1 2 21:02 38:58 5 of 12 9 of 19 0 for 0 1 for 1 0 for 0 0 for 1

INDIVIDUAL LEADERS: PASSING Tyrie Adams, WCU Robert Riddle, MER

25-38-1 11-23-1

RUSHING Syheam McQueen, WCU Tyrie Adams, WCU Deondre Johnson, MER Tyray Devezin, MER

11 carries 11 carries 12 carries 14 carries

67 yds 34 yds, TD 114 yds, TD 84 yds, 2 TD

6 rec.

6 rec.

3 rec.

2 rec.

130 yds 74 yds, TD 106 yds, TD 93 yds, TD

318 yds, 2 TD 207 yds, 4 TD

DEFENSIVE LEADERS:

LB TREVOR CHILDERS (27) led the Catamount defense with 10 total tackles including a pair of TFL’s in the home loss to Mercer. DL ADAM HENDERSON added seven stops and both S JERMICHAEL WHITE and LB ALAN HARRIS were credited with five tackles to lead WCU defense.

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TEAM STATS:

RECEIVING D.J. Thorpe, WCU Daquan Patten, WCU David Durden, MER Tucker Cannon, MER

DB JOHN BRANNON III (9) returned an interception 23 yards for a first-quarter touchdown that pulled the Catamounts to within one score after 15 minutes of play. Brannon added a pass break-up and a couple of tackles to WCU’s defensive efforts in the first home game of the 2019 season.

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WESTERN CAROLINA VS MERCER

TACKLES Trevor Childers, WCU Adam Henderson, WCU JerMichael White, WCU Sidney Otiwu, MER Malique Fleming, MER Jamar Hall, MER SACKS WCU: None Malique Fleming, MER Solomon Zubairu, MER

10 tckls (5ua, 5a), 2.0 TFL 7 tckls (1ua, 6a), 0.5 TFL 5 tckls (1ua, 4a), PBU 10 tckls (2ua, 8a) 8 tckls (5ua, 3a), 1.0 TFL, 1.0 sack 8 tckls (4ua, 4a), 1.0 TFL

1.0 / 10 yds 1.0 / 6 yds

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DEFENDING CATAMOUNTS

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HEAD COACH

MARK SPEIR NINTH SEASON AT WESTERN CAROLINA (CLEMSON, 1990)

A man of vision, passion, and unwavering faith, Mark Speir enters his ninth season as the head football coach at Western Carolina University in 2020, his second stint with the football program in Cullowhee during his 29year coaching career.

Speir (pronounced “spear”), a former WCU assistant coach who has spent the bulk of his collegiate coaching career at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, was named the 13th head football coach during a press conference held in the Ramsey Center on Dec. 22, 2011.

Since his return to Cullowhee, Speir has been a driving force in the revitalization of the Catamount football program. Among 20 national finalists for the 2014 Eddie Robinson National FCS Coach of the Year award, Speir has guided the Catamounts to a trio of seven-win seasons including in back-to-back seasons in 2014 and 2015, and thrice driven WCU to the doorstep of returning to the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) playoffs during his tenure. Six different Catamounts have earned postseason All-America honors during his tenure.

WCU’s all-time leader in several offensive categories including total offense, passing yards, and passing touchdowns. Senior defensive back Marvin Tillman appeared on the Buck Buchanan Award for the top defensive player and Ronald Kent Jr., was on the Rice Award Watch List.

Two Catamounts recruited and coached by Speir and his staff landed with NFL teams following the 2017 season, headlined by rookie defensive back Keion Crossen who gave WCU its first draft pick since 1994 when he was selected in the seventh round by New England. He was joined by a former teammate in running back Detrez Newsome who signed as an undrafted free agent with the Los Angeles Chargers. A two-time AllAmerica selection, Newsome set a WCU school-record as the first player to post three-consecutive 1,000-yard rushing seasons in 2015-2017. Crossen and Newsome met on opposite sidelines in the 2018 NFL postseason

in the divisional round with Crossen becoming WCU’s fourth Super Bowl Champion with New England’s win over the Los Angeles Rams.

WCU’s all-time leader in career punting average, Ian Berryman was signed as an undrafted free agent by the Pittsburgh Steelers after the 2018 season while defensive back John Brannon signed with the Chargers after the 2019 NFL Draft, making the practice squad.

Speir’s successes aren’t just limited to the field as nine players earned CoSIDA Academic All-District honors, with Darius Ramsey becoming just the fourth Catamount football player all-time – and the first since 2003 – to garner Academic All-America status, collecting first-team honors in 2014. WCU has also put six players on the prestigious FCS ADA Academic All-Star team under Speir. As a program, the team was also recognized in the summer of 2019 with the highest APR score in the Southern Conference.

The 2014 season marked WCU’s first winning record in a decade with the 7-5 mark representing just the second finish above .500 since 2001 for the Catamounts.

Speir led the Catamounts to a second-place finish in the Southern Conference in 2014, its highest finish in the final standings since 1986 – and just the fourth runner-up finish since joining the league in 1977 – before following it up with a third-place showing in 2015. A school-record tying 14 Catamounts received all-conference plaudits in 2014 with 13 collecting honors following successful 2015 and 2017 campaigns.

Speir guided WCU to its third, seven-win season over the past four years, posting a 7-5 season in 2017 and again moved back into the NCAA FCS playoff picture.

Following the 2019 National Signing Day in February 2019, Speir and his coaching staff had compiled the 10th-best recruiting class at the NCAA FCS level, per HERO Sports.

During the off-season following the success of the 2014 season, Speir was granted a four-year contract extension which was approved by the WCU Board of Trustees in February of 2015. A second extension was granted in February of 2019 as the board’s executive committee unanimously approved a five-year contract extension to put him under contract through the summer of 2025.

Taking over the program in 2012, many have thrived under Speir’s tutelage. A combined 32 players have collected All-Southern Conference first or second-team plaudits, while 23 have earned SoCon All-Freshman selections including quarterback Tyrie Adams, who became just the fourth WCU football player to earn SoCon Freshman of the Year in 2016. Three first-year Catamounts went on to be finalists for the STATS FCS Jerry Rice Award given to the nation’s top freshman performer, including Adams, who finished fourth in the national voting in 2016.

In 2018, WCU saw three players grace the three different STATS FCS national watch lists for awards that honor the top offensive, defensive, and freshman players – a first in program history. Adams, who became just one of 11 NCAA FCS quarterbacks all-time to pass for more than 2,000 yards and rush for more than 1,000 yards in the same season, finished 19th in the national voting for the Walter Payton Award. He finished his career as at Mercer

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Speir, who got his coaching career start at Western Carolina under former Catamount head coach Steve Hodgin from 1991-96, returned to Cullowhee in late2011 came after spending the nine previous seasons at Appalachian State where he was a part of threeconsecutive FCS National Championships from 2005-07, serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator from 2004 through 2011 while coaching the inside linebackers prior to the move. He also coached the Mountaineers’ running backs (2003-04), defensive line (2005-08) and defensive ends (2009-10) while on staff at Appalachian State.

In 2009, Speir was tabbed as the NCAA Division I FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The award has been handed out every year since 1997 at the five levels of football including the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), FCS, Division II and III, as well as NAIA levels.

Prior to Appalachian, Speir also made coaching stops at both at Presbyterian (1997-99) while the Blue Hose were a NCAA Division II-member institution, and at Elon (2000-02) the year after the program made the transition to a NCAA Division I school.

A native of Kannapolis, N.C., Speir broke into coaching while an undergraduate at Clemson University, working as a student assistant from 1986 through 1989, helping the Tigers to three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Championships during his four years. Following his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1990, Speir landed on Hodgin’s staff in Cullowhee, first working with the running backs from 1991-93, then the linebackers in 1994 before coaching the defensive line and serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator from 1995-96.

Throughout his collegiate coaching career, Speir has made a name for himself through the recruiting process. He has held the title of recruiting coordinator at three NCAA FCS institutions (WCU, Elon and App State), organizing the efforts that landed Appalachian State six-consecutive crops of freshmen that have been widely considered to be among the top in NCAA Division I FCS recruiting classes and that helped the Mountaineers to three-straight national titles.

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Photo by Beth Brown – BethBrownPhoto.com On the field, Speir was a position coach for nine all-conference honorees that earned the distinction 13 times in his nine seasons on staff in Boone. Six of Speir’s position players garnered All-America honors during his tenure at ASU including linebacker Jeremy Kimbrough, who was selected to the second team by The Sports Network. Additionally, defensive ends Jabari Fletcher, Jason Hunter, Marques Murrell and Gary Tharrington and defensive tackle Anthony Williams combined for All-America honors a total of six times.

Speir’s most notable pupils, Hunter and Murrell, tied for the SoCon lead with 13 sacks apiece and accounted for six defensive touchdowns between them in 2005.

Murrell also led the nation with 13 sacks in ‘06. Both enjoyed productive NFL careers, with Hunter entering his sixth pro season this year with the Denver Broncos.

Off the field, Speir is involved in many charitable causes. His efforts through Samaritan’s Purse helped raised more than $100,000 to help rebuild the Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh. Part of the fundraising came through his participation in the 2008 Music City

Marathon in Nashville, which he finished in 4:01; the 2009 Boston Marathon, which he completed in 3:59; and the 2010 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. Most recently, Speir completed the grueling 2015 Boston Marathon alongside his brother.

In 2009, he traveled to Bangladesh to provide much-needed medical supplies and volunteer at the hospital for 10 days. In 2011, Speir turned to organizing and participating in motorcycle tours to continue to raise funds for the worthy cause. After five years of the motorcycle rides, Speir has helped raise $75,000 for Operation Heal Our Patriots, another Samaritan’s Purse initiative. During the summer of 2016, Speir volunteered at the program’s retreat in Alaska.

Speir is married to the former Paige Holt of Pickens, S.C., and the couple has two sons – Zeb, who played collegiately as a quarterback at Appalachian State, and Jackson.

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JOHN HOLT

ANDY McCOLLUM

KEITH HENRY

JOE SPEED

OFFENSIVE COORDINATOR / OFFENSIVE LINE

SPECIAL TEAMS COORDINATOR / CORNER BACKS

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DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR / LINEBACKERS

co-DEFENSIVE co -DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR / OUTSIDE LINEBACKERS

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ARKETA BANKS

ASSISTANT COACH / QUARTERBACKS

JAY GUILLERMO

GRAHAM HOBBS

ASSISTANT COACH / TIGHT ENDS

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PHILLIP ELY

ASSISTANT COACH / WIDE RECEIVERS

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ASSISTANT COACH / RUNNING BACKS

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NICK NEWSOME ASSISTANT COACH / SAFETIES

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CLYDE SIMMONS ASSISTANT COACH / DEFENSIVE LINE

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ERIC HOOPER VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT SPECIALISTS

DREW GAITHER VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT DEFENSE

NICK MASHBURN DIRECTOR OF FOOTBALL OPERATIONS

RYAN KOLAKOWSKI DIRECTOR OF SCOUTING / QUALITY CONTROL

SANDY NEUENSCHWANDER ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT FOOTBALL OFFICE

ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE ASSISTANTS:

Chandler Baldwin and Rachel Blevins (not pictured) MIKE TAYLOR HEAD ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Steven Honbarger

Director of Sports Medicine

ALAYNA LEDFORD ASSISTANT ATHLETIC EQUIPMENT MANAGER

Rob Reyburn

Associate Head Athletic Trainer

Jackson Thompson

Assistant Athletic Trainer

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BEN JACOBS DIRECTOR OF SPORTS PERFORMANCE & NUTRITION

Nicole Bohannon

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Braxton Zeigler

Assistant Athletic Trainer

JUSTIN BROWNER ASSISTANT DIRECTOR OF ATHLETIC PERFORMANCE

Alisha Grisby

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Midori Powell

Athletic Training Intern

Carley Stringer

Assistant Athletic Trainer

Tyler Spain

Athletic Training Intern

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ALEX GARY WESTERN CAROLINA DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

and what is needed to advance Catamount Athletics.

I couldn’t ask for a better opportunity to help develop student-athletes during a critically important time in their lives, especially at a place where I spent those same significant years,” he said.

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 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.

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 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.

“I asked the search committee to identify an extraordinary leader to guide the Catamount athletics program into the next era and who will provide our coaches and professional staff with the resources necessary to help our student-athletes enjoy the same level of success on the fields and courts of competition that they have had in the classroom in recent years,” she said.

“The committee has found exactly that in Alex Gary,” Brown said. “To borrow some terminology from the sport

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that Alex once played while representing the Catamounts, this hire is a grand slam homerun and one that touches all of the bases.”

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.

“I have a strong affinity and love for WCU. Three groomsmen in my upcoming wedding in August come from my time in Cullowhee as a three-year student athlete. WCU had an immeasurable impact on my life, and I welcome the opportunity to come back in a leadership capacity,” Gary said.

“My personal experience as a former student-athlete at WCU deepens my understanding of this institution

“Western Carolina University’s growth and development over the past decade have been impressive. WCU athletics has the ability to assist in that growth by raising the competitive bar across the 16 sports,” Gary said.

“Research has proven that high-level athletics performance is symbiotic with university success, allowing the university to increase its visibility and further its mission.

I am confident in my ability to lead what may not be the most important room in the house, but potentially the most visible.”

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.

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“We had a very strong pool of candidates with a vast array of professional and personal experiences in the profession of athletics administration,” Gibson said. “I think that Alex Gary’s track record in athletics fundraising in particular will be a tremendous asset as the university begins to work toward implementation of some of the construction and renovation projects proposed in the recent athletics facilities master planning process.”

Brown appointed the search committee on Dec. 18 and set an ambitious and accelerated timetable to find a permanent successor for Randy Eaton, who served as WCU’s athletics director from Dec. 14, 2011, until Dec. 10, 2019. Mike Byers, WCU vice chancellor of administration and finance, managed the athletics department until Gary officially took over the helm in May 2020.

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

WHAT THEY ARE SAYING ABOUT ALEX GARY: “Alex has a unique and natural ability to connect with broad, diverse groups. He is authentic in developing relationships and is a gifted leader well beyond his years.”

- S. Scott Barnes, Vice President & Director of Athletics at Oregon State University “I vividly remember when Alex first met with me. He was eager to get into intercollegiate athletics and that hunger was obvious. He started in fundraising where he was a natural fit. His personality and his people skills along with his experience will greatly benefit Western Carolina. Congratulations to both Alex and the University.”

- Judy Rose, former Director of Athletics at Charlotte “Alex Gary is a perfect choice for Western Carolina University. Alex has built an incredible reputation as a leader in intercollegiate athletics; focused on serving others and stewarding institutions with the highest level of integrity. He will keep student-athletes and their experience at the forefront of every decision.

Under Alex’s leadership, Catamount students, coaches and staff will thrive.”

- Joe Parker, Director of Athletics at Colorado State University “I am very happy for Alex becoming the new Athletics Director at Western Carolina University because I know he loves WCU and he is a wonderful young man. I feel sorry for us in losing Alex to this opportunity.

Western Carolina is lucky to have him as AD. We will miss him greatly but we also want him to be happy.

Sometimes, we have to let go of outstanding colleagues because we care about their happiness and it is best for them.”

- Ed Ray, President of Oregon State University

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WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS SENIOR STAFF

CATAMOUNT ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT STAFF MEMBERS

Alex Gary

Assistant AD for Media Relations

Denise Gideon Director of Media Relations

Sametria Matthews

Assistant Director of Academic Support

Kim Jamison

Athletic Department Administrative Assistant

Steven Grandy Director of Media Relations

Ashley Buck

Assistant Director of Academic Support

Blake Cantrell

Associate Director of the Catamount Club

Noah Sautter Director of Video Operations

Brigham Waginger

Director of Student-Athlete Development & Alumni Engagement

Anthony Miele

Assistant Director of the Catamount Club

Dan Gibson Director of Compliance

Amanda Murchie

Athletics Business Officer (interim)

Ashley Alletto

Michael Ceccarelli

Rory Jimerson

Mark Conlin

April Bass

Jeff Bewsey

Director of Athletics Marketing

Director of Game Operations & Facilities

Assistant Director of the Catamount Club

Ryan Jones

Associate AD for External Affairs

SWA / Associate AD for Student Success

Deputy AD / Chief Operating Officer

Daniel Hooker

Chad Gerrety

Stacey Miller

Kyle Pifer

Director of Intercollegiate Athletics

Director of Corporate Sponsorship

Director of Athletic Facilities

Associate Athletic Director for Development & Ticketing

Alexander Macaulay Faculty Athletics Representative

Ben Page

Director of Athletics Ticketing

Eynde Frazier

Assistant Director of Game Operations & Facilities

Anita Puerto

Director of Student-Athlete Academic Support Services

Trey Fisher

Athletic Facilities & Grounds Assistant

Catamount Club Assistant

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CATAMOUNT ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT COACHING STAFF MEMBERS

Bobby Moranda Head Coach Baseball

Brett Ferguson

Mitchell Hill

Andrew Cox

Assistant Coach Baseball

Matt Erps

Jeff Lavin

Volunteer Assistant Coach Baseball

Kiley Hill

Mark Prosser

Ben Betts

Assistant Coach Men’s Basketball

Assistant Coach Men’s Basketball

Brooke Rhodes

Shyla Coleman

Megan Brown

Director of Men's Basketball Operations

Video Coordinator Men’s Basketball

Head Coach Women’s Basketball

Associate Head Coach Women’s Basketball

Assistant Coach Women’s Basketball

Amaura Brandt

Ashley Morgan Crowe

Kourtney Sandefur

Tim Eckberg

Courtney Gunter Head Coach Women’s Golf

Chad Miller

Head Coach Women’s Soccer

Jim Clift

Madison Armstrong

Bret Beaver

Jesse Norman

David Johnston

Karen Glover

Head Coach Softball

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Head Coach Cheerleading

Assistant Coach Softball

Assistant Coach Cheerleading

Head Coach Women's Tennis

Head Coach Men’s Golf

Head Coach Cross Country / Track & Field

Tony Rack

Head Coach Men’s Basketball

Assistant Coach Men’s Basketball

Director of Women's Basketball Operations

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Taylor Sandefur

Head Assistant Coach Baseball

Assistant Coach Track & Field

Head Coach Volleyball

Assistant Coach Women’s Basketball

Todd Herman

Associate Head Coach Women’s Soccer

Chelsi Carter

Assistant Coach Volleyball

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THANK YOU TO THESE DONORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE

E.J. WHITMIRE STADIUM / BOB WATERS FIELD TURF REPLACEMENT PROJECT Betty Allen

Loretta and Bill Dodgen

Paul and Susan Johnson

Andrew Parham

Rob and Heather Stall

Charles Allison

Kenneth and Linda Douglas

Ryan and Meredith Jones

Josh and Amy Paris

Kevin and Lynn Stanberry

Hoyt and Katherine Almond

Andy and Jordan Dunn

Wilmot Jones

Trace and Robin Pate

Oceann Stanley

Elaine Anderson

Rusty and Melinda Edwards

Paul and Nora Jones

Rick and Andrea Pate

Watt and Billie Staples

Patrick and Heidi Anderson

Julie Elks

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Ben and Jenna Pendry

Onno Steger

Larry and Mary Arbaugh

Keith and Nina Elliott

William Kahill

Charlie Phillips

David and Donna Stephens

Jake Bailey

Doug Embler

Ben Kees

Chuck and Jodi Pippin

Gary and Martha Stepp

John and Kelli Baker

John and Lori Esposito

Patrick and Natalie Kesler

Hayes and Hongduc Powell

Phillip and Terry Stewart Michael and Marsha Sullivan

Drew Barefoot

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Chris and Jennifer Pressley

William and Beverly Barr

Patrick Fredricks

Doug and Louanna King

Dorothy Price

Robert Thomas

Jeff and Josie Bewsey

Jarrett and Jaime Friday

Bryant and Brenda Kinney

Mark and Emily Prosser

Chuck and Mary Thompson

Clayton Bolton

Robert Gibson

Jerry and Kay Kiser

Anita Puerto

Bradley Tollie

Ross Bonnewell

Marc and Kelli Ann Gibson

Kristy and Joanne Kiser

Tracy Pyle

Jeffrey and Miriam Tomberlin

Charlie and Mary Jo Boswell

Daniel and Lynette Gibson

Bob and Theresa Konen

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Gail Totherow

Dana Boyer

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Gregory and Pamela Lambert

Jimmy and Darryl Ray

John and Martha Truitt Steve and Chelsi Ulsh

Eva Bradshaw

Michael and Allyson Grass

Dick Lankford

Brent and Jamie Raynor

Dennis and Kelli Brown

Leslie Greer

John and Lindsay Lockett

Amanda Roach

Jamie Vance

Jennifer Brown

Marshall Gunter

Carl Long

Jim and Nellie Roberts

Jason and Tonia VanDyke

Edward and Andra Burks

Jason and Malea Habbal

Gerald and Rhonda Love

Jake and Olivia Robinson

William and Sally Vanhoy

Fred and Katrina Cantler

Dean and Kimberly Hamrick

Lisa Marks

Arnold and Donna Roope

Robbie and Miriam Vannoy

Blake Cantrell

Jimmy and Karen Hardy

Jerry and Judy Matheny

Rylee Roquemore

Mike and Regina Wade

Michael and Tamara Caskey

Rod and Pamela Harrelson

Brenda McDonald

Bob Sabin and Susan Hinkle-Sabin

David and Brenda Warlick

Justin Caudell

Keith and Shannon Haskett

Kevin and Erica McIntosh

Jeff and Libby Sanders

Mike Wash

David and Charlene Chapman

Mark and Tammy Haskett

Kenny Messer and Melanie Clark

Noah Sautter

Jim and Teresa Watson

Martin Cheatham IV

Timothy and Ashley Hayzlip

John and Page Mikol

Christopher and Kirstin Schlenker

Eddie and Savannah Wells

Lynne Chiger

Jessica Helms

Daniel and Jordan Moeller

Michael and Rebecca Schlosser

Tommy and Shelly White

Jennifer Childers

Kenneth and Joanne Henry

Curtis and Kellie Monteith

Jeffrey and Natalie Sechrist

Ron and Susan Whitmire

Scott and Kelly Christian

Lisa Henderson-Hill and Dale Hill

Brian Moore

Mike and Kathie Shelton

Tina Whitmore

Bob and Lauren Clark

Brittney Holder

Don and Heather Moore

Jerry and Glenda Shepardson

Don and Ann Williams Onifer and Meagan Wilmoth

Thomas Condon

Tom Holderby

Noah Moore

Brenda Sidney

John and Lori Connet

Daniel K. Hooker

Edwin Morrow

Gerald and Anne Smart

Holly Wilson

Cam and Brandi Cooper

Sherri Houston

Paxton Myers

Lenny and Vicky Smathers

Donna Winbon

Stephen and Kelly Cosenke

Thomas and Jennifer Jackson

Mark and Heidi Nash

Anthony Smith

Jim and Jane Wood

Joshua Cox

Barbara Jacobs

Rob and Cathy Neill

Mark and Lisa Smith

Devana Woodburn

Paul and Kimberly Davis

Andrew Jeffords

Rick and Anne Nicholson

Louis and Patti Snyder

David and Rhonda Woodell

Kayla Deaton

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Doug and Whitney Palmer

Stephen and Marina Spears

Rachel Young

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MEET THE 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS

#2 – Aaron Gethers

#3 – Darrius Smith

#3 – D.J. Thorpe

#4 – A.J. Rogers

#4 – Kason Lincke

#5 – Syheam McQueen

#6 – Mahari Stribling

#6 – Daquan Patten

#7 – Charles Gadie

#7 – Ryan Glover

#8 – L.A. Rogers-Anderson

#9 – Dorian Davis

#10 – Willie Hampton

#10 – Malik Richardson

#11 – Carlos Davis

#12 – Cade Snotherly

#13 – Ronald Kent Jr.

#13 – Calvin Jones

#15 – Will Jones

#16 – Tristan Sens

#17 – Reggie Jones

#19 – Raekwon Heath

#20 – Donnavan Spencer

CB – 5-10 – 185 – R-So. Blythewood, S.C.

S – 6-3 – 180 – R-So. Loganville, Ga.

LB – 6-1 – 210 – R-Jr. Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.

#14 – Quintin Thames DB – 5-11 – 175 – R-So. Grayson, Ga.

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LB – 5-11 – 225 – Jr. Robersonville, N.C.

WR – 5-6 – 185 – R-Sr. Columbia, S.C.

RB – 6-4 – 200 – R-Fr. Sumter, S.C.

QB – 6-4 – 220 – R-Jr. Greensboro, N.C.

WR – 6-3 – 195 – R-Jr. Nashville, Tenn.

DB – 5-9 – 170 – R-So. Douglasville, Ga.

QB – 6-3 – 215 – R-So. Baltimore, Md.

WR – 6-1 – 180 – R-Fr. Holly Springs, N.C.

DB – 6-0 – 180– Jr. Duncan, S.C.

QB – 6-2 – 210 – Gr. Atlanta, Ga.

QB – 6-0 – 185 – Fr. Franklinville, N.C.

WR – 6-1 – 175 – R-Jr. Sharpsburg, Ga.

QB – 6-1 – 200 – Fr. Mobile, Ala.

RB – 5-8 – 175 – Jr. Shelby, N.C.

DB – 5-9 – 165 – Jr. Harrisburg, Pa.

WR – 6-2 – 185 – R-Jr. Columbia, S.C.

RB – 6-0 – 205 – R-Fr. Laurinburg, N.C.

S – 6-0 – 190 – R-Fr. Shelby, N.C.

RB – 5-10 – 170 – Fr. Forest City, N.C.

RB – 5-10 – 190 – R-Sr. Charlotte, N.C.

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MEET THE 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS

#22 – Mikai Stanley

#24 – Quintin Talley

#25 – Dejon DeCruz

#26 – Tyree Nelson

#27 – Trevor Childers

#28 – Rod Gattison

#29 – Jayden Pauling

#30 – Micah Nelson

#31 – Kevon Angry

#32 – Jaiden Bond

#33 – Curtis Roach

#34 – Quenten Zanders

#35 – Glenn Young

#36 – Skylin Thomas

#37 – Ty Harris

#38 – Jacob Harris

#39 – Trae Churn

#41 – Cinsere Allison

#42 – Jontavious Shotwell

#43 – Luke Hoggard

#44 – Nigel Manns

#45 – Ethan Harris

#46 – Paxton Robertson

#49 – Demorian Smith

RB – 6-2 – 235 – Fr. Wilmington, N.C.

RUSH – 6-3 – 225 – Jr. Raleigh, N.C.

RB – 5-9 – 200 – Fr. Fayetteville, N.C.

S – 5-11 – 175 – R-So. Hoschton, Ga.

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S – 6-0 – 175 – Fr. Spartanburg, S.C.

SPUR – 6-3 – 200 – R-Fr. Murphy, N.C.

SPUR – 5-10 – 190 – R-Fr. Lenoir, N.C.

TE – 6-0 – 225 – R-Jr. Edenton, N.C.

LB – 5-10 – 225 – So. Durham, N.C.

CB – 5-11 – 180 – Fr. Powder Springs, Ga.

LB – 6-1 – 245 – Sr. Dacula, Ga.

LB – 6-1 – 220 – Fr. Byron, Ga.

RB – 5-10 – 195 – Fr. Atlanta, Ga.

WR – 5-9 – 170 – Fr. Boone, N.C.

CB – 6-1 – 195 – So. Greer, S.C.

DB – 5-8 – 145 – Fr. Duncan, S.C.

LB – 6-1 – 215 – Sr. Lincolnton, N.C.

SPUR – 6-1 – 200 – R-Jr. Cumming, Ga.

WR – 6-5 – 220 – Gr. Columbia, S.C.

K – 6-0 – 200 – Fr. Knoxville, Tenn.

DB – 5-11 – 180 – So. Hartsville, S.C.

RB – 5-8 – 175 – Jr. Shelby, N.C.

S – 6-0 – 185 – R-So. Kannapolis, N.C.

RUSH – 6-0 – 220 – Fr. Robersonville, N.C.

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Available free throughout WNC or read online at smokymountainnews.com at Mercer

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MEET THE 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS

#50 – Alex McConnell

#51 – Matthew Bair

#53 – Jaylen Moore

#55– Kevin Thompson

#58 – Giovanni Ricciardi

#59 – John Esposito

#60 – Joaquin Layno

#61 – Dawson Johnson

#62 – Michael Harper

#63 – Sam Buff

#64 – Colby Cross

#65 – Isaiah Helms

#66 – Gabe Jones

#68 – Torrion Stevenson

#69 – Dillon Luther

#70 – Caleb Carter

#71 – Austin Grunden

#72 – Blake Whitmore

OL – 6-4 – 275 – R-So. Boone, N.C.

DL – 5-10 – 275 – R-Fr. Cherokee, N.C.

OL – 6-2 – 265 – Fr. Southern Pines, N.C.

OL – 6-3 – 285 – R-Sr. Anderson, S.C.

OL – 6-2 – 265 – R-Jr. Taylorsville, N.C.

DT – 6-1 – 305 – R-So. Branchville, S.C.

#73 – Nathaniel Dozier OL – 6-2 – 255 – Fr. Chesterfield, Va.

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RUSH – 6-2 – 225 – Fr. Greenville, N.C.

OL – 6-4 – 285 – R-Jr. Wilkesboro, N.C.

OL – 6-3 – 300 – So. Asheville, N.C.

#74 – Tyler Smith

OL – 6-8 – 300 – R-So. Laurinburg, N.C.

LS – 5-10 – 210 – So. Rock Hill, S.C.

OL – 6-1 – 280 – Fr. Statesville, N.C.

OL – 6-3 – 275 – Fr. Jacksonville, N.C.

#75 – Zach Hayes OL – 6-3 – 325 –R-Fr. Jonesboro, Ga.

LB – 6-0 – 215 – Fr. Clemmons, N.C.

LS – 6-0 – 215 – Fr. Mooresville, N.C.

OL – 6-2 – 205 – Fr. Kannapolis, N.C.

#76 – Jacob Combs OL – 6-4 – 280 – So. North Wilkesboro, N.C.

LB – 5-10 – 205 – R-Sr. Staten Island, N.Y.

OL – 6-3 – 325 – So. Lenoir, N.C.

OL – 6-2 – 285 – R-Fr. Raleigh, N.C.

#77 – Chris Morgan OL – 6-0 – 255 – Fr. Maiden, N.C.

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MEET THE 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS

#78 – Garrett Bowman OL – 6-4 – 270 – R-So. Arab, Ala.

#84 – Owen Cosenke

#79 – Aidan Alston

#80 – Keenan Hambrick

#81 – Kendall Alford

#82 – Jakobe Quillen

#83 – Brandon Dickerson

OL – 6-2 – 250 – R-Fr. Southern Pines, N.C.

WR – 5-10 – 175 – R-Fr. Marietta, Ga.

WR – 6-3 – 190 – Fr. Florence, S.C.

P/K – 5-11 – 195 – So. Fort Mill, S.C.

TE – 6-3 – 235 – Sr. Aldie, Va.

TE – 6-6 – 220 – R-So. Calypso, N.C.

#85 – Luke Britt

#86 – Clayton Bardall

#87 – Dylan Abernethy

#88 – Luke Sutton

#89 – Richard McCollum

#90 – Tre’ Jolly

#91 – Jaquarius Guinn

#92 – Darrius Bell

#93 – Roman Johnson

#94 – Timothy Jamison

#95 – Laquavion Haynes

#96 – K.J. Milner

#97 – Jamauree Haith

#98 – Christian Harris

#99 – Ricky Palao

DE – 6-2 – 210 – R-Fr. Shelby, N.C.

DT – 6-2 – 295 – Fr. Clover, S.C.

DE – 6-4 – 260 – Jr. Hinesville, Ga.

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WR – 6-3 – 195 – Fr. Athens, Ala.

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TE – 6-3 – 225 – R-So. Cumming, Ga.

DE – 6-2 – 230 – R-Fr. Gilbert, S.C.

RUSH – 6-2 – 230 – Fr. Burlington, N.C.

WR – 6-0 – 165 – Fr. Maiden, N.C.

DT – 6-3 – 260 – So. Greensboro, N.C.

DT – 6-3 – 260 – R-Fr. Raleigh, N.C.

WR – 5-8 – 180 – Fr. Concord, N.C.

DE – 6-4 – 260 – Jr. Lexington, S.C.

DT – 6-2 – 270 – Sr. Hoover, Ala.

K – 5-9 – 170 – R-So. Sanford, N.C.

DE – 6-4 – 230 – Fr. Moultrie, Ga.

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MEET THE 2020-21 WESTERN CAROLINA CATAMOUNTS Cameron BROWN 6-2 l 210 lbs. l Sr. l LB Tallahassee, Fla. | Florida State University School

The 2020-21 season would have been the senior year for Tallahasee, Fla., native Cam Brown.

Branson Adams

Trevor Fournet

Neil Ilenrrey

LB – 5-11 – 195 – Fr. Cornelius, N.C.

DB – 6-0 – 205 – So. Alpharetta, Ga.

E WEAR A S A

T

RE

CA

AM

ASK M

PL E

DE – 6-3 – 185 – Fr. Rocky Mount, N.C.

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CB – 5-9 – 170 – R-So. Greensboro, N.C.

LB – 6-0 – 205 – Fr. Greensboro, N.C.

Matthew Cherry

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Anthony Badgett

Tyler Anderson

WR – 5-9 – 200 – Fr. Greensboro, N.C.

A OUNTS C

Cameron Michael “Super Cam” Brown passed away on Saturday, Nov. 4, 2017 after a battle with osteosarcoma, a rare and aggressive bone cancer ... Cam visited with his Catamount teammates and was a part of WCU’s 2017 season-opening victory over Davidson ... Cam left a lasting message with the Catamount football team, telling head coach Mark Speir in an October 2017 hospital visit, "Tell the boys to never give up on the fight, because the fun is in the fight" – a motto that is displayed in the Catamount football team room and lives through his teammates.

WCU and his Catamount teammates honored his memory with a pregame moment of silence prior to the Nov. 11, 2017 game vs. Mercer.

PRIOR TO WESTERN CAROLINA: Was named first-team defense on the Florida All-State Class 3-A football team following his senior season as he was credited with a career-best 140 tackles including a school-record 100 solo stops and 24 TFLs with 10 sacks ... Forced nine fumbles, recovering three while also intercepting a pass ... Tallahassee, Fla., Quarterback Club named him the 2016 Mickey Andrews Co-Defensive Player of the Year ... Was named All Big Bend in both his junior and senior seasons, collecting second team honors as a junior and first team plaudits as a senior ... Selected to play for the North Team in the 62nd annual North-South All-Star FACA Football Classic ... Recorded 193 career tackles, averaging 9.7 tackles per game ... Posted 14 sacks while also recording an interception and forced a pair of fumbles ... Was listed as a two-star athlete by Scout. com ... High school head coach was Jerod Hickman ... As an all-conference prep wrestler, finished fourth in the state of Florida Class 1-A in the 195 lbs., weight class as a junior and qualified for the state tournament as a sophomore.

PERSONAL: Full name is Cameron Michael Brown, prefered to go by “Cam” ... Is the son of Sam Brown and Michelle McQueen ... Has two siblings, Bin and Samaya ... He was engaged to Ms. Dallas Kennedy.

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CATAMOUNTS IN THE NFL DRAFT YEAR PLAYER

TEAM ROUND PICK

1972............Steve Williams.................... San Francisco 49ers............. 10................ 252 1982............Eddie McGill.......................... St. Louis Cardinals............. 10................ 259 1985............Louis Cooper.......................... Seattle Seahawks..............11................. 305 1986............Clyde Simmons................... Philadelphia Eagles..............9................. 233 1988............Kirk Roach........................................ Buffalo Bills..............5.................. 135 1993............Willie Williams...................... Pittsburgh Steelers..............6..................162 1994............Andrew Jordan......................Minnesota Vikings..............6.................. 179 2017............Keion Crossen.................. New England Patriots.............. 7................. 243

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DR. KELLI R.

BROWN

WESTERN CAROLINA UNIVERSITY CHANCELLOR

Western Carolina University is led by the Chancellor, the university’s chief administrative officer, with guidance and policy oversight from the Board of Trustees.

As one of the 16 universities in the University of North Carolina system, WCU also falls under the administration of the UNC system president and the Board of Governors, advised by the UNC Faculty Assembly.

As Provost, the Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs serves as the top administrator for academics and as the senior member of the Chancellor’s Executive Council: WESTERN CAROLINA EXECUTIVE COUNCIL

Dr. Kelli R. Brown, Chancellor Dr. Richard Starnes, Provost / Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Mr. Michael T. Byers, Vice Chancellor for Administration and Finance Mr. Alex Gary, Director of Athletics Mr. Craig Fowler, Chief Information Officer Mrs. Jamie T. Raynor, Interim Vice Chancellor for Advancement Dr. H. Samuel Miller Jr., Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Mr. Shea Browning, General Counsel Dr. Melissa Wargo, Chief of Staff Ms. Jessica Woods, Assistant to the Chancellor Dr. Kelli R. Brown is chancellor of Western Carolina University, a regional comprehensive university that serves more than 12,000 students with a wide range of bachelor’s degrees across the spectrum of arts and sciences disciplines and professional programs in business, education, health care, and engineering; more than 30 master’s degree and certificate programs; and five professional doctoral programs.

Dr. Brown took office as the 12th chancellor of WCU in July 2019, becoming the university’s first permanent female chancellor. She previously served as provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at Georgia College & State University. In July 2016, Chancel-

lor Brown was appointed interim president of Valdosta State University, a regional comprehensive university in southern Georgia. She served in that capacity until a permanent president took office in January 2017, after which she then returned to her position at Georgia College. In addition to her leadership at Georgia College, she has taught undergraduate and graduate students and has served in academic leadership roles at the University of Florida, University of South Florida, Illinois State University, and Western Illinois University.

high levels of teaching innovation.

Since her arrival at WCU, Chancellor Brown has highlighted several priorities that continue to enrich Western Carolina University’s profile and reputation: an institutional emphasis on quality and excellence; a commitment to diversity and inclusive excellence; and a focus on the university’s role as an engine of economic development for its communities. Under Chancellor Brown’s stewardship, WCU will continue to capitalize on the opportunity to be a thought leader in regards to how regionally engaged universities can maintain a student-centered focus, with

Chancellor Brown earned her doctorate in education from Southern Illinois University at Carbondale; a master of science and education in public health degree and bachelor of science degree in public health services, both from the University of Toledo; and an associate in applied sciences degree in dental hygiene from Michael J. Owens Technical College in Toledo, Ohio.

Chancellor Brown has received awards for her leadership. She is the former editor of the Journal of School Health and has served on five other editorial boards, including as an inaugural member of the Pedagogy in Health Promotion: The Scholarship of Teaching and Learning editorial board. A published and funded author, she has written extensively on school and community partnerships, school health, and the use of community-based prevention marketing.

Brown is originally from the Midwest, and she and her husband of more than 30 years, Dennis, live in Cullowhee.

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Friends.

Family.

Community. w 2021 CATAMOUNT EXTRA POINTS – GAME DAY PROGRAM w

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

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State Farm, Bloomington, IL

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Learn more at CatamountSports.com

CATAMOUNT ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES “WHEE ARE ONE” FUND

Fundraising initiative aimed at protecting student-athlete experience

Western Carolina Athletics and its fundraising arm, the Catamount Club, announced the formation of the “Whee Are One” Fund back on Sept. 25, 2020 to facilitate donations and raise funds to support areas of need for Catamount student-athletes above and beyond the current Catamount Club giving. The goal of the campaign is to ultimately protect the experience of WCU’s student-athletes and position WCU Athletics for success while continuing to navigate the financial ramifications of the on-going COVID-19 pandemic.

“From my time on campus as a student-athlete to the short period I’ve had the privilege of being athletics director here at Western Carolina, one thing remains constant – the resolve of Catamount Nation,” Gary wrote in a letter addressed to supporters back in mid-August. “Our fan base and supporters have always been here to support our efforts in WCU Athletics. As we continue to navigate this pandemic in a time of budgetary uncertainty for many of us, we need you now more than ever as we continue to strive to make Western Carolina University the best place to be a collegiate student-athlete.”

Donations to the Whee Are One Fund will help support critical areas of need for WCU’s student-athletes including scholarships, healthcare, nutrition, academic support, and both pandemic-related and overall operating expenses to ensure the positive studentathlete experience remains intact amidst the health crisis, Gary said.

“While there are always challenges, the COVID-19 pandemic has created global difficulties – and ones that have been extraordinarily disruptive for higher education and college athletics. The ‘Whee Are

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One’ Fund is a critical, and necessary, top priority, alongside our scholarship support,” said Ryan Jones, director of the Catamount Club.

Through annual fund donations, the Catamount Club aims each year to support the $3 million bill for WCU student-athlete scholarships. This new campaign is intended to provide immediateuse funds towards expenditures associated with the cost to train, practice, and compete during the 2020-21 academic year while WCU Athletics faces changes caused by the current pandemic. With the anticipated financial realities associated with the displaced fall seasons and the effects that COVID-19 have on the department, reducing the impact of those shortfalls on WCU’s student-athletes is a top priority, Jones said.

In addition to contributions directly to the “Whee Are One” Fund, Catamount Nation can continue to give back financially to the campaign by also taking part in on-going initiatives such the Catamount Virtual 5K and Fun Run (Oct. 2-4) and upcoming fundraising activities such as the Whee Are One Online Auction.

Members of Catamount Nation can contribute to the Whee Are One Fund by contacting their representative within the Catamount Club office or by visiting go.wcu.edu/wheeareone.

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THANK YOU TO THESE DONORS FOR THEIR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS TO

WESTERN CAROLINA’S “WHEE ARE ONE” FUND

Betty J. Allen Levern Hamlin Allen Ashley Alletto Hoyt and Katherine Almond Melanie Hood Altman Elaine L. Anderson Pat and Heidi Anderson Larry and Mary Arbaugh Sandra Arnold B. H Graning Landscape Supply, Inc. John A. Baker, DO Drew Barefoot Milton H. Beck Jr. Mark and Kelly Benge Scott and Julie Bingler Mildred Blackshear Jeff and Lisa Bontekoe Ralph and Kay Boulier Camille Stovall Boyd Dana Boyer Brad and Eileen Bradshaw Dan and Kathy Brooks Kelli and Dennis Brown Edward and Andra Burks Bobby Byrd Blake Cantrell Mike & Lisa Carlson Scott and Kelly Christian Tom and Elizabeth Clegg Ben and Paige Comm Tom and Lisa Condon Brian Conley Stefanie Leigh Conley Cameron and Brandi Cooper John L. Crane-Baker Brian Davis Scott and Kim Davis Mike and Diane Dillard

Ryan Stallings Duckett DWS Steel Structures, Inc. Gary and Kathy Edwards Keith and Nina Elliott Doug and Tina Embler Luke Eulitt Paul and Vicky Faris Bob and Kay Folsom Taylor Ford Dennis and Susan Fox Jarrett and Jaime Friday Jennifer Friedley Alex and Katie Gary Chad and Kristin Gerrety Robert Gibson Karl and Mary Giles Emily M. Glesias Leonardo M. Gonzalez Jeffery and Brenda Gorsuch Brent and Allyson Grass Leslie E. Greer G. Alan and Lu Griffin Marshall G. Gunter Jason and Malea Habbal Margaret P. Harr Rod and Pam Harrelson Keith and Shannon Haskett Mark and Tammy Haskett Stephen Heatherly Wanda Herren David and Lisa Hill Allie Hinson Brittney Holder Tom and Shannon Holderby Daniel K. Hooker Kimberly Jamison Lonnie and Linda Jamison Steven and Martha Jeffords

Vance and Pat Johnson Harriet Jones Paul and Nora Jones Ryan and Meredith Jones Bill and Kari Jones Patricia and David Kaemmerling Gaither and Bev Keener Kelly and Jeff Kent Amy Kilby Jason and Laura Kilgore Jill Kilgore Bryant and Brenda Kinney Jerry and Kay Kiser Jesse R. Lankford Jr Phyllis and Lindsay Laviner Loyd and Kim Leonard Heather List Martin Gerald and Rhonda Love Don Lucas Clevie and Shirley Luckadoo Van and Laurie Major William Paul Mason Melanie and Mike McConnell Patrick and Jeanne McGuire Greg McLamb John and Page Mikol Frank and Judy Miller Robin R. Minick Jordan and Daniel Moeller Robin E. Monroe Brian and Mary Ann Moore Greg and Erin Mosher Pamela and Mark Mullin Myranda Hope Nash James and Kathleen Nicholl Cindy and Paul Nicholson Kenneth and Karen Nicholson Tim and Sherry Noblett

Jesse William Norman Ricky Odom Josh and Amy Paris Andrea and Rick Pate Charlie Phillips Joseph P. Pickett Jeffrey and Kathryn Plemmons Charles and Hongduc Powell Karen Powers Aja Pride Mark and Emily Prosser Elizabeth Lee Putnam Brian and Jennifer S. Queen Marty Ramsey Jeff and Tina Ray Susie and Bob Ray Mary Beth Richard Kirk and Carrie Roach Jake and Olivia Robinson Rylee Roquemore Rob and Amy Rucker David L Runner Patrick Ryan Victoria T. Sain Libby and Jeff Sanders Noah Sautter Chris and Kirstin Schlenker Ralph Shelley Mike and Kathie Shelton Brenda D. Sidney Thomas C. Siegner Dave Sims Dale and Debbie Sims Jennifer Skewes Jerry and Anne Smart Lenny and Vicky Smathers Andrew and Louann Smith Anthony H. Smith and Laura Heaton

Matt Smith Addie Snotherly Daniel and Kay Southern Kevin Stanberry Watt and Billie Staples Gary and Martha Stepp Anna and Keith Stocum Jace and Stephanie Stowe Strick and Stephanie Strickland Mike and Marsha Sullivan Milton Roderick Sweatman Chuck and Mary Thompson John Brig Tison Jeffrey and Miriam W. Tomberlin Gail Totherow John and Martha Truitt William Tucker Robert and Gilian Tyndall Tyndall III William A and Sally Vanhoy Charles L. Vick Todd Alan Vinyard Richard L. Wash Jim and Teresa Watson James and Tammy Webb Eddie and Savannah Wells Norman and Carolyn West Randy White and Kim Hunter Tommy and Shelly White Onifer and Meagan Wilmoth Charles and Wanda Wolfe Baxter Wood Jim and Jane Wood David and Rhonda Woodell Chuck & Kathy Wooten Cheff Yarborough Charlotte Zitis

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CATAMOUNT CLUB MEMBERSHIP (as of March 16, 2021) CAPTAINS LEVEL

LEGACY David and Marie Brinkley........................Kings Mountain, N.C. Tad and Susan Grattan.......................Ponte Vedra Beach, Fla. Harris Regional Hospital.......................................... Sylva, N.C.

TROPHY

C. Philip Byers.................................................Forest City, N.C. Michael and Gina Crawford................................. Candler, N.C. Scott and Kim Davis...................................Willow Spring, N.C. Tom and Shannon Holderby................................Whitsett, N.C. Jeanette Hyde......................................................Raleigh, N.C. Gaither and Bev Keener................................ Mooresville, N.C. Kelly and Jeff Kent......................................... Mooresville, N.C.

LEVEL Ingles Markets, Inc............................................ Asheville, N.C. Mike and Marsha Sullivan................................Fort Myers, Fla.

LEVEL

Kevin and Lynn Stanberry........................................ Sylva, N.C. Dave and Lois Steed.................................... Myrtle Beach, S.C. Blaise and Brittne Stevens................................. Madison, N.C. Kevin Vasquez........................................................Naples, Fla. David and Brenda Warlick....................................Raleigh, N.C. Michael and Torri Winstead............................Wilmington, N.C.

CHAMPIONS CLUB LEVEL Larry and Mary Arbaugh...........................................Sylva, N.C. Bear Lake Reserve........................................ Tuckasegee, N.C. Jack and Judy Brinson..................................... Highlands, N.C. Sonny Carter and Shirley Bruce............................... Greer, S.C. Willie L. Carpenter, Jr...............................................Miami, Fla. Civil Design Concepts, P.A.................................Asheville, N.C. Stephen C. Couch.................................................Durham, N.C. Wes and Cathy Elingburg.............................. Greensboro, N.C. Terry and Vikki Fortner..................................... Dahlonega, Ga. Todd and Julie Harkins........................................ Conover, N.C. Tom and Carol Henson............................. Winston-Salem, N.C. Doug and Louanna King................................... Mills River, N.C. Ken and Donna Martin.....................................Knoxville, Tenn.

Alden and Sari McCracken....................... Hendersonville, N.C. Kenny Messer and Melanie Clark....................Greensboro, Ga. John and Page Mikol.........................................Rural Hall, N.C. Paxton Myers............................................................Sylva, N.C. Heidi and Mark Nash....................................... Mill Spring, N.C. Teddy and Christy Phillips................................Knoxville, Tenn.

Cambria and Brian Reinsborough........................ Austin, Texas Jake and Olivia Robinson......................................Canton, N.C. Van Stayton..................................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Robbie and Miriam Vannoy....................................Sunset, S.C. Randy White and Kim Hunter........................ Santa Rosa, Calif.

David and Joy Wiggins................................. Simpsonville, S.C. Jim and Jane Wood................................................. Clyde, N.C.

I-CATS LEVEL David and Sonya Bair..............................................Belton, S.C. Tom and Bonnie Broadwater............................ High Point, N.C. Gurney and Ann Chambers..............................Cullowhee, N.C. Tobe and Barbara Childers................................. Charlotte, N.C. Brian Davis......................................................... Asheville, N.C. Dennis and Susan Fox...........................................Raleigh, N.C. Jason and Malea Habbal.................................. Lake Wylie, S.C. Keith and Shannon Haskett...................................... Sylva, N.C. Stephen Heatherly.........................................Waynesville, N.C. Tom and Carol Henson..............................Winston Salem, N.C. Dale and Dianne Hollifield.......................Kings Mountain, N.C. Paul and Nora Jones.................................. Rutherfordton, N.C. Wilmot and Kari Jones...................................Greensboro, N.C. Doreen Loska....................................................... Sanford, N.C. John and Suzy Martin............................................Raleigh, N.C. Cassie and Brad McAbee......................................... Sylva, N.C. Raymond and Sonia McGowan....................... Vero Beach, Fla. David D. Moore......................................................... Sylva, N.C. Thomas and Kimberly Morgan...................... Jacksonville, N.C. Stanton Moss..................................................Kernersville, N.C.

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Clay and Vicky Poindexter.........................Winston Salem, N.C. Susie Ray................................................. Cullowhee, N.C., N.C. David Thomas Roberts.......................................Piedmont, S.C. Bill and Elaine Ross...................................... Hillsborough, N.C. Mike and Kathie Shelton.................................... Columbia, S.C. Larry and Heulwen Stanberry............................Sebastian, Fla. Watt and Billie Staples...........................................Raleigh, N.C. Jace and Stephanie Stowe.................................. Belmont, N.C. Linney and Kimberly Teague.................................Hickory, N.C. Mark A. Tedder.................................................... Advance, N.C. Randell and Susan Thomas............................... Rural Hall, N.C. Bob Thomas...................................................... Alpharetta, Ga. Mike and Regina Wade....................................Cullowhee, N.C. Ken and Carolyn Wash............................................ Toccoa, Ga. Dewight and Jamie Winchester............................Whittier, N.C. Donna Carlene Winbon.........................................Raleigh, N.C. Baxter Wood.....................................................Cullowhee, N.C. Brian and Debbie Young.....................................Cumming, Ga. Tony and Lynne Zande.................................... Vero Beach, Fla.

Andrew B. Abernathy...................................... Sylva, N.C. Betty J. Allen.......................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Neal and Jo Andrews..................... Browns Summit, N.C. Sonya and David Bair.....................................Belton, S.C. Drew Barefoot.......................................... Reidsville, N.C. Hank and Andi Barkley......................... Huntersville, N.C. Better Alternatives, Inc...................................Lenoir, N.C. Don Blaine................................................. Asheville, N.C. Bear Lake Reserve............................... Tuckasegee, N.C. Mike and Sandee Biggerstaff.........................Lenoir, N.C. Scott and Evelyn Bond.................................Etowah, N.C. Wilson Boyd.............................................Burlington, N.C. Dana Boyer...................................................... Sylva, N.C. Travis and Maggie Bramlett..................Waynesville, N.C. Dan and Kathy Brooks........................... Sevierville, Tenn.

Ronald and Judy Brown..........................Nashville, Tenn.

Budweiser of Sylva.......................................... Sylva, N.C. James Causby................................... Biltmore Lake, N.C. Champion Credit Union................................Canton, N.C. Paul and Angela Childers............................. Denver, N.C. Michael and Leigh Colombo........................... Sylva, N.C. Joe and Cinzia Condemi.............................Franklin, N.C. John and Lori Connet...................... Hendersonville, N.C. Cameron and Brandi Cooper...................Cherokee, N.C. Jim and Megan Davis.......................Winston Salem, N.C. Paul and Heidi Luebke Dent.......................Cashiers, N.C. Donnie Rhodes and Jane Fliesbach............ Candler, N.C. Alex and Katie Gary...............................Waynesville, N.C. Mike and Lisa Gillespie.........................Waynesville, N.C. Karl and Janet Gillespie..............................Franklin, N.C. Jeff and Rosa Goss.......................................... Sylva, N.C. Great Smoky Mountain Railroad............Bryson City, N.C. Leslie E. Greer................................................ Duluth, Ga. Marshall G. Gunter..................................Lincolnton, N.C. The John C. Harmon Foundation..........Waynesville, N.C. Rod and Pam Harrelson.........................Morganton, N.C. Jason and Stephanie Hopfinger............. Cullowhee, N.C. Kurt Houser.................................................. Denver, N.C. John and Janeth Jackson...........................Sanford, N.C. Steven and Martha Jeffords........................Fletcher, N.C. Bryant and Brenda Kinney........................... Denver, N.C. Jerry and Kay Kiser...........................................Irmo, S.C. Gary and Kathy Lance...........................Waynesville, N.C. Stan and Lana Lehmans.............................Florence, S.C. Kevin and Amy Lowery.................................Canton, N.C. Heather and Damien Martin....................... Waxhaw, N.C. Brett D. Miller..............................................Fletcher, N.C. Bruce and Denise Moore........................... Waxhaw, N.C. Jim L. Moore.................................................... Sylva, N.C. Col. John Mosbey.............................. Georgetown, Texas Ben and Jenna Pendry.................................... Sylva, N.C. Charlie Phillips.......................................Waynesville, N.C. Thomas C. Posey Jr........................................ Clyde, N.C. Karen Powers........................................... Rolesville, N.C. Chris and Jen Pressley........................... Cullowhee, N.C. Ronald Robertson.................................... Knoxville, Tenn.

Gary Rockett....................................................Nebo, N.C. Rob and Amy Rucker....................................Hickory, N.C. Doug and Lynn Sanders............................Charlotte, N.C. Gaston and Libby Seal...............................Glenville, N.C. Select Homes WNC...............................Waynesville, N.C. Dale and Debbie Sims...............................Franklin, Tenn.

Ron and Pam Sink....................................Lexington, N.C. Lenny and Vicky Smathers.................. Granite Falls, N.C. Darryl and June Smith.............................. Reidsville, N.C. Steve and Jima Sparks.................................Gaffney, S.C. Mark and Paige Speir............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Scott and Robbie Stanberry............................ Sylva, N.C. William T. Stanley..................................Waynesville, N.C. Betsy and Sam Stewart.............................Charlotte, N.C. Elisabeth and Wade St. John III............ Tuckasegee, N.C. David and Diana Sutton.............................Concord, N.C.

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FOLLOW THE CATAMOUNTS ALL SEASON LONG ////////

FB.COM/CATAMOUNTSPORTS @CATAMOUNTS | WCU_CATAMOUNTS

Western Carolina Students...

JOIN THE STUDENT CATAMOUNT CLUB TODAY Call (828) 227-3047 The purpose of the Student Catamount Club is to serve the WCU community by promoting student attendance, school spirit and tradition for all varsity sports teams while educating students on WCU Athletics and the Catamount Club

PRESENTED BY

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CATAMOUNT CLUB MEMBERSHIP (as of March 16, 2021) Kenneth and Anna Taylor........................... Belmont, N.C. Dave and Nancy B. Thompson..................Charlotte, N.C. Mitchell and Ann Treadaway.................. Clemmons, N.C. John and Martha Truitt...................... Biltmore Lake, N.C. Chuck and Sheila Tucker.......................Weaverville, N.C. James D. Turner............................................ Irvine, Calif.

Sue Wakeley............................................Rockwall, Texas Jim and Teresa Watson...........................Lincolnton, N.C. Norman and Carolyn West..................... Cullowhee, N.C. Steve and Elaine White.......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Steven and Gail Williams........................... Salisbury, N.C. Buzz and Alice Worrall....................................Arden, N.C. Rob and Leigh Anne Young.........................Webster, N.C. Ron and Anne Young.............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Brittany and Jonathan Zapp......................Charlotte, N.C.

COACHES LEVEL

R. Daniel Altenburg.......................... Tarpon Springs, Fla. Amy Manshack State Farm Insurance.........Franklin, N.C. Paul Badgley............................................Burnsville, N.C. Tracy Bailey............................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Milton H. Beck Jr............................. Powder Springs, Ga. Mark and Kelly Benge........................Archer Lodge, N.C. Jim and Libby Beddingfield........................Cumming, Ga. Todd and Melanie Blosser............... Powder Springs, Ga. Matt and Megan Bohlander....................... Waxhaw, N.C. Andrea D. Border.......................................... Naples, Fla. Gorham and Rebecca Bradley....................... Clyde, N.C. Brad and Eileen Bradshaw.............. Saint Augustine, Fla. Suzanne and Ralph Britt..............................Calypso, N.C. Kelli and Dennis Brown.......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Howard and Roz Buchanan..........................Canton, N.C. Greg and Alison Burnette........................ Gainesville, Ga. Bobby Byrd........................................... Greensboro, N.C. Bruce and Sibyl Byrd.......................................Nebo, N.C. Melissa Cabe.......................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Josh and Scotti Carnes................................... Sylva, N.C. Cory Causby..........................................Waynesville, N.C. Charlie Lombard Cobb..........................Port Orange, Fla. Ben and Paige Comm...................................Ashburn, Va. Tom and Lisa Condon..........................Lawrenceville, Ga. Joseph and Carol Crocker............... Winston-Salem, N.C. Seburn Crocker.....................................Mooresville, N.C. Howe Crockett.....................................Vancouver, Wash.

J. Darren Dawson............................................Dunn, N.C. Jim and Susan McElroy Davis....................Advance, N.C. Mark P. Dellinger.......................................... Denver, N.C. Bill and Loretta Dodgen............................ Gastonia, N.C. David and Valorie Duckworth................. Woodstock, Ga. Dave and Sharon Earley...........................Greenville, S.C. Bob and Sonia Elledge................................. Marion, N.C. Paul and Vicky Faris................................... Surf City, N.C. First Citizens Bank........................... Hendersonville, N.C. Ken and Peggy Flynt.............................Waynesville, N.C. Dick Freeman............................................ Newland, N.C. Sam and Janice Freeman......................Waynesville, N.C. Jarrett and Jaime Friday........................... Gastonia, N.C. Rick and Jana Fulton...................................Webster, N.C. Robert Gibson............................................. Raleigh, N.C. Jeffrey and Katherine Gilbert............... Greensboro, N.C. Timothy and Betsy Gillespie...................... Asheville, N.C. Leonardo M. Gonzalez.............................. Asheville, N.C. Jeffery and Brenda Gorsuch................... Mills River, N.C. Brent and Allyson Grass...............................Stanley, N.C. Charles and Elizabeth Gray........................ Belmont, N.C. BJ and Annie Green.......................................Arden, N.C. Ed and Betsey Hamlet..................................... Sylva, N.C. Bruce and Maretta Hamrick...................Morganton, N.C. Jimmy and Karen Hardy............................Columbia, S.C. Darrin and Babetta Hemphill.....................Garland, Texas Ken and Joanne Henry.............................. Gastonia, N.C. David and Lisa Hill........................................ Apopka, Fla. John and June Horne........................... Huntersville, N.C. Bill and Malissa Hawkins...............................Taylors, S.C.

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Ronald and Paula Henderson.............. Edisto Island, S.C. Charles and Pam Hill.............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Lisa and Dale Hill...................................Horse Shoe, N.C. Len Jones and Phyllis Holt.........................Mars Hill, N.C. Alma Hooks................................................Fremont, N.C. Lambert and Joy Hooper................................ Sylva, N.C. Alan and Julie Howard.......................... Social Circle, Ga. Tony and Fran Johnson........................... Mills River, N.C. Chase and Ashley Kress........................Waynesville, N.C. Andy and Angela Lambert........................Lexington, N.C. Coleman Leopard..................................Waynesville, N.C. James and Jill Locke.................................... Marion, N.C. Bill and Susan Loggins.................... Winston-Salem, N.C. Matt Magnus........................................... Gainesville, Ga. Tracy and Lisa Marion............................Stokesdale, N.C. John and Sue Martin................................ Reidsville, N.C. Patrick and Jeanne McGuire.................. Cullowhee, N.C. McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture...Spartanburg, S.C. Chad and Deidre McMahon........................... Clyde, N.C. Matt and Tracey Monday........................... Asheville, N.C. Jeff and Kim Myers.....................................Rock Hill, S.C. Josh and Amy Paris..........................Winston Salem, N.C. Michael G. Paysour..................................... Conover, N.C. Bob and Carol Roberts.............................. Asheville, N.C. Curtis and Ann Patterson...........................Concord, N.C. Philip and Catherine Preston.........................Atlanta, Ga. Jane Powers....................................Mount Pleasant, S.C. Mary Beth Richard................................. Sevierville, Tenn.

Kirk and Carrie Roach................................Cumming, Ga. Barrett and Jane Scott..............................Loganville, Ga. Greg and Caron Simpson............................Newton, N.C. Ken and Michelle Speir................................Newnan, Ga. Thomas and Ann Steagall........................... Raleigh, N.C. Strick and Stephanie Strickland............Waynesville, N.C. Larry Supik...................................................... Sylva, N.C. Elliott Pritchard and Felisha Sutton................. Sylva, N.C. Bob and Janice Thompson........................Charlotte, N.C. Ken and Jane Teasley................................Spindale, N.C. Larry and Maggie Tuttle..................Black Mountain, N.C. Martin and Heather Unger........................ Gastonia, N.C. Francisco S. Vasquez.............................. Columbus, N.C. Eddie and Savannah Wells.............................. Sylva, N.C. Nate Williams....................................... Red Springs, N.C. Onifer and Meagan Wilmoth.................. Cullowhee, N.C. Charles and Wanda Wolfe............................... Sylva, N.C. Chuck and Kathy Wooten................................ Sylva, N.C.

TOP CAT LEVEL

A+ Portable Toilets Inc............................Bryson City, N.C. Stephen and Taffy Allen............................ Gastonia, N.C. Susan and Eric Allen.....................................Stanley, N.C. Gerald and Sylvia Austin..................... Summerfield, N.C. Bob and Cathy Barber..................Clearwater Beach, Fla. Brad and Rachael Bardall...........................Cumming, Ga. John and Elizabeth Beach......................Morganton, N.C. Kathy Abbott-Beam and David Beam.............Salem, S.C. James and Toy Beaty...................... Winston-Salem, N.C. Jeff and Josie Bewsey.................................... Sylva, N.C. Joe Don Biggerstaff.......................................Lenoir, N.C. Earl and Jo Ann Black................................. Whittier, N.C. Jason Blackwell............................................... Dana, N.C. Charles S. Brown...........................................Shelby, N.C. Jeff and Lisa Bontekoe..............................Charlotte, N.C. Michael and Renee Bowen.....................Lincolnton, N.C. John and Barbara Brown.........................Houston, Texas Mike and Laura Byers........................ Maggie Valley, N.C. Fred and Katrina Cantler.............................Brevard, N.C. Todd and Robin Cates...........................Mooresville, N.C. Don and Patti Chason............................. Harrisburg, N.C. David and Mae Claxton.......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Ed & Andrea Cody..................................... Asheville, N.C. Dennis and Sallie Conley............................Franklin, N.C. John and Nancy Connelly...............................Nebo, N.C. Clay Cox.....................................................Braselton, Ga. Toni Mayfield D’Alessandris..................... Alpharetta, Ga.

Col. David Myers and Becky Digges..........Madison, N.C. Woodie and Joyce Dixon.............................Camden, S.C. Jack and Gail Debnam.............................. Dillsboro, N.C. Chris and Danielle Diluzio................Winston Salem, N.C. Adam and Emily Dresback.......................... Candler, N.C. James and Barbara Dougherty.................Voorhees, N.J. Tony and Natasha Eaves................................. Sylva, N.C. Tim Eckberg........................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Wayne Edwards................................. Maggie Valley, N.C. Robert and Sherrie Edwards.......................Webster, N.C. Keith and Nina Elliott............................... Knoxville, Tenn.

Doug and Tina Embler............................... Asheville, N.C. Tim Faulkner.............................................. Gastonia, N.C. Bob and Kay Folsom............................... Gainesville, Ga. Robert Gee and Joy Postell-Gee............. Knoxville, Tenn.

Chad and Kristin Gerrety................................. Sylva, N.C. Karen L. Glover................................................ Sylva, N.C. Rich and Becky Griggs........................St Petersburg, Fla. Phil and Connie Haire..................................... Sylva, N.C. Bubba and Kelly Hamrick..................... Fort Benning, Ga. Ed and Becky Harwood............................... Whittier, N.C. Bobby Haskett........................................... Asheville, N.C. Mark and Tammy Haskett...................... Cullowhee, N.C. Timothy and Ashley Hayzlip................... Clemmons, N.C. Anthony H. Smith and Laura Heaton............ Seneca, S.C. William and Deborah Herman.................Claremont, N.C. Glenn Hill Sr...............................................Davidson, N.C. Leroy and Ginny Holden........................... Cornelius, N.C. Daniel K. Hooker.................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Timothy Shawn Hubbs................................Franklin, N.C. Zachary Hurst....................................Chattanooga, Tenn.

Hunter Jacobs................................................Atlanta, Ga. Kimberly Jamison............................................ Sylva, N.C. Ryan and Meredith Jones.....................Waynesville, N.C. Michael and Gail Joyner............................... Seneca, S.C. Ted and Kathy Kay........................................... Sylva, N.C. Kristy and Joanne Kiser........................Kernersville, N.C. Jesse R. Lankford Jr.................................... Raleigh, N.C. Laura and Ron Leatherwood.................Waynesville, N.C. George and Sandy Leopard........................Brevard, N.C. Earl and Bea Lutz..........................................Shelby, N.C. Kenneth and Maria Marler.............................. Greer, S.C. Matt and Melissa Mitchell...........................Fort Mill, S.C. Chad and Stacey Miller.......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Carroll and Laura Lee Moore.....................Blairsville, Ga. Turner and Susan Morrison.......................Davidson, N.C. Nancy and Steve Neubeiser............................ Sylva, N.C. Cindy and Paul Nicholson...................... Cullowhee, N.C. Kenneth and Karen Nicholson.....................Webster, N.C. David and Angie Noland................................. Sylva, N.C. Boyce and Donna Parks........................ Williamston, S.C. Betty Peele............................................. Cullowhee, N.C. Sue and Scott Persons......................... Tuckasegee, N.C. Tanner Poindexter............................Winston Salem, N.C. Sarah Calloway Pogue............................. Troutman, N.C. Rick S. Queen........................................Waynesville, N.C. Rob and Cyndi Ragusa...................................Salem, S.C. Michael and Suzanne Rainwater..................Acworth, Ga. Jimmy and Laure Ramsey..................... Wilmington, N.C. Marty Ramsey......................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Jamie and Brent Raynor......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Grace Reed............................................. Cullowhee, N.C. J. Wayne and Andrea Rial..................Mount Juliet, Tenn.

Hoyte and Kathy Roberson............................. Sylva, N.C. Fred W. Rosenkampff............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Laura Ross..............................................Chesterfield, Va. Bob and Susan Sabin...................................Marietta, Ga. Chris and Kirstin Schlenker......................... Raleigh, N.C. Randy Shaw............................................... Asheville, N.C. Justin Shinn..............................................Lexington, N.C. Katie W. Simmons................................... Forest City, N.C. Gwynette W. Smith........................................Taylors, S.C. Lance Sockwell...................................McLeansville, N.C. Daniel and Kay Southern................ Browns Summit, N.C. Bill and Margaret Studenc.....................Waynesville, N.C.

Mike Taylor............................................. Cullowhee, N.C. Michael and Nicole Turnmyre.......................Hickory, N.C. Duane Vanhook.....................................Waynesville, N.C. Barbara A. Vaughn.......................................Canton, N.C. Gene and Rita Vinson.....................................Inman, S.C. Jonathan and Kristine “Eileen” Walker...........Milton, Ga. Phil and Joan Walker....................................Hickory, N.C. Danny and Jennifer Williamson..................... Clyde, N.C. Jeffrey Wilson............................................ Asheville, N.C. Kaleb D. Wingate...................................Waynesville, N.C.

SUPER CAT LEVEL

Jackie and Audrey Adkins.........................Charlotte, N.C. Joey and Martha Aiken.............................Charlotte, N.C. Ken and Ina Allen......................................... Roswell, Ga. Charles M. Allison..................................Waynesville, N.C. Doug Painter and Mary Anne Barker..... Cullowhee, N.C. John and Connie Barr................................Rock Hill, S.C. Todd and Stephanie Baucom................. Cullowhee, N.C. Kim and Alan Beck.................................. Statesboro, Ga. Robert and Frances Berry...........................Webster, N.C. Scott and Julie Bingler........................... Harrisburg, N.C. Jeff and Amy Blanton............................Johns Creek, Ga. Bob and Jean Brandon.............................. Fairview, N.C. Stan Pendergraft and Bev Brandt.............Charlotte, N.C. Glenn and Joyce Bridges.........................Greenville, S.C. Kent and Lisa Briggs.............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Frank and Rebecca Brown............................... Cary, N.C. Charles and Mary Jo Boswell................... Reidsville, N.C. Wayne and Betsy Bowers............................ Roanoke, Va. Jeanne C. Bowman..................................Alexander, N.C. Gary and Jan Boyer......................................... Sylva, N.C. Buck and Denise Buchanan.................Wake Forest, N.C. Alton and Phyllis Byers................................Webster, N.C. Lee and Gail Capell..................................Prosperity, S.C. Emily R. Carlstedt.......................................Cashiers, N.C. William and Margaret Carpender..........Waynesville, N.C. Kara L. Carpenter............................ Nacogdoches, Texas Jean Carr......................................................... Sylva, N.C. Beth and Greg Carter.....................................Dallas, N.C. Stephen Ray Castelloe.............................Asheboro, N.C. Philip and Susanne Cauley..................... Cullowhee, N.C. Lynne K. Chiger.........................................Charlotte, N.C. Alex F. Crenshaw........................................ Waxhaw, N.C. Lowell and Carolyn Crisp..................... Robbinsville, N.C. Lee and Tracy Daggerhart...................... Cherryville, N.C. Brent and Carolyn Dalton....................... Walterboro, S.C. Clifton and Kelley Deal........................Rocky Mount, N.C. Mike DeMatteo.........................................Dunwoody, Ga. Tom and Judy Dowell...............................Greenville, S.C. Charles and Adele Dunbar.................Blowing Rock, N.C. Tony Elders............................................. Cullowhee, N.C. Rick Elliott................................................Cartersville, Ga. Mark Ethridge........................................Waynesville, N.C. Tammy and Don Fertenbaugh....................Concord, N.C. Nancy Ford.................................................Glenville, N.C. Craig and Cathy Fowler.......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Evan Clayton Fowler....................... Hendersonville, N.C. David and Wanda Fowler..................Cape Carteret, N.C. Roger Foxworth...................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Curtis and Jana Fullbright................. Johnson City, Tenn.

John and Jan Griffin...................................Concord, N.C. Angela and Danny Grube................................ Sylva, N.C. Fred and Pam Goldsmith.............................Franklin, N.C. Jack and Lynn Guffey.......................... Isle Of Palms, S.C. Susan Todd Gustafson...........................Mooresville, N.C. Samir Hafiz....................................................Carmel, Ind. Broadus and Kim Hamrick..................... Richmond, Texas Timothy W. Haskett........................ Kings Mountain, N.C. Jason and Logan Heller........................... Cornelius, N.C. Brenda and Randall Holcombe.............. Cullowhee, N.C. Warren J. Heeg III............................. Boynton Beach, Fla. Hayley Henson.......................................Morganton, N.C. Rory and Rayna Jimerson...................... Cullowhee, N.C. Vance and Pat Johnson............................... Monroe, N.C.

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CATAMOUNT CLUB MEMBERSHIP (as of March 16, 2021) Gibbs and Kathleen Jones.............. Hendersonville, N.C. Heather and Joel Jones............................. Mebane, N.C. Roger Jones..............................................Lynchburg, Va. David Kehler................................................. Marion, N.C. Butch Kerns........................................Blowing Rock, N.C. Amy Kilby................................................... Dillsboro, N.C. Benjamin and Anna Laiweneek..............Lincolnton, N.C. Charles Lambreth....................................Rockwall, Texas Clifton Lambreth...................................Brentwood, Tenn.

Mark Lane.................................................Southport, N.C. Todd and Andi Lawing.................................... Clyde, N.C. Laura Setzer-Lembeck........................... Cullowhee, N.C. Philip and Kathy Leftwich.......................... Asheville, N.C. Kenneth S. Liner..............................Lake Junaluska, N.C. Gerald and Rhonda Love........................ Fayetteville, Ga. Clevie and Shirley Luckadoo.....................Charlotte, N.C. John Lupoli.............................................. Highlands, N.C. Joel and Janie Mashburn........................ Statesville, N.C. Chuck and Mallory Mathewson.................. Waxhaw, N.C. Jamaal Lennart Mayo..........................Hillsborough, N.C. Russell McConnell........................................... Sylva, N.C. Tyler McHone.............................................Concord, N.C. Greg McLamb..............................................Franklin, N.C. Donna and Stephen Ball-Metcalf..........Weaverville, N.C. Daniel and Nicole Michael........................Charlotte, N.C. Mitch and Ashley Miller............................... Candler, N.C. Thomas and Martha Mills................................Nebo, N.C. Lynn C. Milner........................................Waynesville, N.C. Matt and Melissa Mitchell...........................Fort Mill, S.C. Don and Heather Moore...................... Huntersville, N.C. Chris and Trena Morrison......................... Troutman, N.C. Myranda Hope Nash....................... Hendersonville, N.C. Dotty Neslen........................................ Friendsville, Tenn.

Howard and Pam Nicholson......................Charlotte, N.C. Steve and Nancy Nixon..........................Wilkesboro, N.C. William and Anne Norris........................ Wilmington, N.C. Greg and Ann Parsons............................ Hayesville, N.C. Bruce and Claire Piercy........................ Huntersville, N.C. Cecelia Michelle Powers................................ Clyde, N.C. Terry and Arlene Price...........................Weaverville, N.C. Brian and Jennifer Queen............................Dallas, Texas Joe Quigley.......................................Fuquay Varina, N.C. Michael Rath................................................ Raleigh, N.C. Jeff and Tina Ray............................................. Sylva, N.C. John and Joanne Reid...................................... Cary, N.C. Stephen Rhodes..................................... Cullowhee, N.C. William and Peggy Riggs...................... Greensboro, N.C. Lindsay and Jayne Sells........................Mooresville, N.C. Thomas C. Siegner....................................Charlotte, N.C. Skip and Tina Smith........................................Lenoir, N.C. Jim and Debra Snow.......................Mount Pleasant, S.C. Terry and Meredith Spry.........................Kannapolis, N.C. Brandon Stephens....................................Cherokee, N.C. David and Donna Stephens..........................Denton, N.C. Nikki Stevens..........................................Morganton, N.C. Heath and Jamie Stewart................................ Sylva, N.C. Robert Stow..................................... Hendersonville, N.C. Robert L. Street...................................... Forest City, N.C. Lewis Swain..................................................Canton, N.C. Larry G. Thompson............................. Millers Creek, N.C. Karen Tynan.............................................. Fairfield, Calif.

Samuel Wallace......................................... Asheville, N.C. Mike Wilmoth and Craig Tuminaro...............Dallas, Texas Jeff and Melanie Watts...............................Concord, N.C. Benjamin Watkins...................................... Richmond, Va. Tina and Briana Weaver.........................Kansas City, Mo. Tommy and Shelly White........................ Cullowhee, N.C. Don and Ann Williams.................................Maitland, Fla. Mitch Williams.................................Black Mountain, N.C. Jenny Wood...........................................Waynesville, N.C. Jason and Shannon Young......................... Waxhaw, N.C. Ron Young.................................................. Conover, N.C. Alan and Cynthia Yount............................Matthews, N.C. Paul and Patricia Zullo..................................... Sylva, N.C.

PURPLE CAT LEVEL

Jane M. Adams-Dunford........................ Cullowhee, N.C. Dot Aldmon............................................. Knoxville, Tenn.

Joe Alexander........................................... Asheville, N.C. Ashley Alletto......................................... Cullowhee, N.C. John and Carol Anderson................................ Griffin, Ga. Pat and Heidi Anderson............................Charlotte, N.C. Dena Anderson...................................... Fayetteville, Ga. James and Vickie Ansley............................. Candler, N.C. Richard C. Barringer........................................Hull, Mass.

Nancy L. Bartlett.............................Sugar Mountain, N.C. The Elise Bear & William D. Pollack Family Charitable Foundation....................Pensacola, Fla. Richard and Debra Bennett.................... Cullowhee, N.C. Diane and Peter Blum....................................Atlanta, Ga. Ralph and Kay Boulier.............................Cartersville, Ga. John and Sara Brintnall........................Brentwood, Tenn.

Michelle & Geoffrey Brooks.................Hillsborough, N.C. Alan Brown...................................North Wilkesboro, N.C. Randy Bruce.............................................Rural Hall, N.C. Brad Burgess......................................... Rockingham, Va. Edward and Andra Burks.........................Asheboro, N.C. Roy and Janice Burnette................................. Sylva, N.C. Brian and Lesley Burnham.................. Summerfield, N.C. Tuckasegee Trading Co & Cabins........... Cullowhee, N.C. Thomas and Tammy Carpenter.............. Forest City, N.C. Randy Carroll.........................................Johns Creek, Ga. Mark and Lisa Carswell..........................McKinney, Texas Cullen Case...............................................Charlotte, N.C. Mark Childress...........................................Concord, N.C. Bob and Cindy Clark..............................Jacksonville, Fla. Joe and Judith Clark.................................Charlotte, N.C. Robert and Lauren Clark...........................Charlotte, N.C. Marvin and Miriam Cole.............................. Candler, N.C. Stefanie Leigh Conley.................................Franklin, N.C. Jerry and Mickey Cook...................... Biltmore Lake, N.C. Nanette Cooper............................................ Roswell, Ga. Stephen and Kelly Cosenke.............................. Aldie, Va. Josh Allen Cox........................................ Spokane, Wash.

Ray Cossart................................................ Waxhaw, N.C. Earl and Julia Crotts.................................Southport, N.C. Wayne and Joselle Culp............................. Sarasota, Fla. Eric and Lynette Cummings..................Simpsonville, S.C. Joey Curtis..................................................Franklin, N.C. Lonnie Ray Davis.................................McLeansville, N.C. Julie Dickerson................................................ Dallas, Ga. Shanna and William Dickerson....................Fort Mill, S.C. Mike and Diane Dillard.................................... Sylva, N.C. Robert and Michelle Doherty.......................... Greer, S.C. Julie Spiro Donaldson and Kelly Donaldson.........Webster, N.C. Joe and Elisabeth Donovan...................... Asheville, N.C. Paul and Rachel Dover................... Kings Mountain, N.C. Michael Dyer, Jr........................................... Monroe, N.C. William and Cathy Eaton...........................Lancaster, S.C. Steve and Terri Ebert.............................Mooresville, N.C. Charlotte Ray Eckard................................ Alpharetta, Ga. Fred and Maggie Elliott................................ Marion, N.C. Sherry England........................................ Statesville, N.C. Vicki Cornelius Erwin...................................Durham, N.C. Michael and Wanda Faircloth............... Thomasville, N.C. Jenny Bean and Raymond Farmer..............Webster, N.C. Brett Ferguson................................................ Sylva, N.C. Nora Lynn Finch..................................Sunset Beach, N.C. Jon David Forrester........................................ Buford, Ga. Ryan and Amanda Foster....................... Harrisburg, N.C. Tom and Vickey Frazier................................... Sylva, N.C. Lillian and Charles Freel............................ Andrews, N.C. Dan and Lynette Gibson.................................. Sylva, N.C. G. Alan and Lu Griffin..................................Valdese, N.C. Sean and Ellen Gury.....................................Stanley, N.C. John and Shelia Haire............................Vero Beach, Fla. Carroll and Elizabeth Hall................................ Sylva, N.C. Jesse and Christina Harkins........................Franklin, N.C. Michael and Vicki Haskell........................... Candler, N.C. Alvin and Sharon Harvell...................... Greensboro, N.C.

Ashley Victoria Helton................................ Belmont, N.C. Jennifer and Oscar Hemmelgarn............ Knoxville, Tenn.

Suzanne Henry.........................................Greenville, S.C. Jerry and Judy Hicks.................................... Marion, N.C. Allie Hinson............................................ Chapel Hill, N.C. Heather and Chris Hodgin.................. Summerfield, N.C. Bill Holland................................................Franklin, Tenn.

Robin Holley..............................................Columbia, S.C. John and Krystle Holt............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Robert Joseph Holt........................................Arden, N.C. Steven and Elizabeth Honbarger.................... Sylva, N.C. Jack Hudson.............................................. Gastonia, N.C. Ed and Diane Huneycutt.....................Myrtle Beach, S.C. Joe and Maxine Hunter......................Pisgah Forest, N.C. Luke Hutchens......................................... East Bend, N.C. Greg Hutchinson......................................Matthews, N.C. Ed and Melissa Jagger.............................. Seminole, Fla. Farrell Jamison............................................Franklin, N.C. Marion and Wanda Jones.......................... Dillsboro, N.C. Patricia and David Kaemmerling.................Norcross, Ga. Julie Kimmel..............................................Charlotte, N.C. Ruby Kluttz...............................................Spring Hill, Fla. W. Scott Lancaster....................................Lexington, N.C. Danielle Leger...................................................Irmo, S.C. Ed and Leslie Levy.......................................Warwick, N.Y. Steven Long.............................................. Gastonia, N.C. Don Lucas...................................................... Boone, N.C. Ted and Ann Luckadoo........................ Edisto Island, S.C. Jim Manring...........................................Waynesville, N.C. Annizel H. Martin.......................................... Roswell, Ga. David and Sandra Martin................................Tampa, Fla. Jerry and Judy Matheny.................................Atlanta, Ga. Tim and Courtney Mayse....................... Cullowhee, N.C. Daniel McAndrew.........................................Evanston, Ill. Timothy M. McBride........................ Hendersonville, N.C. Patrick McColgan.......................... Upper Arlington, Ohio Sandra J. McCracken........................... Orange Park, Fla. Cynthia H. McFerran................................Cincinnati, Ohio Jonathan and Jodi McIntosh.................. Clemmons, N.C. Joel P. McKenzie.............................................. Sylva, N.C. David C. McKay.....................................Waynesville, N.C. Donna McMullan........................................Hoschton, Ga. Henry and Dawn McPherson............... Snow Camp, N.C. Peggy C. Melville............................................ Clyde, N.C. David F. Miller......................................Myrtle Beach, S.C. James T. Miller................................ Hendersonville, N.C. Lacey Miller...................................................... Vass, N.C. Sam and Renee Miller..................................... Sylva, N.C. Bill and Tausha Millwood................Black Mountain, N.C. David and Lisa Monroe......................... Wilmington, N.C. Curtis and Kellie Monteith.....................Waynesville, N.C. Michael K. Moore........................................ Whittier, N.C. Ken and Pat Morgan..........................Rutherfordton, N.C. Pamela and Mark Mullin......................Lawrenceville, Ga. Gayle and Georgia Murdock....................... Whittier, N.C. Bill and Kathy Myers..................................Charlotte, N.C. Jill and Mike Neave...................................... Seneca, S.C. Robert and Catherine Neill........................Charlotte, N.C. Rick Nicholson................................................. Sylva, N.C. Ricky Odom..............................................Matthews, N.C. Robin and Wade Oliver............................. Guysville, Ohio Boyce and Carolyn Padgett..................... Melbourne, Fla. Robin and Trace Pate.............................. Knoxville, Tenn.

Richard W. Pegg..................................... Clemmons, N.C. Kyle and Syd Pifer............................................ Clyde, NC Dale and Lisa Place..................................Louisburg, N.C. Jeffrey and Kathryn Plemmons................. Gastonia, N.C. Ryan and Scarlette Pless................................. Sylva, N.C. Lewis B. Pollak......................................Jacksonville, Fla. Jerry and Deb Powell...................................Canton, N.C. Rich and Susan Price................................... Whittier, N.C. Kelly D. Rankin.......................................... Gastonia, N.C. Michael and Cheryl Raymer.................... Statesville, N.C. Audrey Redford........................................... Candler, N.C. Pamela Reising....................................... Clemmons, N.C.

Bill and Kathy Rhinehart................................. Duluth, Ga. Tommy and Harriet Rockett.......................... Marion, N.C. Arnold and Donna Roope.........................Lewisville, N.C. Libby and Jeff Sanders............................... Belmont, N.C. Rebecca and Michael Schlosser.......... Greensboro, N.C. Ronnie and Saralee Scott........................... Littleton, N.C. Lou and Bonnie Sell................................Charleston, S.C. Dennis and Beth Setzer........................... Statesville, N.C. Rick and Marilyn Shaw..........................Hot Springs, N.C. Ralph Shelley............................................ Deer Park, N.Y. Jaered and Erica Shelton..........................Columbia, S.C. Larry and Emily Sheppard..............................Salem, S.C. Scottie and Mary Ann Sigmon.....................Fletcher, N.C. Dean and Lynn Slusser.................................... Sylva, N.C. Jerry and Anne Smart.................................Hoschton, Ga. Hayley and Jordan Smith............................Maitland, Fla. Mark and Lisa Smith..................................Columbia, S.C. Edward Smyth.............................................. Roswell, Ga. Alfred and Sheila Snyder..............................Gaffney, S.C. Sara Snyder............................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Dick Stallings.........................................Fayetteville, N.C. Anthony Todd Staton...............................Lincolnton, N.C. Cassie Staples............................................. Raleigh, N.C. Gary and Martha Stepp................................ Marion, N.C. Jo Anna Stephens..................................Kannapolis, N.C. Anna and Keith Stocum................................ Ellerbe, N.C. Jeff and Jennifer Stowe.......................... Gainesville, Ga. Logan and Tasha Summers.................... Yadkinville, N.C. David Thomas..............................................Ivanhoe, N.C. Gail Totherow............................. Hilton Head Island, S.C. William Tucker......................................... Albemarle, N.C. Beth Turner...................................................Stanley, N.C. Matthew and Amy Turner...................... Douglasville, Ga. Vickie P. Vaughan....................................Claremont, N.C. Jimmy Villiard..............................................Franklin, N.C. Craig and K. Wagner............................ Fort Worth, Texas Dora Walker...........................................Waynesville, N.C. Samuel and Patricia Watkins....................Bradenton, Fla. Mike and Holly Weaver..........................Indian Trail, N.C. Tim and Jane Welch..............................Waynesville, N.C. Jonathan and Pamela West...........................Taylors, S.C. James and Dottie Whitesides...................... Bristol, Tenn.

Matt and Rachel Wike..................................... Sylva, N.C. David and Jeannette Wilkins...................Cartersville, Ga. Stephen and Mary Bruce Woody............... Asheville, N.C. Royce and Marcia Woosley............................. Sylva, N.C.

GOLD CAT LEVEL

David Abernethy...........................................Six Mile, S.C. Alexandra Anne Abraham......................................... APO Hope and John Alexander......................... Gastonia, N.C. Hoyt and Katherine Almond...................... Asheville, N.C. Cortney Appelbaum..................................New York, N.Y. James Atwater.............................................Hickory, N.C. Roland and Linda Bailey................................Erwin, Tenn.

Mary Jo Baker.....................................Hillsborough, N.C. Jacqueline Chang Barham.................. Summerfield, N.C. Beverly Barr..........................................Saint Joseph, Mo. Dacia Barnes.............................................Pittsboro, N.C. April Bass......................................... Carolina Beach, N.C. Earl and Jennifer Bates.......................McLeansville, N.C. Bret Beaver............................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Eric and Janis Berg.................................... Newland, N.C. Carey and Laura Berryhill........................... Mint Hill, N.C. Bill Biddix........................................................Clover, S.C. Tom Birchfiel........................................Barnardsville, N.C. John Paul Black........................................... Raleigh, N.C. Frank and Sonja Blalock.............................Sanford, N.C. Diane and Peter Blum....................................Atlanta, Ga. Ralph J. Borland.................................... Ramrod Key, Fla. David and Darenda Bowers....................High Point, N.C. Colleen and Bob Bradley................... Holly Springs, N.C. Paul and Sara Bradley...............................Charlotte, N.C. Mike and Ann Bradshaw.............................. Denver, N.C. Evanell Morrow Bradshaw...........................Murphy, N.C.

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CATAMOUNT CLUB MEMBERSHIP (as of March 16, 2021) Thomas and Kaye Brandon..............Winston Salem, N.C. Marion Worth Brock.........................................Apex, N.C. Lindy and Christine Brown.......................... Raleigh, N.C. Hayes and Marissa Brumbeloe............... Roanoke, Texas Vicki and Peter Brunnick...........................Charlotte, N.C. Jim and Darrell Bryant....................................Athens, Ga. Robert and Donna Buckner...................Waynesville, N.C. Mike and Amy Bullard...........................Hampstead, N.C. Rollan and Eleanor Bullman..................Jamestown, N.C. Teah Bulris............................................Jacksonville, N.C. Stiles Burr........................................Fort Lauderdale, Fla. DeNorrise C. Burton.......................................Atlanta, Ga. Jennifer and Edward Bussell.............Framingham, Mass.

Charles and Shirley Byrd................. Hendersonville, N.C. Rex Cable.................................................. Andrews, N.C. Andrea L. Calloway........................................Lenoir, N.C. Ed and Sally Campbell.......................... Chesapeake, Va. Blake Cantrell......................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Laurie Carlson..........................................Quaker Hill, Ct. Rev. Samuel and Linda Carothers............... Raleigh, N.C. Bill and Teresa Carpenter................................ Sylva, N.C. Mark and Lisa Carswell.......................... Mckinney, Texas Chelsi Carter........................................... Cullowhee, N.C. John Chaffee and Karen A. Scarbrough.....Glenville, N.C. Mark Chapman........................................ Hollywood, Fla. Scott and Kelly Christian.................................Milton, Ga. Wally Christopher...................................... Poquoson, Va. Al Chrismon..................................... Winston-Salem, N.C. Mae Claxton........................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Gina D. Cleary...........................................Lexington, N.C. Gary Dean Cogdill..................................Wilkesboro, N.C. James and Mary Cole..................................Sanford, N.C. Willie and Jane Cole..............................Waynesville, N.C. Chris Coley........................................... Greensboro, N.C. Rita Dianne Conner......................................Etowah, N.C. Brad J. Cortese..........................................Charlotte, N.C. Michael and Emma Coward.....................Greenville, S.C. Sandra and James Craig................................Currie, N.C. John L. Crane-Baker............................... Lake Worth, Fla. Kent and Janet Cranford........................... Gastonia, N.C. Douglas E. Croft......................................Lincolnton, N.C. Perry and Debbie Crutchfield.....................Advance, N.C. David and Charlotte Culpepper..................Franklin, N.C. Joey Cutting............................................Gainesville, Fla. Ellie and Jim Daniels................................. Asheville, N.C. Pat Daniels................................................Nashville, N.C. Jeff and Lori Davis.................................... Cornelius, N.C. Kelly and Deborah Davis..............Overland Park, Kansas Nicholas Davis............................................. Raleigh, N.C. Sherri Davenport...................................... Kennesaw, Ga. James B. DeConinck.............................Waynesville, N.C. Gary and Dianna Deese........................... Lexington, S.C. Cecilia Degraffinreid................................... Hilliard, Ohio Boyce and Sandra Deitz.................................. Sylva, N.C. Alvin G. Dellinger.................................... Cherryville, N.C. William F. Derrick......................................... Seneca, S.C. Susan and Robert M. Donahue Donahue........ Clemmons, N.C. James Bo Drenan............................................ Sylva, N.C. Larry and Linda Dunekack................... Pittsburg, Kansas Andy and Jordan Dunn..................................Smyrna, Ga. John and Gail Dusenberry.....................Waynesville, N.C. Andrew and Ashley Dykes.................... Social Circle, Ga. Charlotte Eckard....................................... Alpharetta, Ga. Rodney B. Eckard........................................... Duluth, Ga. Bruce and Rita Edwards...........................Asheboro, N.C. Marc L. Edwards................................... Greensboro, N.C. Stephen and Marlene Edwards...................Durham, N.C. Mark and Tori Ellison.............................. Cullowhee, N.C. Luke Eulitt....................................................Spring, Texas Chris and Lei Lei Everett...........................Charlotte, N.C. Rick and Brenda Falls................................ Gastonia, N.C. Alan J. Freedman....................................Portland, Maine Mike and Vicky Ford........................ Powder Springs, Ga. Brian A. Galloway........................................ Whittier, N.C. Clarence and Holly Gibbs............................ Manteo, N.C.

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Patricia A. Gillis............................................... Clyde, N.C. Jordan Glass................................................ Raleigh, N.C. Hart and Sara Goodson................................... Sylva, N.C. Jerome and Dee Ann Grand......................Franklin, Tenn.

Steven Grandy........................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Michael and Sara Gray......................Rutherfordton, N.C. Charles Green............................................Florence, S.C. Linda and Ronald Greene..............Pleasant Garden, N.C. Margaret M. Griffith...................................Charlotte, N.C. Roberta Griffith.........................................Matthews, N.C. Bill and Kim Groves..............................Simpsonville, S.C. Stephenson and Susan Guffey................ Knoxville, Tenn.

Courtney Gunter..................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Larry and Donna Hales.................. Hendersonville, Tenn.

Bob Hamer................................................Piedmont, S.C. Charlie and Knox Hardin..............................Canton, N.C. Timothy and Methial Harris...................... Troutman, N.C. James Hatcher................................................. Cary, N.C. Marty and Dana Hatcher.........................High Point, N.C. Rusty Hawkins........................................ Chapel Hill, N.C. Michael and Cathy Hensgens................. Arnaudville, La. Todd and Paige Herman.................................. Sylva, N.C. Robert and Brenda Hicks......................Kernersville, N.C. Larry and Tracey Hill.......................................Inman, S.C. Charlotte Hirt.................................Fredericksburg, Texas Christopher Hoffman................................Matthews, N.C. Brittney Holder....................................... Cullowhee, N.C. David Holder.................................................. Buford, Ga. Lynn and Leonard Hollifield........................Fletcher, N.C. Jim and Robin Hollis.................................... Oxford, Miss.

George and Lynne Hood........................Watkinsville, Ga. David Hooten...............................................Newnan, Ga. Ray and Judy Hoots............................... Yadkinville, N.C. William Hopkins....................................... Blacksburg, Va. Tucker Horne.............................................Davidson, N.C. Kela and Karen Hunt............................... Cleveland, N.C. David William Hux.........................................Shelby, N.C. Jerry and Linda Hyde...................................Acworth, Ga. Alanna Irvin............................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Donna and Patrick James.......... Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mark and Rhonda W. Jackson........................Inman, S.C. Rodney and Sherry Jessup............... Pilot Mountain, N.C. Dr. Greg Johnson..............................................................

Richard and Melissa Jones.........................Franklin, N.C. Charles and Susan Juliano.......................Dunwoody, Ga. Deana Kaplan...............................................Deerfield, Ill. Barry Karesh................................................. Plano, Texas Frank Kelly..............................................San Diego, Calif.

Langdon and Cathey Kerr........................... Raleigh, N.C. Andrea M. Killian................................ Mechanicville, N.Y. Don and Laura Kimmer................Glendale Springs, N.C. Mary Kirkpatrick.........................................Madison, N.C. Steven and Kristine Kornegay.................Charleston, S.C. Steven Koszarek..........................................Duluth, Minn.

Phyllis and Lindsay Laviner.................... Laurinburg, N.C. Matthew R. Lawing.......................................Maiden, N.C. John and Mary Layne..................................Franklin, N.C. Winford Essic Lee..................................Spring Lake, N.C. Kara Kindley Lemon.................................... Monroe, N.C. Michael Lentz.............................................. Monroe, N.C. Loyd and Kim Leonard.............................Lexington, N.C. Joan B. Lester............................................. Raleigh, N.C. Lisa Lettieri............................................... Alexandria, Va. Bill and Jane Littlejohn...........................Cleveland, Tenn.

Dale and Wanda Lockamy......................Homestead, Fla. John Lockett.............................................. Gastonia, N.C. Todd Long........................................................Nebo, N.C. William G. Long..............................................Jasper, Ala. Jason and Kristina Lorenz..................Pisgah Forest, N.C. Jason F. Lowman.................................. Huntersville, N.C. Ken and Karen Lynch...........................Murrells Inlet, S.C. Thomas C. Mahon...................................Charleston, S.C. Robert Howard and Marianne Lyon................ Sylva, N.C. Rodney and Vivian Mandracchia........... Indian Land, S.C. Cody Marion...........................................Stokesdale, N.C.

Mark Martin........................................Powells Point, N.C. Tish Martin.............................................. Mount Airy, N.C. Kaleb May............................................... Cullowhee, N.C. John McArthur...................................... North Beach, Md. Dan and Margaret McCall.........................Kingsland, Ga. James McCallister..................................... Gastonai, N.C. David Thomas McCaskill.......................... Alexandria, Va. Ruth McConnell...........................................Webster, N.C. Joel and Sarah McCracken............................Salem, S.C. Bob and Judie McCracken....................Waynesville, N.C. Dawn and Darren McDonald.......................... Yuma, Ariz.

Robert McGhee.........................................Charlotte, N.C. John and Mary McGowan....................... Pataskala, Ohio Brian and Shanna McLamb....................Indian Trail, N.C. Phillip and Julia McManus........................Cloverdale, Va. Jim and Mary Medlin....................................... Sylva, N.C. Ronnie and Becky Melton.................Rutherfordton, N.C. Daniel Meyer................................................Canton, N.C. Russ and Lisa Meyer.................................West End, N.C. Anthony Miele........................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Mark B. Millen...............................................Shelby, N.C. Frank Miller......................................... Summerfield, N.C. Patricia Leary Miller.....................................Fletcher, N.C. Janet Millsaps................................................. Sylva, N.C. Jim and Frances Mincey......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Paul and Karen Miret....................... Port Saint Lucie, Fla. P.V. and Sondra Mitchiner..........North Myrtle Beach, S.C. John and Margaret Mitchum.....................Columbia, S.C. Maurice Moody............................................... Sylva, N.C. Reg and Judy Moody................................. Dillsboro, N.C. Brian and Mary Ann Moore................... Wilmington, N.C. John A. Moore............................Wrightsville Beach, N.C. Katie Moore..................................................... Sylva, N.C. Ronald Morgan....................................... Cullowhee, N.C. Karen Morrison..........................................Maysville, N.C. Edwin M. Morrow........................................Rosman, N.C. Peter Morrow.......................................Roaring Gap, N.C. Gary L. Mullis............................................ Pinehurst, N.C. Michael Neal...................................................Atlanta, Ga. Dawn Neatherly...........................................Webster, N.C. Emily Nelson..................................................Wilson, N.C. David Powell and Chuck Norton.................Newton, N.C. Riley J. Oakley Jr........................................ Roxboro, N.C. Kate and Matthew Oelslager................ Wilmington, N.C. Justin and Kimberly Pace..........................Portage, Mich.

Boyce and Carolyn Padgett..................... Melbourne, Fla. Andrew Parham..............................................Terrell, N.C. Hugh and Linda Passingham.................. Maple Hill, N.C. Ryan and Deidra Pegram........................ Thornton, Colo.

Melanie Pellowitz................................... Chapel Hill, N.C. David and Beth Penley......................... Greensboro, N.C. Tony F. Perkins................................ Winston-Salem, N.C. Jessica Petot.........................................Palm Harbor, Fla. Michael and Jennifer Philbeck............... Cherryville, N.C. Debra and Andrew Von Plinsky....................... Evans, Ga. James and Cynthia Pope......................China Grove, N.C. Joyce Pope...................................................... Sylva, N.C. Gene and Susan Posey.......................Myrtle Beach, S.C. Chasity D. Poteat....................................Morganton, N.C. Anita Puerto............................................ Cullowhee, N.C. Keith M. Ramsey...................................... Greenville, N.C. Larry and Shirley Ramsey............................. Marion, N.C. James Ray.........................................................Troy, N.C. Jimmy Ray................................................Burnsville, N.C. David M. Rayburn................................. Tuckasegee, N.C. David C. Raymond................................ Huntersville, N.C. Pat and Bob Rech.................................. White Plains, Ga. Brian Reid................................................... Forney, Texas Ronald and Angela Reid.................. Hendersonville, N.C. Dora D. Reynolds............................................. Sylva, N.C. Billie Jo Rich.............................................Cherokee, N.C. Roger Chance & Ann Rimmer..................... Roxboro, N.C. Alex Ritter.........................................Winston Salem, N.C. Judith and Jeff Rhoads........................... Topeka, Kansas Kenneth A. Roberts.................................. Patterson, N.C.

Megan Robey.................................................Valrico, Fla. Kenneth and Elvena Rogers......................Charlotte, N.C. Patsy and Dick Rogers....................Lake Junaluska, N.C. Rylee Roquemore..................................Waynesville, N.C. Audrey and Gary Sanders.....................Waynesville, N.C. Annika H. Schauer..................................... Asheville, N.C. Brent O. Scholten..................................Kernersville, N.C. Stan and Brenda Schreiber............................Arden, N.C. Jordan Schwartz.......................................Houston, Texas Bill and Kristin Scott....................................Fletcher, N.C. Chad and Lolita Selby.................................... Dalton, Ga. Jerry Shepardson...................................... Salisbury, N.C. Kassie and Adam Shiffermiller.................Rapid City, S.D. William R. Shirley...................................Hampstead, N.C. John Shoop.................................................Fletcher, N.C. Richard Henry Shore...................................... Trinity, N.C. L. Lyn and Debbie Short..............................Fletcher, N.C. Richard and Helen Singleton....................... Central, S.C. Rita Rickman Sivess.................................... Candler, N.C. Allen and Catherine Smith..............................Tryon, N.C. J. Chris and Cecelia Smith........................Southport, N.C. Stan and Carmen Smith......................... Mount Airy, N.C. Dwight A. Sparks........................................Advance, N.C. Carole M. Speas...........................................Stanley, N.C. Carly J. Sprouse........................................LaCrosse, Wis. William G. St. John...................................... Cullman, Ala. John K. Stark.................................. Kings Mountain, N.C. Milton and Betty Jo Staton...........................Orlando, Fla. William W. Staton Jr.....................................Sanford, N.C. Alan Stayton...................................................Atlanta, Ga. Timothy and Katherine Steadman.............Charlotte, N.C. Nick Lawerance Stenger...........................Lillington, N.C. Dylan L. Stevens................................... Walkertown, N.C. John Stevens........................................ Walkertown, N.C. Keith Stewart.............................................Charlotte, N.C. Lew and Mary Stewart.................................... Evans, Ga. Ryan Stone......................................Black Mountain, N.C. Marcus Sutton..............................Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Keith Taylor................................................Charlotte, N.C. Brooks Treadaway.................................Waynesville, N.C. R . Dean and Kathy Thomas.......................Concord, N.C. Ed and Becky Thompson............................Rock Hill, S.C. Lanie Thompson............................................. Clyde, N.C. John and Sharon Thurman.........................Hoschton, Ga. Chamberlain Williams Tison..................Tybee Island, Ga. Patrick Trammell....................................... Alpharetta, Ga. Jerry and Mary Troxler............................Rockwall, Texas Bill and Beth Trull...................................... Asheville, N.C. Keith Tyburski.............................................Hamilton, N.Y. William A. and Sally Vanhoy.............. Belews Creek, N.C. Charles L. Vick........................................... Richmond, Va. Seth and Cathy Vining............................. Gainesville, Ga. Tripp and Jennifer Viverette.........................Maiden, N.C. Tim Waddell...........................................Mooresville, N.C. Dylan Ward.........................................Christiansburg, Va. Melissa and Steve Wargo....................... Cullowhee, N.C. Randy M. Warlick..........................Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Bruce Warshawsky.......................................Orlando, Fla. Mike Wash...............................................Bethel Park, Pa. Stephen Blake Watson.................................... Sylva, N.C. James Webb................................................Cliffside, N.C. Laura and Jerry Wellmon..............................Shelby, N.C. David and Lucy Williams...........................Henderson, Ky. Dorothy Williams.........................................Durham, N.C. Mitch and Kelly Williams............................Cleveland, Ga. Tony and Sherry Willis.................. Connelly Springs, N.C. Anne Dodson Wilms........................................Aiken, S.C. Levon E. Wilson....................................... Statesboro, Ga. Whitney and Eric Wilson............................Frederick, Md. Laura and Bill Wise......................... Madison Heights, Va. Marcelina Woods................................West Chester, Ohio Charles and Audrey Wright............. Hendersonville, N.C. Ronald and Diane Yount......................... Cullowhee, N.C. Ronald and Judith Younts.......................McCormick, S.C. Paul Zytnik.................................................Charlotte, N.C.

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WESTERN CAROLINA’S POSTSEASON TEAMS

• 1949 •

North State Conference Champions Western Carolina had struggled through its first 15 seasons of football with only two winning seasons in two decades, but all that frustration was forgotten in 1949 when Coach Tom Young completed a four-year, post-World War II building program with an 8-2 regular season and the school’s first North State Conference championship and first postseason appearance.

The Cats, led by a stingy defense, won its first five games and allowed only two touchdowns in those victories. The only blemishes on the season were non-conference losses to Maryville (20-13) and Emory & Henry (27-26) as Western finished unbeaten in conference play.

The team was rewarded by a bid to play in the Smoky Mountain Bowl in Bristol, Va., where the Cats lost to West Liberty State.

Art Byrd, a 165-pound guard, was named to the Associated Press Little All-America Team, Western’s first AllAmerica selection. Linemen Buffalo Humphries and Hugh Constance along with backs Hugh “Pee Wee” Hamilton and Ralph McConnell joined Byrd on the All-North State Conference Team.

ART BYRD, a 165-pound two-way guard for the 1949 North State Conference championship team, was Western Carolina’s first All-America selection.

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• 1974 •

NCAA Division II Playoffs Coach Bob Waters, who saw a perfect season and a trip to the NAIA playoffs denied by a loss in the final game of the 1969 season, led WCU to its first NCAA postseason appearance the hard way five years later.

The 1974 Catamounts, playing in a sparkling new stadium, lost their season and stadium opener to visiting Murray State and struggled the next two weeks before establishing themselves as one of the nation’s top NCAA Division II teams.

After the season-opening loss, the Cats continued to struggle offensively for the next two weeks but did manage wins over Tennessee Tech (9-7) and Appalachian State (21-14) with outstanding defense. The offense, behind the running of freshman Darrell Lipford and passing of quarterback Jeff Walker to Jerry Gaines and Eagle Moss, found the right gear and the defense continued its great play. In the process, the Catamounts won nine in a row—including victories over top 10 teams Indiana State and Western Kentucky—and won a bid to the NCAA Division II playoffs where they lost a heartbreaker to No. 1 ranked Louisiana Tech, 10-7.

The 1974 Catamounts finished the season ranked No. 8 in the Associated Press College Division poll and their defense established team records that still stand to this day.

Most significant was allowing a mere nine touchdowns on the season (eight rushing and one passing) and only three over the last six games. Gaines and linebacker Steve Yates were first team All-America selections.

Linebacker STEVE YATES was leader and first team All-American on the 1974 team, which was WCU’s first to reach the NCAA playoffs, doing so at the NCAA Division II level.

• 1983 •

NCAA Division I-AA National Finalist Like the 1974 team, the 1983 Catamounts got off to a slow start by losing its first two games to Clemson and Wake Forest. After the two setbacks, WCU would go through the next 12 Saturdays unbeaten en route to the NCAA Division I-AA championship game – the first by a Southern Conference school.

The winning streak started in the third week of the season when WCU rallied from a 10-point deficit in the closing two minutes to defeat East Tennessee State, 17-16, and ended with a loss to Southern Illinois in the national championship game in Charleston, S.C. Despite the strong comeback in regular season play that produced an 8-2-1 record and No. 9 national ranking, Waters’ Cats barely made it into the I-AA playoffs. They proved their worthiness the next three weeks with comefrom-behind, heart-stopping wins over Colgate (24-23), Holy Cross (28-21) and Furman (14-7). The win over Furman was particularly pleasing as the teams had tied, 17-17, in the regular season, and allowed the Paladins to win the SoCon title as they had played and won one more league game due to a scheduling quirk. Over 5,000 WCU fans traveled to Greenville, S.C., for the rematch which was aired by CBS-TV. On the 1983 team, WCU had eight players named All-SoCon with head coach Bob Waters named Coach of the Year. Wide receiver Eric Rasheed and defensive back Tiger Greene selected All-America. Seven members of the ‘83 squad went on to play in the NFL and the team set an NCAA record for the most games played (15) in a season.

The 1983 Catamounts advanced to the NCAA I-AA championship game after its 14-7 upset at Furman. WCU was the first Southern Conference team to play for the national title.

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E.J. WHITMIRE STADIUM / BOB WATERS FIELD

Construction Completed: June, 1974 West Side Stands Completed: August, 2003 Current Seating Capacity: 13,742 Playing Field: Bob Waters Field, Artificial Turf (IRONTURF) First game: Sept. 14, 1974 vs. Murray State (WCU lost 10-3) Dedicated: Oct. 5, 1974 vs. Morehead State (WCU won 31-12) Largest Attendance: 15,247 on Nov. 12, 1994 vs. Appalachian State

BOB WATERS

E.J. WHITMIRE

Construction of E.J. Whitmire Stadium was completed in 1974 at an initial cost of $1.66 million that was granted by the North Carolina General Assembly in 1971. The new facility, located on the southern-most expanse of the Western Carolina University campus, replaced Memorial Stadium and included the construction of the Jordan-Phillips Field House.

Dedicated on October 5, 1974, the Catamounts defeated Morehead State, 31-12, in their second game at the new facility.

Murray State won the first-ever game played on the artificial surface at Whitmire Stadium on September 14, 1974.

Over the years, Western Carolina has posted highlight victories at the facility including wins over nationally-ranked squads such as No. 2 Marshall in 1992; sixth-ranked Appalachian State in 1998 to regain the Old Mountain Jug; and over No. 2 Furman in 2006.

Goal posts have also been removed from the premises on several occasions. Brad Hoover set a stadium and school-record with 49 rushing attempts in 1998 as WCU upset Appalachian State, ending a 13-year losing skid its archrival. In 2004, Western Carolina again reclaimed the Jug, posting a dramatic, 30-27, come-frombehind win over the Apps, and the goalposts fell once again in what was the program’s 100th victory at Whitmire Stadium.

In 2006, Western Carolina’s defense recorded five interceptions and Darius Fudge rushed for 133 yards on offense to lead the Catamounts to a 41-21 victory over second-ranked Furman, setting the stage for another goalpost celebration.

The stadium has also hosted numerous television games over the years. One of the earliest came in 1978 as ABC showcased the Catamounts and Mountaineers from Cullowhee. Other broadcasts include ESPNU, SportSouth, Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS-TV) and most recently, the combined efforts of WLOS-TV and WMYA-TV in Asheville to air select WCU home games..

Currently with 13,790 seats, the football facility is located on the south end of the WCU campus and is bordered by the picturesque Cullowhee Creek on the west side; Jordan-Phillips Field House and WCU Weight Room on its north end; and the Liston B. Ramsey Regional Activity Center, which in addition to serving as the home venue for men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball also features the Dale and Diane Hollifield Football Locker Room, WCU Football Offices and Team Room as well as the athletic training / sports medicine facilities.

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BOB WATERS FIELD PLAYING SURFACE / FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS: Western Carolina first installed AstroTurf on the playing surface in 1974. A similar product material was used in replacing the artificial surface several times. Following the facilities’ silver anniversary in 1999, a newer version of synthetic grass called AstroPlay was installed in 2000 for a cost of $1.2 million and was the surface that adorned Waters Field for the next eight years.

Amidst the 2008 season, the artificial surface was replaced by the Carolina Green Corporation which installed the Desso Challenge Pro 2 turf, a product of the overseas Desso Sports Systems. That surface remained until the summer of 2020 when Waters Field received a new surface. Designed by Woolpert, Inc., of Charlotte and executed by GeoSurfaces Southeast Inc., out of Mooresville, N.C., the group handled the removal and demolition of the old synthetic surface and replacing it with a new turf called “IronTurf” over a shock pad. The 2020 project also included resurfacing the perimeter immediately around the field and the addition of a new synthetic turf sled and practice area referred to as the “Hog Pit.” In 2002, the creation of a $93,000 Team Room complete with meeting and office space, as well as storage, was completed on the second floor of the Ramsey Center.

Prior to the 2003 season, more facility improvements and upgrades to the stadium were completed. A $3.1 million addition featured a 4,000-seat West Side grandstand seating area that included concessions and restroom facilities as well as new, updated lighting. The weight room in the Jordan-Phillips Field House was expanded, nearly doubling its previous capacity which also added a hospitality patio that overlooks the stadium on the north end zone. It also includes additional team meeting space, computer lab and visiting team locker room. The field house and East Side stands were also bricked to match the brickwork of the Ramsey Center and of the new West Side stands.

Also, on September, 16, 2006, the Dale & Diane Hollifield Football Locker Room facility located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center was dedicated. At a cost of $225,000, the 100-plus locker facility was expanded with beautiful, wooden lockers located throughout.

During the off-season prior to the 2010 campaign, a new Daktronics scoreboard with HD video screen were installed in the south

end zone – Ramsey Center end – of the facility. The state-of-the-art video screen measures 17-feet tall by 32-feet wide and includes a scoreboard with a matching score and time board adhered to the facade of the Jordan-Phillips Field House.

STADIUM BENEFACTORS AND NAMESAKES: Western Carolina’s football facilities are named after two prominent figures in Catamount Athletics. The late E.J. Whitmire, for whom the stadium is named, spent most of his adult life involved with the University. An educator, contractor, agriculturalist and public servant, Whitmire – from nearby Franklin, N.C. – served WCU for more than a quarter century with the attitude, leadership and “get it done” ability that made him successful in every walk of life.

Whitmire was on the WCU Board of Trustees from 1949-72 and was the driving force behind the University’s unparalleled period of growth. His tireless work served as the cornerstone of the structure that now bears his name. He was granted the Patron Award in the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.

In 1988, the playing surface where Robert Lee Waters made a name for himself in the coaching and administrative ranks while also putting WCU football in the national spotlight was dedicated in his honor and memory.

Bob Waters served as the University’s head football coach for 20 years and worked in a dual capacity as its athletics director for 15 years. During his tenure, he became the school’s winningest football coach with 116 victories, 13 winning seasons and top 10 national finishes at three different levels – NAIA, NCAA Division II and NCAA Division I-AA, now FCS). He also had the privilege of coaching 13 national All-Americans and 36 All-Southern Conference players.

As athletics director, Waters directed the school’s rise from NAIA to NCAA Division II to NCAA Division I competition and move into the Southern Conference in 1976. He was also instrumental in the planning and constructing of Whitmire Stadium, Childress Field (baseball) and the Ramsey Center.

Waters died on May 29, 1989 following a six-year battle with amyotrophic lateral Sclerosis (ALS), more commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease. He was posthumously inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1993.

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HOURS Mon – Fri Saturday Sunday

10am – 5pm 10am – 4pm Closed

Official merchandise provider in E.J. Whitmire Stadium and the Ramsey Regional Activity Center

When the Catamounts win, you win at the WCU Bookstore!

One-percent off for every point scored by WCU (up to 25%) off your purchase every Monday!

(Excludes software, textbooks and graduation material)

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ABOUT THE SOUTHERN CONFERENCE The Southern Conference, Conference, which celebrates its 100th season of intercollegiate competition in 2020-21, is a national leader in emphasizing the development of the student-athlete and in helping to build lifelong leaders and role models.

SOCON OVERALL The Southern Conference has been on the forefront of inC / ST Team (Preseason) W L Pct Pts Opp W L Pct Pts Opp novation and originality in developing creative solutions to ad18 / 19 VMI (6t) 3 0 1.000 85 34 3 0 1.000 85 34 dress issues facing intercollegiate athletics. From establishing 12 / 11 Chattanooga (3) 2 0 1.000 49 37 2 1 .667 59 50 the first postseason college basketball tournament (1921), to tackling the issue of freshman eligibility (1922), to developing 11 / 13 Furman (2) 3 1 .750 109 71 3 1 .750 109 71 women’s championships (1984), to becoming the first conferRV / – Samford (5) 2 2 .500 146 126 2 2 .500 146 126 ence to install the 3-point goal in basketball (1980), the South– / RV ETSU (8) 1 1 .500 37 34 1 1 .500 37 34 ern Conference has been a pioneer.

RV / RV Wofford (1) 1 2 .333 75 75 1 2 .333 75 75 The Southern Conference is the nation’s fifth-oldest NCAA

Mercer (6t) 1 2 .333 70 100 1 5 .167 118 203 Division I collegiate athletic association. Only the Big Ten (1896), the Missouri Valley (1907), the Pac-12 (1915) and the

Western Carolina (9) 1 3 .250 62 134 1 6 .143 102 290 Southwestern Athletic (1920) conferences are older in terms

The Citadel (4) 0 3 .000 66 88 0 7 .000 95 215 of origination.

C – FCS Coaches Poll; ST – STATS Perform FCS Top 25 Poll Academic excellence has been a major part of the Southern Conference’s tradition. Hundreds of Southern Conference stuofficials from Alabama, Alabama Polytechnic Institute (Auburn), tute, Florida, Georgia, Georgia School of Technology, Kentucky, dent-athletes have been recognized on CoSIDA Academic AllClemson, Georgia, Georgia School of Technology (Georgia Louisiana, Mississippi, Mississippi A&M, University of the South, America and all-district teams. A total of 20 Rhodes ScholarTech), Kentucky, Maryland, Mississippi A&M (Mississippi State), Tennessee, Tulane and Vanderbilt which began play in 1933. ship winners have been selected from conference institutions.

North Carolina, North Carolina State, Tennessee, Virginia, VirThe Southern Conference continued with membership The conference currently consists of 10 members in six ginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech) and Washington & Lee. of 10 institutions, including Clemson, Duke, Maryland, North states throughout the Southeast and sponsors 22 varsity sports With 30 schools in the SIAA by the early 1920s, it was imCarolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina, Virginia, VMI, and championships that produce participants for NCAA Division possible to play every school at least once during the regular Virginia Tech and Washington & Lee. I Championships. The league added rifle, becoming just the season and many schools went several years between playing The second major shift occurred in 1953. The SoCon included second Division I conference to sponsor the sport, in 2016-17, some conference members. In addition, in 1920, the SIAA voted 17 colleges and universities but seven schools – Clemson, Duke, and added women’s lacrosse for the 2017-18 campaign. down proposed rules that an athlete must be in a college a year Maryland, North Carolina, North Carolina State, South Carolina Under the leadership of the league’s ninth commissioner allbefore playing on its teams and refused to abolish a rule permitand Wake Forest – departed to form the Atlantic Coast Confertime in Jim Schaus, the Southern Conference offices are located ting athletes to play summer baseball for money. ence. The revamped SoCon included members The Citadel, in the historic Beaumont Mill in Spartanburg, South Carolina. A Play began in the fall of 1921, and a year later, six more Davidson, Furman, George Washington, Richmond, VMI, Virginia textile mill that was in operation from 1880 until 1999, Beaumont schools joined the fledgling league, including Tulane (which Tech, Washington & Lee, West Virginia and William & Mary.

Mill was renovated in 2004 and today offers the league firsthad attended the inaugural meeting but had elected not to A third major shift occurred in 2012-13, when five members class meeting areas and offices as well as a spacious library for join), Florida, Louisiana (LSU), Mississippi, South Carolina and announced their departures and three schools were added. storage of the conference’s historical documents.

Vanderbilt. VMI joined in 1923 and Duke was added in 1929.

Today, the league continues to thrive with a membership MEMBERSHIP HISTORY By the 1930s, membership in the Southern Conference had that includes 10 institutions and a footprint that spans six On Feb. 25, 1921, representatives from 14 of the Southern reached 23 schools. In December 1932, it was announced that states: Alabama, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, TenIntercollegiate Athletic Association’s (SIAA) 30 members met 13 institutions west and south of the Appalachian Mountains nessee and Virginia. Current league members are The Citadel, at Atlanta’s Piedmont Hotel to establish the Southern Intercolwere reorganizing as the Southeastern Conference. Members ETSU, Furman, Mercer, UNCG, Samford, Chattanooga, VMI, legiate Conference. On hand at the inaugural meeting were of the new league included Alabama, Alabama Polytechnic InstiWestern Carolina and Wofford.

2020-21 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE FOOTBALL STANDINGS

2020 – 21 SOUTHERN CONFERENCE SCHEDULE / RESULTS

W. CAROLINA

THE CITADEL

ETSU

FURMAN

MERCER

SAMFORD

CHATTANOOGA

VMI

WOFFORD

at #22 Liberty Nov. 14 – L, 58-14

at South Florida Sept. 12 – L, 27-6

SAMFORD * Feb. 20 – W, 24-17

WESTERN CAROLINA * Feb. 20 – W, 35-7

at Jacksonville State Oct. 10 – L, 34-28

at ETSU * Feb. 20 – L, 24-17

at Western Kentucky Oct. 24 – L, 13-10

at Chattanooga * Feb. 20 – PPD

MERCER * Feb. 20 – W, 31-14

at Eastern Kentucky Nov. 21 – L, 49-17

at #1 Clemson Sept. 19 – L, 49-0

at Wofford * March 6 – PPD

at VMI * Feb. 27 – L, 14-13

at Army West Point Oct. 24 – L, 49-3

WESTERN CAROLINA * Feb. 27 – W, 55-27

VMI * Feb. 20 – PPD

#10 FURMAN * Feb. 27 – W, 14-13

at Chattanooga * Feb. 27 – L, 24-13

at #17 North Carolina Dec. 5 – L, 49-9

EASTERN KENTUCKY Sept. 26 – L, 37-14

#15 FURMAN * March 13 – L, 17-13

SAMFORD * March 6 – W, 44-37 (OT)

ABILENE CHRISTIAN Oct. 31 – L, 20-17

at Furman * March 6 – L, 44-37 (OT)

WOFFORD * Feb. 27 – W, 24-13

at Western Carolina * March 6 – W, 30-7

ETSU * March 6 – PPD

at Furman * Feb. 20 – L, 35-7

at Army West Point Oct. 10 – L, 14-9

at The Citadel * March 20 – 1 pm

at ETSU * March 13 – W, 17-13

at Wofford * Feb. 20 – L, 31-14

#20 WOFFORD * March 13 – W, 37-31

at The Citadel * March 6 – W, 25-24 (OT)

MERCER * March 13 – W, 41-14

at Samford * March 13 – L, 37-31

at Samford * Feb. 27 – L, 55-27

at Mercer * Feb. 27 – L, 42-28

WESTERN CAROLINA * March 27 – 1 pm

CHATTANOOGA * March 20 – 1 pm

THE CITADEL * Feb. 27 – W, 42-28

#19 VMI * March 20 – Noon CT

at #13 Furman * March 20 – 1 pm

at Samford * March 20 – 1 pm ET

VMI * March 27 – 1 pm

VMI * March 6 – L, 30-7

CHATTANOOGA * March 6 – W, 25-24 (OT)

at VMI * April 3 – 1:30 pm

at Mercer * April 3 – 3:30 pm

at VMI * March 13 – L, 41-14

at The Citadel * March 27 – 1 pm ET

MERCER * March 27 – Noon

at Wofford * March 27 – 1 pm

THE CITADEL * April 3 – 1 pm

THE CITADEL * March 13 – W, 21-14

at Western Carolina * March 13 – L, 21-14

at Mercer * April 10 – 6 pm

at The Citadel * April 10 – 1 pm

WESTERN CAROLINA * March 20 – 4:00 pm

at Chattanooga * April 10 – 2 pm ET

at Western Carolina * April 3 – 1 pm

ETSU * April 3 – 1:30 pm

at Western Carolina * April 10 – 2 pm

at Mercer * March 20 – 4:00 pm

ETSU * March 20 – 1 pm

CHATTANOOGA * April 17 – 3:30 pm

WOFFORD * April 17 – 1 pm

at Chattanooga * March 27 – Noon

MERCER * April 17 – Noon CT

SAMFORD * April 10 – 2 pm

THE CITADEL * April 17 – 1:30 pm

at Furman * April 17 – 1 pm

at ETSU * March 27 – 1 pm

SAMFORD * March 27 – 1 pm

FURMAN * April 3 – 3:30 pm

CHATTANOOGA * April 3 – 1 pm

at Wofford * April 3 – 1 pm

ETSU * April 10 – 6 pm

WOFFORD * April 10 – 2 pm

FURMAN * April 10 – 1 pm

at Samford * April 17 – 1 pm ET

at VMI * April 17 – 1:30 pm

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at ETSU * April 17 – 3:30 pm

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WESTERN CAROLINA – HONORED / RETIRED FOOTBALL NUMBERS #14 • KIRK ROACH – (1984-87) Roach was Western Carolina’s – and the Southern Conference’s – first, three-time All-America Selection (1984, 1986 and 1987) ... He additionally was the first player in league history to be a four-time, first team All-SoCon selection (1984-87), an accomplishment which has since been duplicated just three other times ... Continues to rank as Western Carolina’s all-time scoring leader with 302 points ... He connected on 71-of-101 (70.3-percent) field goals in his career and only missed one extra point, making 89-of-90 (98.9-percent) .... Roach also still holds the distinction of being the highest Catamount taken in the NFL draft, selected in the fifth round overall by the Buffalo Bills in 1987 ...

Was listed on the 2019 College Football Hall of Fame divisional ballot.

Inducted into the WCU Hall of Fame in 1996; his jersey was honored at WCU in 2006.

#54 • ART BYRD (1946-49) Art Byrd was the first football All-America selection at Western Carolina, playing guard on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball ... Helped the Catamounts to an 8-2 regular-season mark in 1949 and their first North State Conference title ... That team additionally holds the distinction of being WCU’s first team to earn a postseason bid, playing in the Smoky Mountain Bowl (Bristol, Va.) ... First Western Carolina student-athlete to have jersey retired.

Inducted into the WCU Hall of Fame in 1990.

#23 • JERRY GAINES (1970-75) An Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association All-America selection in 1974 ... Also earned AllAmerica honors in baseball and track & field while at WCU ... Set WCU records with 3,449 career receiving yards, a 20.6 average yards per reception for his career and 15 games with over 100 receiving yards ... Only the second WCU football player to have his jersey retired.

Inducted into the WCU Hall of Fame in 1990.

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HISTORY OF THE VICTORY BELL Western Carolina continues a tradition resumed in 2009, returning the “Victory Bell” – a mounted, transportable bell that rings the football team’s arrival for pre-game and also accompanies the “Pride of the Mountains” Marching Band and the Catamount Cheerleaders in their pregame parades to E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Whereas the bell is a relatively new tradition, it is actually the re-birth of an old tradition on the WCU campus as is noted on the plaque which adorns the Alumni Bell Tower, the centerpiece in the quad. The tower houses the original “Victory Bell,” which hung in the old Madison Hall from 1904 until 1938 and was run to signal class periods.

After the building was torn down, the bell was mounted on a stone base between the Moore and former Joyner Building – which was destroyed by fire – and was rung in celebration of Catamount athletic victories.

The bell was later moved closer to the Old Student Union building before making its last active move in the late 1960s to the lawn of the Hinds University Center.

The bell and its traveling apparatus were designed and constructed by Mr. Ron Bumgarner, an assistant professor of engineering technology at Western Carolina, and several students in his class.

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Official Football Signals

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