Friday, October 30, 2015

Head-to-Head vs. Chattanooga

Courtesy CatamountSports.com                  





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Thursday, October 29, 2015

WCU 2-deep vs. Chattanooga

Courtesy CatamountSports.com                             



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Wednesday, October 28, 2015

Riddle named SoCon Student-Athlete of the Week

Daniel Riddle has been named the General Shale Southern Conference Student-Athlete of the Week.  The Raleigh, N.C., native notched 11 tackles and his first career interception in the game – a one-handed snag on a throw from Samford quarterback Devlin Hodges, which he returned 46 yards to the 2-yard line. He later broke up a two-point conversion try. Riddle boasts a 3.31 grade point average as an engineering technology major.

Courtesy SoConSports.com              




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This week's Purple & Gold football picks (10-24-15)




It's week #9 in the SoCon, and it's time to make this week's SoCon football picks.

This week, we again have a full slate of conference games on the schedule.

So let's get to picking winners.....




Wofford (3-5, 1-3 Southern) at VMI (2-6, 1-3 Southern) 1:30 pm
The Terriers take to the road and change their fortunes, as they stop the Keydets win streak at one, Terriers win, 37-28

Mercer (3-4, 0-3 Southern) at The Citadel (5-2, 4-0 Southern) 2:00 pm
The Bears make their first trip to Charleston, and the Bulldogs turn out not to be good hosts for the Bears.  Terriers win, 35-17

Western Carolina (5-2, 3-1 Southern) at Chattanooga (6-1, 4-0 Southern) 2:00 pm
The Cats travel to Chattanooga to meet the nationally ranked #4 Mocs, and extract a little revenge for last seasons loss. The Cats pick up their first win in Chattanooga since 2005, Cats 28-21.

Furman (3-4, 1-2 Southern) at Samford (3-4, 1-3 Southern) 3:00 pm
The Paladins travel to Birmingham, for a game that both Furman and Samford need to win to help right their ship.  Both are coming off losses, but the Bulldogs outscore Furman by fourteen, 35-21.




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Tuesday, October 27, 2015

Lauren Martin named SoCon soccer player of the week


Catamount goal keeper Lauren Martin has been named the Southern Conference women’s soccer player of the week for competition Oct. 19-25.

Martin posted two of shutouts during the week, holding both Chattanooga and Samford scoreless and helping the Catamounts to their first SoCon weekend sweep of the season.

Martin posted four saves in the 2-0 win over Chattanooga and three more against regular-season champion Samford in a 1-0 win that snapped the Bulldogs’ nine-match winning streak.


Purple & Gold congratulates Lauren on her selection.




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2015 SoCon Football Power Rankings (Week #8)






Welcome to this week's Purple & Gold SoCon Power Rankings for the week beginning October 26, 2015. The power rankings are published on Tuesday of each week.

Previous week's ranking in parentheses.





  1.  (2)  The Citadel 
  Won last game: Furman 17 - The Citadel  38
  Record: 5-2  (SoCon 4-0) - Next: Mercer


 2.  (1)  Chattanooga
 Won last game: Wofford 17 - Chattanooga  20
 Record: 5-1  (3-0 SoCon) - Next: Western Carolina


 3.  (4)  Western Carolina
 Won last game:  Samford 36 - Western  56
 Record: 5-2  (3-1 SoCon) - Next: at Chattanooga


4.  (3) Samford
  Lost last game: Western Carolina 56 - Samford  36
  Record: 3-3  (1-2 SoCon) - Next: Furman


5.  (5)  Furman
Lost last game: The Citadel 38 - Furman 17
Record:  3-4  (1-2 SoCon) - Next: at Samford


6.  (7)  Wofford 
Lost last game: Chattanooga 20 - Wofford  17
Record:  3-5 ( 1-3 SoCon) - Next: at VMI


7. (8)  Virginia Military Institute
Won last game: Mercer 21 -  VMI  28
Record:  2-6  (1-3 SoCon) - Next: Wofford


8.  (6)  Mercer
Lost last game: VMI 28 - Mercer  21
Record:  3-4  (0-3 SoCon) - Next: at The Citadel




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Monday, October 26, 2015

Game #8 - Chattanooga Mocs



In game eight of the 2015 football season, the Catamounts return to the road, traveling across the mountains to Chattanooga, TN to play in one in one of the more difficult places in the Southern Conference for the Cats to pick up a win, Finley Stadium.

The Cats own a 16-25-0 all time record against the Mocs, having first played in 1973. Currently the Mocs have a 6 game win streak going against Western, and hold a 19-5 record in games played in Chattanooga.

The Cats have lost the last four games played in Finley, last winning  in 2005, by a final score of 38-20.  This season, the Mocs are ranked #4 nationally.




Chattanooga

When: Saturday, October 31 at 2:00 pm
Where: Finley Stadium (29,688). Chattanooga, TN
Radio: Catamount Sports Network
TV / video: ESPN3

Game Notes:  Western Carolina   -     Chattanooga

SoCon Weekly Teleconference:   Coach Speir     -     Coach Huesman


Head Coach: Russ Huesman
Huesman has orchestrated a turnaround for the Mocs over the last six years, including back-to-back Southern Conference titles and the first trip to the FCS Playoffs since 1984. A 1983 graduate of UTC and a former defensive back for Chattanooga. Huesman is the 2014 Southern Conference Coach of the Year.



Last Year's Record: 10-4 overall (home 5-1, road 5-3), 7-0 SoCon

Last Season's Game vs. Chattanooga (November 1st 2014): Catamounts Fall to No. 12 Chattanooga in Battle of SoCon Unbeatens -
No. 12/14 Chattanooga rolled up 512 yards of offense including a season-high 386 yards on the ground as it handed Western Carolina its first Southern Conference loss of the season in a 51-0 defeat Saturday afternoon at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.

Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 7 / 4 - On offense, the Mocs lost running back Keon Williams, wide receiver Tommy Hudson, tight end Faysal Shafaat, and guard Chris Mayes to graduation. While not a starter last season (but probably would have started in 2015, Troy Dye a redshirt senior, has decided not to return for his fifth season.
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 7 / 4 - On defense, the Mocs lost two defensive ends in Zack Rayl and Davis Tull, defensive tackel Daniel Ring, and linebacker Muhasibi Wakeel to graduation
Specialist - Returning/Lost: 4 / 3 - On special teams, the Mocs lost punter/kicker Nick Pollard, and returners Tommy Hudson and Maquis Green to graduation.

Offensive Formation: multiple
Defensive Formation: multiple

The Mocs are coming off back-to-back Southern Conference titles, including last year’s 7-0 record in league play. Chattanooga advanced to the quarterfinals of the 2014 FCS Playoffs with a 10-4 overall record and is a preseason top-10 squad.

At the 2015 SoCon Media Day, the two-time defending champion Mocs were picked by both the coaches and media to repeat their championship run. Eight Mocs earned first-team mention, while four more slotted on the second team.  Senior quarterback Jacob Huesman is the preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and is joined on the first team offense by junior offensive lineman Corey Levin, while the defense netted five led by senior defensive tackle Josh Freeman. Juniors Keionta Davis (DE), Nakevion Leslie (LB) and Dee Virgin (Jr.) and sophomore safety Lucas Webb (FS) join Freeman. Junior Henrique Ribeiro is first team pick at place-kicker. Three offensive performers and one defender are on the second team ledger. Junior safety Cedric Nettles accompanies senior guard Synjen Herron, junior wide receiver C.J. Board and sophomore center Jacob Revis.

2015 Chattanooga Statistics (YTD  - 7 games):
Rushing Offense: 1589 yards
Yards per game: 227
Yards per rush: 4.9 yards
TDs rushing: 13
Passing Offense: 1081 yards or 154 yards per game
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 105-165-6
Total Offense: 2670 yards or 381 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 48
Rushing 1st downs: 93
Fumbles-Lost: 5 - 1
Penalties-Yards: 36 -- 341 yards
3d Down Conversions: 47 of 100 or 47%
4th Down Conversions: 5 of 11 or 45%
Field Goals - Attempts: 10 of 12
Red-Zone Scores: 25 of 31 (81%)
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 17 of 31 (55%)
Punts (No. Yards): 29 (1178 yds)
Avg, per punt: 41 yds
Sacks: 22
PAT-Attempts: 24 of 24 - 100%
Field Goals-Attempts: 10 of 12
On-Side Kicks: 0 of 0

Who has the Bulldogs played prior to Western?
The Mocs are 6-1 overall, 4-0 in the SoCon, and have won 6 games in a row. They are 2-1 at home and 4-0 on the road. They currently rank #4 nationally.

The Mocs opened the season with a loss at home against #7 Jacksonville State, 20-23.

Chattanooga remained at home for game two, as the Lions of Mars Hill visited, and the Mocs' picked up their first win of the season, a 10 point victory, 34-44 over the Div. II team. The Mocs Derrick Craine ran for a career-best 169 yards with four touchdowns,

In game 3, the Mocs traveled to Samford and collected another 10 point win, this time against the Bulldogs, 31-21.

Game 4 kept the Mocs on the road, traveling to Clinton, SC to meet Presbyterian, where the Mocs shut out the Blue Hose, 21-0.

In game 5, the Mocs returned to Chattanooga, to face the Furman Paladins. The Paladins were only able to put up a first quarter field goal, as the Mocs pulled off a 31-3 win.

Game 6 took the Mocs to Lexington to meet the VMI Keydets. It took the Mocs' kicker, Henrique Ribeiro four field goals, which tied a school record for Chattanooga to win the game, 33-27.

On the road for the second week, the Mocs traveled to Spartanburg to meet the Wofford Terriers in game 7.  Chattanooga kicker,  Henrique Ribeiro,  again saved a game for the Mocs - for the second straight week -  as he booted a 38-yard feild goal as time expired for a 20-17 win at Wofford.



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Sunday, October 25, 2015

Soccer beats #1 Samford on Senior Day






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Saturday's SoCon Football Round-up (10-24-15)



Week number eight is now in the books. This week had a few surprises, so here's how Saturday's games played out.

A full conference slate helped to shake out the standings just a little, but both first place teams won, while the two teams in last place battled it out. It was almost a visiting team sweep today, but the Catamounts held on at home, while Wofford, Furman and Mercer didn't get the job done in their home stadium.


Chattanooga at Wofford
Chattanooga's Henrique Ribeiro kicked a 38-yard field goal to end the game and give Chattanooga a 20-17 victory over the Terriers. Jacop Huesman completed three passes and ran for 21 yards on two carries to set up Ribeiro's game-winning kick.
Purple & Gold's pick was "UTC spoils the Terriers Homecoming with a 28-14 victory."


The Citadel at Furman
The Bulldogs' Cam Jackson ran for 78 yards and two touchdowns and Vinny Miller added 70 more yards rushing to help lead The Citadel past Furman 38-17.  Bulldog QB Dominique Allen threw for 67 yards and ran for 35 more with two scores for the Bulldogs who rushed for 388 total yards on 63 carries.
Purple & Gold's pick was "the Citadel picks up another road win, 28-14."


VMI at Mercer
The Keydet's Al Cobb passed for 391 yards and two touchdowns to lead VMI to a 28-21 win over Mercer. Both Mercer and VMI entered the game winless in the SoCon, and the Keydet win snapped a 30-game road losing streak. Cobb completed 28 of his 40 passes, including TD throws to Samuel Patterson and Quan Myers. Derrick Ziglar rushed for 104 yards on 22 carries, including a pair of first half touchdowns.
Purple & Gold's pick was "home field gives the edge to the Bears, 28-24"


Samford at Western
Catamount QB Troy Mitchell threw for 352 yards and became Western Carolina's all-time leader for passing in program history, breaking the previous 36-year benchmark held by Mike Pusey.as the Cats roared past Samford for a 56-36, to halt an 11-game losing skid to Samford dating back to 1969. The game ended with a wild fourth quarter where the two teams scored a combined 41 points, capped by Spearman Robinson's 49-yard return for a score of a failed Samford onside kick attempt with 46 seconds left.
Purple & Gold's pick was "Cats win 28-21."


This week's record: 3-1 (overall this season 35-12 )


After 8 weeks of play.... the standings
1. (tie) Chattanooga  4-0
1. (tie) The Citadel  4-0
3. Western Carolina  3-1
4. Furman  1-2
5. (tie) Samford  1-3
5. (tie) Wofford 1-3
5. (tie) VMI 1-3
8. Mercer  0-3


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Cats down Samford, 56 - 36


Video Courtesy CatamountSports.com                            


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Saturday, October 24, 2015

Purple & Gold's Player of the Game (Samford)

Photo by Mark Haskett
















Purple & Gold's Catamount Player of the Game for the Samford contest is Troy Mitchell

Mitchell completed 22 passes on 33 attempts for 352 yards and a pair of touchdowns with no interceptions and added 45 yards rushing on 10 carries.

Mitchell's favorite targets were wide receiver Steffon Hill and tight end Tyler Sexton, both hauling in six receptions apiece. Hill finished with a game-high 119 yards receiving while Sexton finished with 102 -- both career-best numbers. Karnorris Benson finished with three catches for 75 yards. On the defensive side of the ball, Trey Morgan led the Catamount defenders with 15 tackles, followed by Tyson Dickson with 13 tackles.

On the strength of Troy's 352 yard passing, he became Western Carolina’s all-time leader for passing in program history, breaking the previous 36-year benchmark held by Mike Pusey (6,160 yds from 1977-79) … Following Saturday’s game, Mitchell now has with 6,406 career passing yards.


Purple & Gold congratulates Troy on his selection of Player of the Game.



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Thursday, October 22, 2015

Mike Brown selected preseason All-Conference



Catamount senior Mike Brown has been selected to the 2015 SoCon preseason all-conference team as selected by the coaches, the preseason team was released today by the conference office.


Last season, Brown was the Catamounts' second leading scorer averaging 13.8 points per contest. He also shared the team lead in rebounds per game with 6.3. He was named Southern Conference Player of the Week on Jan. 13 last season as well. He returns as WCU's leading scorer and looks to lead the Catamounts this season.

2014-15 (Junior): Started all 32 games for the Catamounts ... Set numerous career-highs throughout the season ... Named SoCon Player of the Week Jan. 13 ... Led the team in scoring six times ... Led or shared the team lead in rebounding in 12 games throughout the year ... Averaged 13.8 points per game to rank second on the team ... Shared the team lead in rebounding with 6.3 caroms per game ... Shared the team's Most Improved Player Award ... Shot 45.8 percent from the field, 36.8 percent from 3-point range and 67.0 percent from the free throw line ... Scored a career-high 27 points against UNCG (01/10) ... Scored 20-plus points four times throughout the year ... Grabbed a career-high 16 rebounds at Furman (02/26) including nine offensive boards ... Had four double-digit rebound games including three of the final four games of the season ... Finished with three double-doubles ... Tied a career-high with four assists against Georgia State (11/25), VMI (02/21) and The Citadel (02/28) ... Tied a career-high with three steals against ETSU (01/15) and at UNCG (01/31) ... Blocked a career-high four shots against Furman (01/05) ... Knocked down four 3-pointers in a game three times during the year including going 4-4 from long range against Mercer (02/12).

2013-14 (Sophomore): Appeared in all 34 games with two starts ... Tied a career-high with 11 points in the season opener against Wittenberg (11/08) ... Scored eight points at Virginia Tech (111/5) .. Scored nine points in a season-high 23 minutes at Kent State (11/21) ... Had a career-high 17 points on a perfect 7-for-7 from the floor including three triples against Niagara (11/22) ... Scored ten points in the come-from-behind win against Limestone (11/26) ... Came off the bench and went a perfect 4-for-4 from the floor including two threes for 13 points against UNCG (01/02) ... Had a career-high 10 rebounds , six offensive and four defensive, at Wofford (01/20).

2012-13 (Freshman): Appeared in all 33 games with two starts for the Catamounts during freshman campaign ... Averaged 16.6 minutes, 3.5 points and 3.2 rebounds per game ... Scored in double figures three times ... Made first collegiate appearance at the 14:49 mark in the opening game at UNC Asheville (11/09) ... Scored first collegiate points on a three-point play following an offensive rebound with 13:10 on the clock in the first half ... First double-digit scoring game, 10 points, came against Mars Hill (11/11) ... Grabbed a career-high nine rebounds in the game ... Tallied a career-high 11 points on 4-of-5 shooting from the floor at Eastern Kentucky (12/01) ... Earned first career start at Georgetown (12/15) ... Went 6-of-8 from the free throw line against UNCG (01/12) ... Made first Southern Conference start against Elon (01/14) ... Played 32 minutes and scored ten points on 4-of-6 shooting ... Had a career-high four assists at Georgia Southern (02/09) ... Grabbed five offensive rebounds against Chattanooga (02/28) ... Made the game-winning basket in the final regular season game as time expired in overtime against Samford (03/02) ... Played a career-high 35 minutes in the win.

Prior to Western Carolina: Scored 775 points in his first three high school seasons including a career-best 512 as a junior ... As the squad's co-captain, he helped guide West Charlotte High and head coach Baronton Terry to the North Carolina 4-A State Championship with a 28-2 overall record in 2011, earning Most Valuable Player honors of the title game ... WCHS defeated Raleigh Millbrook, 78-69, in the championship game in Chapel Hill.



Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

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Basketball Cats picked 6th/8th in SoCon Polls

The Catamounts were picked to finish in 6th place by the SoCon media and in 8th place by the SoCon coaches in polls released today by the conference office. Hopefully this lack of respect by the coaches and media for this team will be a real motivator in the upcoming season.

Media
SoCon Men’s Basketball Predicted Order of Finish – Media Poll Team
1. Chattanooga (18) 266
2. Wofford (9) 250
3. Mercer 194
4. ETSU 186
5. Furman (1) 167
6. Western Carolina 157 
7. Samford 114
8. UNCG 98
9. The Citadel 56
10. VMI 54

Coaches 
Predicted Order of Finish Team (1st-Place Votes) Total
1. Chattanooga (7) 78
2. Wofford (2) 74
3. Mercer (1) 59
4. ETSU 55
5. Furman 51
6. UNCG 42
7. Samford 34
8. Western Carolina 27 
9. The Citadel 16
10. VMI 14

2015-16 Preseason All-Conference Team 
A.J. Merriweather, ETSU
Stephen Croone, Furman
Kayel Locke, UNCG
Tevon Saddler, UNCG
Darius Jones-Gibson, Samford
Casey Jones, Chattanooga
Justin Tuoyo, Chattanooga
QJ Peterson, VMI
Mike Brown, Western Carolina 
Spencer Collins, Wofford

2015-16 Preseason Player of the Year 
Casey Jones, Chattanooga


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WCU 2-deep vs. Samford




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Wednesday, October 21, 2015

This week's Purple & Gold football picks (10-24-15)


It's week #8 in the SoCon, and it's time to make this week's SoCon football picks.

This week, we have a full slate of conference games on the schedule. This weekend should help provide a little separation in the middle log-jam.

So let's get to picking winners.....



Chattanooga (5-1, 3-0 Southern) at Wofford (3-4, 1-2 Southern) 1:30 pm ET
The Mocs travel to Spartanburg riding a five game winning streak. UTC spoils the Terriers Homecoming with a 28-14 victory.

The Citadel (4-2, 3-0 Southern) at Furman (3-3, 1-1 Southern) 1:30 pm ET
The Bulldogs remain on the road, this time visiting Furman. The Paladins aren't able to defend the home turff, as the Citadel picks up another road win, 28-14.

VMI (1-6, 0-3 Southern) at Mercer (3-3, 0-2 Southern) 3:00 pm ET
This one is a tough call, VMI has shown signs of putting it together, while the Bears have been close in most of their games. I think the home field gives the edge to the Bears, 28-24

Samford (3-3, 1-2 Southern) at Western Carolina (4-2, 2-1 Southern) 3:30 pm ET
It's Homecoming in Cullowhee, a packed house is expected, and they won't be disappointed in the outcome of the game. Cats win 28-21.



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\

Catamount Basketball - #23 Justin Browning

The Catamount Basketball season tips off on November 13th in Cincinnati as the Catamounts open the season against the Bearcats at 7:00 pm on ESPN3. To start getting folks in the mood for basketball in the middle of football season, lets take a look at this season's team.

We'll start with the freshmen and move up to the seniors.

#23 Justin Browning


Class: Senior
Hometown: Sylacauga, Ala.
High School: Sylacauga HS
Height / Weight: 6-4 / 175
Position: F




2014-15 (Junior): Appeared in 31 games for the Catamounts while starting 12 ... Was fifth on the team in scoring (5.8 ppg.) and fourth in rebounding (4.5 rpg.) ... Led or shared the team lead in rebounds in five games for WCU ... Was second on the team in blocked shots with 27 ... Shot 55.2 percent from the field, 30.8 percent from 3-point range and 72.6 percent from the free throw line ... Scored five points, grabbed five rebounds and had four steals in the season opener at Mississippi State (11/14) ... Connected on his first 3-pointer of the season against MSU, which marked his first career 3-pointer ... Earned his first start of the season against Chicago State (11/26) while scoring 12 points, grabbing five rebounds, blocking three shots and swiping three steals ... Scored in double-figures seven times including a career-high 15 against The Citadel (01/03) ... Set a new career-high with nine rebounds at VMI (01/29) and then matched it when VMI came to Cullowhee (02/21) ... Matched his career-high of three blocked shots three times during the season ... Had a career-high four steals in the opening game of the season and went on to match the number three more times ... Dished out a career-best six assists at ETSU (12/03) while blocking three shots ... Started seven games midway through the season and then started the final three games of the year.

2013-14 (Sophomore): Appeared in 32 of the 34 games with one start ... Had a career game against Wittenberg (11/08) with three steals and three blocks ... Tied his career-high with six points in back-to-back games, at Virginia Tech (11/15) and at Liberty (11/16) ... Tied a career-high with three steals at Cleveland State (12/16) ... Scored a career-high 10 points at The Citadel (01/25) ... Collected seven rebounds for a career-high in the game and tied a career-high with three steals ... Had his first career start at Elon (01/30).

2012-13 (Freshman): Had two appearances for the Catamounts ... Made collegiate debut against Mars Hill (11/11) ... Scored first and only points at the 7:20 mark in the second half.

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a two-time all-county selection, helping guide Sylacauga High to a 24-7 record as a junior for head coach Josh Golden ... A two-star recruit by Rivals.com, Browning has averaged 12 points and eight rebounds per game through his first three years as a prep, adding a 1.5 assist per game and three steals per contest average ... Hunter describes Browning - the son of Kimberly Browning - as "a gifted athlete" who claimed the state 5-A high jump championship as a junior with a leap of 6-foot,4-inches ... Played alongside fellow WCU signee, Rhett Harrelson, with the Alabama Celtics AAU team during the summer.


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Tuesday, October 20, 2015

Samford 2-deep vs. Western Carolina

Courtesy SamfordAthletics.com                                      





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2015 SoCon Football Power Rankings (Week #7)




Welcome to this week's Purple & Gold SoCon Power Rankings for the week beginning October 19, 2015. The power rankings are published on Tuesday of each week.

After our second full week of conference play, things are shaping up at least on the the top and bottom of the standings. It's that middle that's still a log jam of teams hoping to move up. So lets take a look. Note last week’s ranking in (parenthesis).




 1.  (1)  Chattanooga
 Won last game: VMI  27 - Chattanooga  33
 Record: 5-1  (3-0 SoCon)



2.  (3)  The Citadel 
Won last game: Samford  25 - The Citadel  44
Record: 4-2  (SoCon 3-0)


3.  (2) Samford
  Lost last game: The Citadel  44 - Samford  25
  Record: 3-3  (1-2 SoCon)


 4.  (5)  Western Carolina
 Won last Game:  Wofford  17 - Western  24
 Record: 4-2  (2-1 SoCon)

5.  (4)  Furman
Bye Week
Record:  3-2  (1-1 SoCon)


6.  (7)  Mercer
Won last game: East Tenn State  0 - Mercer  52
Record:  3-3  (0-2 SoCon)

7.  (6)  Wofford 
Lost last Game: Western Carolina  23 - Wofford  17
Record:  3-4 ( 1-2 SoCon)


8. (8)  Virginia Military Institute
Lost last Game: Chattanooga  33 -  VMI  27
Record:  1-6  (0-3 SoCon)







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Catamount Basketball - #4 Torrion Brummitt

The Catamount Basketball season tips off on November 13th in Cincinnati as the Catamounts open the season against the Bearcats at 7:00 pm on ESPN3. To start getting folks in the mood for basketball in the middle of football season, lets take a look at this season's team.

We'll start with the freshmen and move up to the seniors.

#4 Torrion Brummitt


Class: Senior
Hometown: Columbus, Ga.
High School: Shaw HS
Height / Weight: 6-7 / 240
Position: F




2014-15 (Junior): Started all 32 games for the Catamounts ... Tied for the team lead in rebounds per game (6.3) and was fourth in scoring (11.2) ... Shot 46.3 percent from the field and 68.1 percent from the free throw line ... Shared the team's Most Improved Player Award ... Named the team's Scholar Athlete Award winner ... Made first collegiate start at Mississippi State (11/14) and scored six points ... Scored in double-figures 19 times for the Catamounts including a season-high 31 points against VMI (02/21) ... Had three double-doubles and had four double-digit rebound games ... Had a career-high 14 boards against ETSU (01/15) ... Made his first career 3-pointer against UNCG (01/10) ... Had a season-high three blocked shots five times during the season ... Tied a career-high with three assists against Alabama (11/17) ... Scored at least one point in every game during the season ... Played a career-high 43 minutes against VMI while going 11-15 from the field and 9-13 from the free throw line.

2013-14 (Sophomore): Appeared in 33 games ... Tallied six career-highs against Wittenberg (11/08) including 12 points, on 5-of-7 shooting, and six rebounds ... Played a career-high 28 minutes against Niagara (11/22) ... Had a career-high seven rebounds in the game ... Scored a career-high 16 points against Milligan (12/30) ... Made a career-high six free throws in the game ... Missed the Davidson (01/23) game with an injury ... Grabbed a career-high seven rebounds in the overtime win over App State (02/08) ... Scored seven points on 3-of-4 shooting from the floor in the Southern Conference Tournament's semifinal upset win over No. 1 seed Davidson (03/09).

2012-13 (Freshman): Made an appearance in 16 of the team's 33 games ... Averaged 4.9 minutes per game ... Made his collegiate debut and scored his first basket at the 15:56 mark in the second half against UNC Asheville (11/09) ... Grabbed a career-high four rebounds in the UNCA game ... Played 11 minutes for a career high and scored four points against Warren Wilson (01/07) ... Tied a career-high with four rebounds in the game ... Notched 11 minutes tying a career-high against Chattanooga (02/28) with a career-high six points ... Went 4-of-7 from the free throw line.

Prior to Western Carolina: Averaged 12.1 points and 9.0 rebounds per game as a junior for the Raiders and head coach Anthony Jenkins ... As a sophomore, was named Defensive Player of the Year and team MVP ... Over his amateur career, he has played AAU basketball for the Georgia Blazers and the Atlanta Knicks.



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Monday, October 19, 2015

Homecoming - Purple on the Prowl







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Coach Speir Challenges the Catamount Nation





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Game #7: Samford Bulldogs


For the seventh game of the season, the Catamounts return to Cullowhee to meet the Samford Bulldogs on  Homecoming weekend for the Catamounts.

The Bulldogs visit Western after losing three of their last four games, and are coming off an embarrassing 25-44 loss to the Citadel in Birmingham last Saturday.

The Cats are 1-11 overall against the Bulldogs since winning the first outing back in 1969, but Samford owns an eleven game winning streak against Western and the Cats are 0-5 in games played in Cullowhee against Samford. Since they joined the Southern Conference in 2008, Western is 0-7 against the Bulldogs. This is the first time the Bulldogs have traveled to Cullowhee since 2012, as the two teams played at Seibert Stadium the last two years due to conference realignments.


Samford

Where : E.J. Whitmire Stadium. Cullowhee, NC
Radio : Catamount Sports Network
TV / video:   SoCon Digital Network
Game Notes:      Western Carolina        -          Samford


Head Coach: Chris Hatcher
Hatcher was named Samford’s 36th head football coach on Dec. 11, 2014. His career record is 121-57 in 15 years as a college head coach at Murray State, Georgia Southern and Valdosta State. Hatcher served as the head coach at Murray State since 2010.and had five seasons with the Racers, Hatcher’s teams employed the high-powered “Hatch Attack” offense to top the Division I-FCS football charts. In 2014, the Racers ranked second in the nation in passing offense, averaging 327.2 yards per game. The team also ranked 15th in total offense at 468.3 yards per contest.


Last year’s record (Samford):  7-4 overall (home 5-1, road 2-3), 5-2 SoCon

Last Season's Game vs. Samford (Nov 8, 2014): Strong First Half Leads Samford Past Western Carolina, 34-20  -  Samford's Denzel Williams scored two touchdowns on the ground as a part of a 156-yard rushing performance and quarterback Michael Eubank tossed a pair of first half touchdown passes as the Bulldogs rode a 28-point outburst in the opening half to a 34-20 victory over Western Carolina in Southern Conference action at Seibert Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Offensive starters - Returning/Lost: 8 / 3  - The Bulldogs lost the following starters: left guard Kyle Champion, center Jordan Boatright, and wide receiver Kelvin Clay to graduation.
Defensive starters - Returning/Lost: 7 / 4  - On defense, the Bulldogs lost starters Brinson Porter, NG Jerry Mathis, DE Brandon Wilkinson, and safety Jaquiski Tart to graduation
Specialist - Returning/Lost: 3  / 4 - The Bulldogs lose punter Greg Peranich, kickoff  Michael O'Neal, punt returner Robert Clark, to graduation
Offensive Formation: Multiple  (Is the "Hatch Attack" gone?)  "I had to kind of change my thinking a little bit to try and keep the continuity as close to what it was last year as possible," Hatcher said. "There weren't many adjustments, many modifications. It was me that learned."
Defensive Formation: 4-3


The Bulldog offense returned a trio of playmakers from 2014 in dual-threat quarterback Michael Eubank, along with his top target Karel Hamilton and the workhorse running back Denzel Williams, Collectively, these three accounted for 34 of the team's 44 touchdowns last season. "We want to be up-tempo, want to get the ball in space to people who can make big plays, who know how to score,"

In the preseason SoCon polls, the coaches picked Samford to finish second and the Southern Conference Sports Media Association (SCSMA) picked Samford to come in third.

Samford senior defensive lineman Michael Pierce was named the Southern Conference's Preseason Defensive Player of the Year when the league released its preseason awards at the SoCon's annual Media Day Wednesday. A total of nine Samford players were named to the All-Conference teams. Pierce was joined on the first team by running back Denzel Williams, offensive lineman Gunnar Bromelow, wide receiver Karel Hamilton, linebacker Justin Cooper and defensive back James Bradberry. Samford's second team representatives were Tony Philpot, Alec Hulmes and Jamerson Blount.

2015 Samford Statistics (YTD - 6 games):
Rushing Offense: 874 yards
Yards per game: 146
Yards per rush: 4.0 yards
TDs rushing: 12
Passing Offense: 1935 yards  or 323 yards per game
Passing Comp-Att-Int: 167-241-8
Total Offense: 2809 yards or 468 yards per game
Passing 1st downs: 78
Rushing 1st downs: 51
Fumbles-Lost: 19 - 6
Penalties-Yards: 30 - 273 yards
3d Down Conversions: 44 of 90
4th Down Conversions: 2 of 6
Red-Zone Scores: 17 of 20 (85%)
Red-Zone Touchdowns: 11 of 20 (55%)
Punts (No. Yards): 30 (1283 yds)
Avg, per punt: 42.8 yds


Who has the Bulldogs played prior to Western?  

This season, the Bulldogs are 3-3 overall, and 1-2 in the SoCon.  They are 2-2 at home, and 1-1 on the road.

First up was Central Arkansas. Samford opened the 2015 season and the Chris Hatcher era with a 45-16 win over the Bears. Samford quarterback Michael Eubank completed 21-of-37 passes for a career-high 372 yards and a career-high four touchdowns. Eubank completed touchdown throws of 66, 55, 35 and 16 yards in the contest.

Next, the Bulldogs welcomed Florida A&M to Birmingham. Samford rolled up a school-record 752 yards of total offense on its way to a 58-21 win over A&M  at Seibert Stadium. With the win, Samford improved to 2-0 on the season..Michael Eubank completed 24-of-32 passes for 280 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. Karel Hamilton caught eight passes for 104 yards. Denzel Williams rushed 11 times for 106 yards and a touchdown, while K'rondis Larry had 16 rushes for 98 yards and a score.

In game three, the Bulldogs opened their SoCon schedule against Chattanooga, again in Birmingham. The Bulldogs dropped their first game of the season in the 31-21 decision to 10th-ranked Chattanooga in the Southern Conference opener for both teams. Chattanooga was led by quarterback Jacob Huesman, who rushed 23 times for 150 yards and a touchdown, and he completed 14-of-23 passes for 181 yards, two touchdowns and an interception. C.J. Board caught six passes for 92 yards and a touchdown.

The next weekend, the Bulldogs traveled to Louisville, where they dropped a 45-3 loss to the Cardinals for the second straight Bulldog loss.

The Bulldogs then traveled to Lexington, VA and VMI. where the got back to winning with a 49-13 road Southern Conference win. Michael Eubank completed 31-of-42 passes for 337 yards and three touchdowns, Emmanuel Obajimi had seven catches for 109 yards and two scores. Gavin Sinclair hauled in three passes for 70 yards and a touchdown.

The Bulldogs returned home to meet the other Bulldogs, The Citadel.  The Citadel football team rushed for 424 yards on its way to a 44-25 win in Birmingham. Samford played two quarterbacks in the game. Starter Michael Eubank completed 14-of-20 passes for 137 yards and an interception, and he led the team in rushing with 36 yards and a touchdown on seven carries. Backup Devlin Hodges completed 23-of-31 passes for 277 yards, one touchdown and one interception.








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