Purple & Gold's WCU Player of the Game - Troy Mitchell

Photo by Mark Haskett 

This season's first Purple & Gold - WCU Player of the Game goes to junior quarterback Troy Mitchell, who set a WCU single-game record, with a career-high 46 pass completions on 66 pass attempts in the season-opener against the University of South Florida.

Troy Mitchell was also selected as the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week, the College Sports Madness' SoCon Offensive Player of the Week and Palmetto & Pine Sports' first Player of the Week!

Troy tossed a pair of touchdown passes and rushed for a third score, amassing a career-high 374 yards passing. which ties him for the ninth-best, single-game performance.  By halftime, Mitchell had surpassed his career-high for completions with 22 in the opening two quarters - his previous high was 20, coming against Mars Hill.  

Mitchell shattered two single-game records - his 46 pass completions established a new benchmark at WCU, passing former Catamount Brian Gaither's record of 35 completions set in 2003. Mitchell's 66 pass attempts surpassed Jeff Gilbert's 57 attempts against Chattanooga in 1984.

Mitchell threw for a career-high 374 yards with two touchdowns, matching a ninth place record held by Mark Smith (1987 vs. The Citadel) and Jimmy Williams (1966 vs. Appalachian State).

The Catamount Sports Forum, along with Purple & Gold congratulates Troy in his Player of the Game and Player of the Week selections.

Join the conversation and leave a comment below

Post Game Highlights: USF

Video Courtesy CatamountSports.com

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We hope you've enjoyed our fifth annual Catamount Sports Forum "100 days to Football Kickoff Countdown".

1 Day 'till Kickoff - #1 Shaun Warren

It's now 1 day until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we highlight a running back.

#1 Shaun Warren

Class: Senior
Hometown: China Grove, N.C.
High School: Jesse C. Carson HS
Height / Weight: 5-7 / 180
Position: RB



Notes: Enters his season with 10 rushing touchdowns including a career-best five as freshman and four as a junior ... He is just 224 yards shy of 1,000 rushing for his career ... Is averaging 20.4 yards per kickoff return during his career.

2013 (Junior): Played in 11 of the team's 12 games as a reserve in the offensive backfield and on special teams, serving as the team's primary kickoff returner ... Rushed 39 times for 163 yards and four touchdowns coming in four separate games ... Was fourth on the team with 24 points scored ... Added four receptions for 33 yards out of the backfield ... Rushed for a season-high 55 yards in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State ... Missed the Virginia Tech game ... Returned a team-high 22 kickoffs for 427 yards ... Finished ranked third in the Southern Conference in kick return average at 19.4 yards per return ... Finished with 623 all-purpose yards, averaging 56.6 per game to rank third on the team ... Named to the 2013-14 Southern Conference Honor Roll ... Rushed nine times for 29 yards with one catch for nine yards for the Purple Squad in WCU's annual Spring Game.

2012 (Sophomore): Saw action in all 11 games on the season with one start as a part of a two-back set coming at Furman ... Rushed 31 times for 159 yards and a touchdown while also catching four passes for 26 yards out of the backfield ... Was used extensively on kickoff returns, returning 19 kicks for 411 yards, both team highs ... Averaged 21.6 yards per kickoff return, a mark which ranked seventh in the SoCon ... Nearly broke a return for a score against Chattanooga, posting a career-long return of 43 yards ... Finished the season with 596 all-purpose yards to rank second on the team ... Rushed three times during WCU's annual Spring Game.

2011 (Freshman): Played in 10 games as a true freshman, missing the Samford game ... Made four starts at running back ... Led the team with 454 yards rushing on 91 carries, tallying five rushing scores to rank tied for second in scoring with 30 points ... Added one catch for seven yards out of the backfield giving him 461 all-purpose yards ... Named to the 2011 Southern Conference All-Freshman team ... Rushed for a career-high 203 yards on a career-best 21 carries in the home win over Mars Hill, amassing four rushing touchdowns ... Posted a career-long run of 82 yards against Mars Hill ... Was named the Southern Conference Freshman of the Week for his performance against Mars Hill, while also garnering honorable mention at running back by the College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) ... Was named The Sports Network/Fathead.com FCS Freshman of the Week ... He was the eighth different Catamount to record 200-or-more yards rushing in a single-game and the fifth-different, first-year player to post 200-yards on the ground ... Matched two school records in the Mars Hill win, scoring four rushing touchdowns to match a record that had been accomplished twice and tallying three, first half rushing scores - a mark that dated back to 1981 ... Added his fifth rushing TD at top-ranked Georgia Southern ... Carried the ball 15 times for 49 yards in WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: Concluded his prep career with 6,023 yards rushing and over 60 rushing touchdowns in three seasons ... Led the state of North Carolina in rushing as a senior, amassing 2,967 yards - the second-highest total in state history - with 31 rushing TDs to earn State Offensive Player of the Year by NC Preps.com ... Rushed for over 200 yards 10 times for head coach Mark Woody ... Earned All-North Piedmont Conference and North Piedmont Offensive Player of the Year honors, while also garnering All-Area and All-State accolades.

Personal: Full name is Shaun Everith Warren ... Is the son of Shaun, Sr., and Trina Warren ... Both parents ran track in high school ... Has an older sibling, Greg, who played high school football at A.L. Brown HS.


Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2 Days 'till Kickoff - #2 Jaleel Lorquet

It's now 2 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight another defensive back.

#2 Jaleel Lorquet

Class: Junior
Hometown: Jesup, Ga.
High School: Wayne County HS
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 175
Position: DB



2013 (Sophomore): Played in all 12 seasonal games, making 11 starts - starting every game except the Chattanooga game on the road ... Finished fifth on the team with 60 tackles on the year including 32 solo stops and two tackles for loss with half a sack ... Ranked tied for 37th overall in the SoCon in tackles ... Posted five-or-more tackles in eight games ... Recorded a career-best nine tackles against Furman, making five solo stops and posting 1.5 tackles for loss ... A career-high six of his eight tackles at Auburn were unassisted ... Credited with a team-high eight pass break-ups and was ranked tied for ninth in the conference with an 0.67 passes defended average ... Recovered a fumble in the home win over Mars Hill.

2012 (Freshman): Saw action in all 11 games in the defensive secondary, making 10 starts - each game with the exception of the Marshall road game ... Recorded 44 total hits including 23 solo stops and half a tackle for loss ... Had at least two tackles in every outing ... Posted a pair of interceptions and two pass break-ups ... Named to the Southern Conference's All-Freshman team ... Credited with a then career-high six total stops against nationally-ranked Georgia Southern ... Made his first career interception on the road at Elon, picking off a Phoenix pass in the end zone to thwart a would-be scoring drive and returned the ball 13 yards ... Tallied his second interception at home against Chattanooga.

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a three-time all-region selection in southern Georgia for head coach Jody Grooms at Wayne County High ... As a senior, rushed for 612 yards and eight touchdowns while also totaling 115 receiving yards ... Defensively, posted 44 tackles and recorded three interceptions, returning one for a touchdown ... Additionally forced four fumbles from his position in the secondary ... Also played basketball as a prep.

Personal: Full name is Jaleel Kadrid Lorquet ... Is the son of Eulanda Durden.


Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

3 Days 'till Kickoff - #3 Fred Payne

It's now 3 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight a defensive back.

#3 Fred Payne

Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Gainesville, Ga.
High School: Gainesville HS
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 185
Position: DB



2013 (Freshman): Played in all 12 games on the season with one appearance in the starting lineup coming at Chattanooga ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State, tallying his first career tackle ... Credited with 11 seasonal tackles including seven solo stops ... Recorded a career-high four tackles twice including four at Chattanooga and at Appalachian State ... Tallied his first career interception against SEC-foe, Auburn, picking off a Jeremy Johnson pass over the middle, pulling it away from the receiver ... Also recovered a fumble against the Tigers ... Named to the 2013-14 Southern Conference Honor Roll ... Blocked a field goal attempt during WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: A four-year varsity letter winner, credited with 360 career tackles with 14 interceptions and a quarterback sack ... Was a two-time first team All-Area selection and earned All-State in his final season ... As a senior, posted a career-high 121 tackles and five INTs while also catching five passes for 296 yards and four touchdowns ... Had a 90-yard kickoff return for a TD against Apalachee High ... Returned an interception 72 yards and a fumble 35 yards for a touchdown in a state playoff game ... Additionally tallied five receptions for 296 yards and four receiving touchdowns in his final season as a prep ... Finished with a career-best 136 total tackles including 88 solo stops as a junior ... Listed as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com.

Personal: Full name is Fredtavious Diquan Payne ... Is the son of Anita Harrison, grandmother Edith Williams and aunt, Crystal Wilmont ... Has two siblings - Anika Carrington and Nikita Payne ... His cousin, A.J. Johnson, plays football at Tennessee ... Worked as a mentor and volunteered with local elementary schools and the Boys & Girls Club.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

4 Days 'till Kickoff - #4 Sertonuse Harris

It's now 4 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight a line backer.

#4 Sertonuse Harris

Class: Junior
Hometown: Mableton, Ga.
High School: Pebblebrook HS
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 200
Position: LB



2013 (Sophomore): Started in the defensive secondary in 12 of the seasonal games despite battling through nagging injuries most of the year ... Finished third on the team with 96 tackles including 45 solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss ... Ranked 12th in the Southern Conference with an average of 8.0 tackles per game ... Tallied double-digit tackles three times including matching a career-high with 16 stops at home against The Citadel, 14 against Furman in Cullowhee and 10 on the road at Samford ... Forced a fumble in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State ... Named to the 2013 Fall Academic All-SoCon team and to the 2013-14 Southern Conference Honor Roll ... Was limited during spring drills and did not play in WCU's annual Spring Game.

2012 (Freshman): Started 10 of WCU's 11 games as a true freshman ... Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team ... Finished third on the team with 93 total tackles including 48 solo stops and 3.5 tackles for loss with two sacks ... Recorded double-digit tackles in five games including a career-high 16 against nationally-ranked Appalachian State ... Made a career-high eight solo tackles against the Mountaineers ... Was tied for the team lead with four forced fumbles including one on a quarterback sack in the end zone against Samford that was recovered for a game-opening touchdown ... Recovered one fumble and was credited with a pass break-up ... Named to the 2012-13 Southern Conference Honor Roll ... Finished with eight tackles in WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: Selected to the Cobb Senior Bowl as a senior ... Three-year letter winner that played both as a running back and defensive back in high school, rushing for 1,249 yards in three seasons including 557 and five touchdowns as a senior ... Caught 30 passes for 389 yards and three TDs ... Defensively, tallied 115 total hits including 59 solo stops and one interception ... Named team's defensive player of the year and offensive back of the year as a senior ... Earned Cobb County Offensive Player of the Week plaudits during his junior season and picked up defensive weekly honors in his final year ... Joined by high school teammate, quarterback C.J. Goodman, to sign at WCU in 2012.

Personal: Full name is Sertonuse I. Harris Jr. ... Is the son of Qudeski Curtis Sr., and Shauntel Strozier ... Has four siblings ... His cousin, James Davis, played college football at Clemson before going on to play for the Detroit Lions ... His grandfather, Roy Harris, also played pro football for both Atlanta and Tampa Bay.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

WCU 2-Deep at South Florida

Depth Chart Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

5 Days 'till Kickoff - #5 Willie Police

It's now 5 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight another wide receiver.

#5 Willie Police

Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Marietta, Ga.
High School: Lassiter HS
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 170
Position: WR



2013 (Freshman): Played in all 12 of the team's seasonal games, making five starts at wide receiver ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State with his first career start coming in the home-opener against Mars Hill ... Finished the season third on the team in receptions and receiving yards, hauling in 40 catches for 367 yards ... Added nine rushing yards on three attempts to finish with 376 all-purpose yards on the year ... Made his first rush against ACC-foe, Virginia Tech, with a nine-yard end-around ... Recorded his first collegiate reception against The Citadel - a 23-yard pitch-and-catch in the third quarter ... Tallied a career-best seven catches twice against both Wofford and Elon at home ... Hauled in a career-long reception of 36 yards as a part of a career-best 63 yards receiving at home against Furman ... Named to the Southern Conference All-Freshman team.

Prior to Western Carolina: Named the Region 5-AAAAAA Offensive Player of the Year ... Tabbed second team offense at wide receiver in the 2012 Georgia Sportswriters Association (GSWA) All-State ... Also listed on the 2012 Football All-Senior team by the GPB Sports Blog ... An All-County WR, was selected to the Cobb County All-Star Senior Bowl ... Recorded a 206-yard receiving performance against Kell High in Sept. of 2012 which included a 90-yard touchdown catch as a part of the four TD game ... Earned the TD Club of Atlanta's Back of the Week honor ... Played running back as a junior.

Personal: Is the son of Shunta Hammond.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Kentrell Barkley

Kentrell Barkley
Position:  Small Forward


Hometown:  Durham, NC
High School:  Northern High School
Height:  6'5"
Weight:  180 lbs


Scholarship Offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Barkley has offers from Appalachian State, Campbell, Charlotte, East Carolina NC Central, UNCW, Middle Tenness, Radford, UNCG, and Western Kentucky.

Phenom Hoop Report: Barkley is blessed with a tremendous basketball body. He has size, strength and an enormous 6’11 wingspan. Without question, Barkley has the entire physical attribute that is envied by division one-college coaches. However, it is the intangibles that are even more impressive. Recently, Kentrell Barkley was instrumental in leading Team Loaded Virginia to back-to-back Big Shots Myrtle Beach Slam Championships. In the Big Shots I championship, Team Loaded Virginia beat the pre-tourney favorite Team Loaded North Carolina featuring consensus top ten players nationally Dennis Smith and Edrice Adebayo. His performance in Big Shots II was so impressive that he was named the tournament’s MVP.

Highlights:




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6 Days 'till Kickoff - #6 C.J. Goodman Jr.

It's now 6 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight a wide receiver.

#6 C.J. Goodman Jr.

Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Mableton, Ga.
High School: Pebblebrook HS
Height / Weight: 5-11 / 185
Position: WR



2013 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all 12 games making three starts at wide receiver including his first career start in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State ... Caught 16 passes for 182 yards, making his first career reception at MTSU ... Posted a career-high five catches in the season-finale against Appalachian State with a career-best 46 yards receiving against Furman ... Returned three kickoffs for a combined 51 yards with a long of 17 accomplished twice ... Credited with one tackle assist on the season.

2012 (Freshman): Redshirted.

Prior to Western Carolina: Selected to the Cobb Senior Bowl as a senior ... Listed as a "dual threat quarterback" ... As a junior, threw for over 1,340 yards and 10 touchdowns, adding over 430 yards rushing and four scores ... Also ran track & field as a prep, competing in the high jump and sprint events ... Joined by high school teammate, Sertonuse Harris, to sign at WCU in 2012.

Personal: Full name is Curtis Bernard Goodman Jr., but goes by C.J. ... Is the son of Curtis Goodman Sr., and Monica Brown ... Has three siblings - Brent Brown, Jarrett Brown and Jordan Brown.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

7 Days 'till Kickoff - #7 Christon Gill

It's now 7 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight a linebacker.

#7 Christon Gill

Class: Senior
Hometown: Bridgeport, Conn.
High School: Bridgeport Central HS
Last College: Avon Old Farms Prep
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 225
Position: LB



2013 (Junior): Started all 12 games at the linebacker position ... Was second on the defensive unit with a career-best 101 tackles including 49 solo stops and 2.5 tackles for loss ... Recorded double-digit tackles four times including 10 against The Citadel, 12 against nationally-ranked Wofford, a career-high 13 in the win over Elon and 12 against Furman ... Posted eight-or-more tackles in seven of the 12 games ... His 8.4 tackles per game average ranked sixth in the Southern Conference ... Forced two fumbles on the year ranking tied for eighth in the SoCon (0.17 per game) while recovering one ... Tallied three pass break-ups and recorded his first career interception at ACC-foe, Virginia Tech, intercepting Logan Thomas.

2012 (Sophomore): Played in six games, all as a reserve on the WCU defense ... Finished the season with nine total tackles including two solo stops ... All of his tackles came in the road game at Marshall in early September.

2011 (Freshman): Played in 10 of WCU's 11 games, making seven starts as a true freshman ... Finished with 62 tackles to rank third on the team, recording three tackles for eight yards of losses ... Recorded double-digit tackles three times ... Had 35 solo stops, fourth on the team ... Recovered two fumbles including one against Elon and one at Samford, returning the takeaway 20 yards ... Made his collegiate debut in the second game of the year against Mars Hill, recording three total tackles including two solo stops ... Earned his first collegiate start against Furman, securing 11 total hits with four solo stops and a pass break-up ... Posted his career-best of eight solo stops at Appalachian State as a part of his career-high 13 total tackles ... Credited with six tackles in WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a three-time all-league selection as both a quarterback and defensive back as a prep ... the two-way athlete rushed for nearly 2,000 yards and 37 touchdowns, caught 29 passes for 469 yards and six scores while also passing for over 3,000 yards and 21 scores at Bridgeport Central ... On defense at BCHS, was credited with over 230 tackles and 23 interceptions ... Became the first quarterback to win the MVP award at the Thanksgiving Day game ... In one season of post-graduate play at Avon, rushed for 1,159 yards and 20 touchdowns while also hauling in 22 passes for 600 yards and eight TDs - defensively, recorded nine interceptions ... Rated as a two-star athlete out of high school by Rivals.com ... Also played basketball as a prep, earning all-league honors in helping Bridgeport Central win the state championship his senior year ... Was originally recruited by Penn State out of high school.

Personal: Full name is Christon Lamar Gill ... Is the son of Beverly Gill ... Has three siblings - Chakeya, Kelleray and Shynaya ... His brother played football at American International College in Springfield, Mass.


 Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

WCU Football Suspensions

Western Carolina Athletic Director Randy Eaton announced today the suspension of five WCU football players.  In total, there will be four (4) players suspended for one game, and one (1) player suspended for two (2) games.

Four of the player suspensions are for violation of WCU's academic standards for class attendance; tutors; and the Academic Enhancement Program.

Serving a one game suspension will be defensive linemen Fred Mooring & Tahjai Watt, defensive back Bryson Jordan, and wide receiver Seth Curtis.  The four will will serve their one game, departmental levied suspension by not traveling to Tampa, Fla., for the season-opener against the University of South Florida.

"Last year, we initiated more rigid standards of attendance, punctuality and behavior as it related to our Academic Enhancement Program (AEP), which includes tutor sessions, study hall and classes. Unfortunately, some of our student-athletes did not take this seriously and they are now facing the consequences," said Eaton, "I want to make sure the young people within our athletic department understand the meaning of 'student-athlete,' even if it is a difficult lesson for some of them."

The fifth student-athlete that will be serving a suspension is junior wide receiver Karnorris Benson, who will be serving a two game suspension from NCAA rules related to academic eligibility requirements from the 2013 fall semester.

Catamount Baseball Team Accepts ALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Video Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

2014 Position Previews: Quarterbacks

Video Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

8 Days 'till Kickoff - #8 Spearman Robinson

It's now 8 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight wide receivers.

#8 Spearman Robinson

Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Greenwood, S.C.
High School: Greenwood HS
Height / Weight: 6-4 / 215
Position: WR



2013 (Sophomore): Did not participate in football in the fall, rejoining the team for spring drills.

2012 (Freshman): Played in nine of WCU's 11 games including six starts at wide receiver, missing the final two games of the regular season ... Was second on the team with 39 receptions and 376 yards including a long of 47 yards with one touchdown reception ... Ranked fifth in the SoCon with a 4.3 receptions per game average while his 41.8 receiving yards per game ranked eighth ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener against Mars Hill, catching five passes for 16 yards ... In his first career start at ninth-ranked Wofford, caught a career-high nine passes for 91 yards ... Matched his career-best with nine catches for a career-high 139 yards at Elon, hauling in his first receiving TD on a 47-yard scoring strike from classmate Troy Mitchell.

Prior to Western Carolina: In three seasons on the varsity squad, hauled in 104 passes for 2,111 yards and 15 touchdowns at Greenwood High including 1,042 yards and 12 scores as a senior ... Was selected as a senior team captain ... Guided the squad to back-to-back state championship finals appearances, garnering All-Lakelands and all-region plaudits as a senior ... Was chosen to play in the North-South Shrine Bowl ... Helped the school record the most wins over a two-year period in school history (26-4) ... Also played basketball as a prep.

Personal: Full name is Kenneth Spearman Robinson, but goes by Spearman ... Is the son of Ken and Barbara Robinson ... His uncle played football at Western Carolina.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

Soccer Preview vs EKU and ECU

Video Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

2014 Position Previews: Special Teams

Video Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

9 Days 'till Kickoff - #9 Wes Holcombe

It's now 9 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll continue to highlight quarterbacks.

#9 Wes Holcombe

Class: Freshman
Hometown: Rabun Gap, Ga.
High School: Rabun County HS
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 185
Position: QB



Prior to Western Carolina: Passed for over 3,500 yards in his final two seasons of high school including over 2,300 yards and 16 touchdowns as a junior ... Was an offensive honorable mention at QB on the 8-AA All-Region team ... In addition to quarterback, also played in the defensive secondary as a prep, moving to the position primarily as a senior after a thumb injury ... Played for former Catamount Lee Shaw at Rabun County HS.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

10 Days 'till Kickoff - #10 Troy Mitchell

It's now 10 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll continue to highlight quarterbacks.

#10 Troy Mitchell

Class: Junior
Hometown: Houston, Texas
High School: Cypress Falls (Texas) HS
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 205
Position: QB



2013 (Sophomore): Played in 11 of the team's 12 games making nine starts in the offensive backfield ... Finished with a team-high 1,614 yards passing, completing 131-of-227 (57.7%) of his passes on the year with 12 touchdown passes against 10 interceptions ... Rushed 133 times for 565 yards, ranking second on the team in total rushing yards and average per game (51.4 yds/gm) ... Ranked fifth in the Southern Conference in both passing (146.7 yds/gm) and total offense (198.1 yds/gm) ... Additionally ranked fourth in the league in passer efficiency (126.1) ... Opened the season with touchdown passes in each of the first three games ... Threw for a career-best 350 yards and a career-high three touchdown passes in the come-from-behind victory over Mars Hill, matching a career-best with 20 completions ... Tallied a career-best 414 yards of total offense against the Lions ... Rushed for a season-high 106 yards against The Citadel - his two, 100-yard rushing games have both come against the Bulldogs ... Credited with a solo tackle ... Completed 15 of his 26 pass attempts for 156 yards and two TDs, carrying the ball nine times for 29 yards on the ground in WCU's annual Spring Game.

2012 (Freshman): Saw action in all 11 of the team's games, making five starts at quarterback ... Became the third true freshman quarterback to start at WCU since 1991, joining Chad Greene (1991) and Brandon Pechloff (2010) ... Named to the 2012 Southern Conference All-Freshman team ... Rushed 112 times for 433 yards, second on the squad ... Led the team with eight rushing touchdowns, the most by a Catamount QB, surpassing Josh Brook's five rushing scores in 1996 (research back to 1967) ... Finished the season with a team-leading 50 points, adding a two-point conversion rush ... Completed 85-of-142 pass attempts for 862 yards with four touchdowns and four interceptions ... Led WCU in total offense, amassing 1,295 yards - a mark which ranked him eighth in the SoCon ... Tossed his first career touchdown pass to Jacoby Mitchell at Elon, coming on his 66th career pass attempt ... Twice named SoCon Freshman of the Week ... Picked up his first honor after completing 20-of-29 passing (both career highs) for 149 yards and rushing for 38 yards and a pair of scores in the season-opener against Mars Hill ... Was the fourth WCU freshman or redshirt freshman QB to earn SoCon honors after first career start (Adam Hearns, 2007; Zack Jaynes, 2008; Brandon Pechloff, 2010) ... Again earned SoCon and SouthernPigskin.com Freshman of the Week honors after guiding WCU's second-half comeback at Elon with 175 yards passing and two touchdown passes ... Threw for a then career-best 176 yards on 18-of-30 passing against Chattanooga.

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a three-year starter who threw for over 2,400 yards and 30 touchdowns as a senior at Cypress Falls High in Houston, Texas ... Earned Texas 5-A All-District 17 honors following his senior season ... Dual-threat QB who tossed seven touchdown passes in a single-game against Elsik in bi-district playoff meeting in Nov. 2011 ... Earned the Marine Corps Elite Warrior of the Week honor following a 331-yard, six TD performance against Jersey Village ... Was named second team all-district as a junior.

Personal: Full name is Troy Lavaughn Mitchell ... Is the son of Troy and Shanita Mitchell ... Has two siblings, Raybon and Zurie ... Was born in Mobile, Ala., before moving to Texas.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2014 WCU Position Previews: Tight Ends

Video Courtesy CatamountSports.com

11 Days 'till Kickoff - #11 Jackson McDonald

It's now 11 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we'll highlight quarterbacks.

#11 Jackson McDonald

Class: Freshman
Hometown: Flowery Branch, Ga.
High School: Flowery Branch HS
Height / Weight: 5-11 / 195
Position: QB



Prior to Western Carolina: A dual-threat quarterback who earned first team all-region for 8-AAAAA in Georgia as a senior ... As a junior, passed for 1,627 yards and 819 yards rushing while accounting for 32 touchdowns including 18 rushing and 17 through the air passing ... Listed as a two-star prospect by Rivals.com and 247sports ... Led Flowery Branch to a Region 8-AAAAA title in 2012 ... High school coach was Chris Griffin.

Personal: Is the son of Gus McDonald and Tracy Ferguson.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2014 WCU Position Previews: Defensive Backs

12 Days 'till Kickoff - Ian Berryman

It's now 12 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

No player is assigned #12 at this time, so we'll highlight another freshman.

Ian Berryman

Class: Freshman
Hometown: Marietta, Ga.
High School: Fellowship Christian School
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 185
Position: P

Prior to Western Carolina: Though he played predominantly at the punter position, also has experience as a wide receiver and quarterback as a prep ... Was a first team all-region selection as a punter as a senior, also earning second team all-state plaudits from the Cedrick Oglesby Kicking Academy ... Ranked fourth on Kornblue Kicking's Fab Top 50 Punters rankings ... Also played soccer as a prep for a ranked Fellowship Christian boys program.

Personal: Intends to major in athletic training.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Rayjon Tucker

Rayjon Tucker
Position:  Small Forward




Hometown:  Charlotte, NC
High School:  Northside Christian Academy
Height:  6'5"
Weight:  185 lbs


Star Ratings:  Scout - 3 start, Rivals - 3 stars, ESPN - 4 stars

Scholarship offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Rayjon has offers from  Virginia Tech, PC, Radford, UNCG, Campbell, Charlotte, Gardner-Webb, Boston College, Winthrop, Western Kentucky, Wofford, and Rode Island.

Under Armour Invitational: Rayjon is a highly competitive player that is an elite level slasher. He attacks the rim with a ferocity and has great expolsiveness. he has good length and is an active defender that does a good job of playing the passing lanes and creating turnovers

Highlights:

 


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13 Days 'till Kickoff - Kris Smith

It's now 13 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

No player is assigned #13 at this time, so we'll highlight a recent transfer from Indiana to the Catamounts. Kris will wear the previously vacant #25 this season.

Kris Smith

Class: RS Freshman
Hometown: Flowery Branch, Ga.
High School: Flowery Branch HS
Last College: Indiana
Height / Weight: 6-2 / 200
Position: LB


2013 (Freshman): Redshirted the 2013 season at Indiana ... Was a two-time scout team player of the week (Missouri and Michigan State) for the Hoosiers ... Transferred to WCU prior to the 2014 season.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played two years of football at Flowery Branch and also lettered in track and field ... Played linebacker for head coach Chris Griffin at Flowery Branch High School ... Made 103 tackles, 12 sacks, including one safety, and 21 tackles for loss as a senior ... Named first team all-state and all-region selection ... Earned the team's most outstanding linebacker ... Played in the 2012 GACA North-South All-Star Game and the 2012 East-West Metro Atlanta All-Star Game ... Participated in the 2012 U.S. Army National Combine ... Team won the Region 8-AAAA championship in 2011 and 2012 ... Rated the No. 41 outside linebacker nationally by ESPN.com out of high school ... Tabbed a 2012 Flowery Branch Scholar-Athlete.

Personal: Full name is Kristopher Bryce Smith ... Is the son of Sean and Pam Smith.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Hunter Seacat

Hunter Seacat
Position:  Power Forward



Hometown: Mooresville, NC
High School:  Lake Norman HS
Height:  6'9"
Weight:  208 lbs
AAU Team:  PSB  Select



Scholarship offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Hunter has offers from Coastal Carolina, Radford, Furman, High Point, Winthrop, Loyola (MD), UNCW,  Gardner-Webb, William & Mary, ETSU, Towson, Samford, ASU, Lehigh, Dartmouth, James Madison, Charlotte, & Princeton.

PSB Select - "Hunter is a long, athletic big guy. He is a natural shot blocker with tremendous length (7’0” wing span), and he snatches any rebound that is in his area. He moves his feet well to be able to slide in front of his man, as well as come over to help out his teammates. Hunter’s best attribute is his ability to run the floor, especially on a fast break, and he scores well over his left shoulder. Hunter can also knock down a jump shot from 15-18 feet with consistency and has more recently started to make 3’s. Hunter’s ceiling is unlimited as he is still growing and finally beginning to get comfortable with his lanky body. He most recently led his Lake Norman HS team to the NC high school state championship game alongside Kishawn Pritchett."

ACCOMPLISHMENTS:
 •All-Conference
 •All-State
 •NC Top 80

Highlights - hudl


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14 Days 'till Kickoff - #14 Karnorris Benson

We're now only 2 weeks out -

It's now 14 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

#14 Karnorris Benson

Class: RS Junior
Hometown: Atlanta, Ga.
High School: Therrell HS
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 205
Position: WR



2014 (Redshirt Junior): Named to the College Football Performance (CFPA) Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Wide Receiver Award Watch List for 2014 ... Including his record-tying dozen TDs a season ago, has 13 career touchdown receptions - just two shy of a six-way tie for seventh in WCU's career record books and 13 shy of Gerald Harp's school-record of 26 set between 1977-80.

2013 (Redshirt Sophomore): Started all 12 games at wide receiver ... Hauled in a team-leading 51 receptions for a career-high 834 yards ... Matched WCU's 30-year old school single-season record for receiving touchdowns in a season set by Eric Rasheed back in 1983 with 12... Named second team All-Southern Conference by both the league's head coaches and voting media ... Earned first team All-SoCon accolades as selected by College Sports Madness ... Finished the season ranked second in the league with a 69.5 yards per game average and fifth with 4.2 receptions per game ... the top scoring wide receiver in the SoCon, ranked fourth in the SoCon in scoring (touchdowns) averaging 6.0 points per game ... His 72 points scored were tied for the fourth-most by an individual in the SoCon in the fall, and were the most by a Catamount individual since 2001 when Fred Boateng finished with 74 points, adding a two-point conversion to his 12 rushing TDs. ... Recorded 100-or-more yards in four games on the year including 113 at Middle Tennessee State; 116 against nationally-ranked Wofford; 129 in the home win over Elon; and the top receiving performance of any wide out in the SoCon this season with his career-high 212 yards in WCU's home win over Mars Hill ... Was a two-time College Football Performance Awards (CFPA) honorable mention - career-high 212 receiving yards on nine catches including three TDs in the home win over Mars Hill on Sept. 23 and in the home win over Elon after two scoring receptions of 80 and six yards ... Became just the fifth WCU receiver to eclipse the 200-yard receiving plateau with the 212 yards ranking third on the school's all-time single-game receiving records.

2012 (Redshirt Freshman): Started four of the nine games in which he saw action ... Finished fourth on the team with 19 receptions while his 349 receiving yards were the third-most on the squad ... Tallied receptions in eight of the nine games he appeared ... Recorded a career-high 83 yards receiving at nationally-ranked Wofford ... Pulled down a career-best four catches at Furman, finishing with 75 yards ... Hauled in his first career touchdown pass against Chattanooga on a 42-yard score that gave WCU a 24-16 halftime lead over the Mocs ... Tallied a team-high seven receptions for 90 yards and three touchdowns in WCU's annual Spring Game. 2011 (Freshman): Originally signed with Western Carolina in the 2010 incoming class but did not qualify, sitting out his freshman season ... Later granted a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: As a two-way player, amassed over 1,400 yards receiving with 16 touchdowns on offense and recorded 142 career tackles in two varsity seasons at Therrell HS ... Set a city record with nine interceptions his senior season, finishing with 16 career INTs ... Tabbed All-Area by the Atlanta-Journal Constitution (AJC) ... Named Defensive Player of the Year as a junior... Also rushed 17 times for 200 yards and a pair of scores along with completing four passes for 30 yards and a score ... Earned first team All-State as a wide receiver during his final prep season.

Personal: Full name is Karnorris Bernard Benson... Is the son of Lula Kemp.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2014 Position by Position Previews: Running Backs

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15 Days 'till Kickoff - #15 Michael Helms Jr.

It's now 15 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

#15 Michael Helms Jr.

Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Morganton, N.C.
High School: Freedom HS
Height / Weight: 6-2 / 235
Position: TE



2013 (Redshirt Freshman): Saw action in 11 of the team's 12 games, missing the season finale at Appalachian State ... Made six starts at tight end ... Hauled in 10 passes for 181 yards and a touchdown ... Caught a career-best two passes in three different games ... Recoded his first career reception on a 15-yard completion against FBS-foe, Virginia Tech ... Tallied a pair of receptions for a career-best 79 receiving yards at Samford, posting a career-long catch of 65 yards - the second-longest reception by a Catamount on the year ... Caught an eight-yard touchdown pass in the home overtime win over Elon for his first collegiate score ... Was also credited with two tackles ... Named to the SoCon All-Freshman team.

2012 (Freshman): Did not see game action, taking a redshirt ... Converted from quarterback to wide receiver early in the 2012 season ... Made the move to tight end during spring drills ... Enrolled at Western Carolina for the spring semester in January, 2012 and participated in 2012 spring drills with the Catamount football team ... In the annual spring game, completed all three pass attempts for 13 yards while rushing for 27 on the ground.

Prior to Western Carolina: Two-time Burke County Player of the Year and a three-time All-South Mountain Athletic Conference selection ... Garnered the league's offensive player of the year plaudits as a junior after throwing for a school-record 2,652 yards and 30 touchdowns, adding 361 rushing yards and eight rushing TDs ... For his three-year varsity career, threw for 6,227 yards and 77 touchdowns, adding 1,008 yards rushing and 20 scores on the ground ... Set and matched a school-record with 30 passing touchdowns as both a junior and senior, collecting five passing touchdowns in four different games ... Selected to play in the North-South Shrine Bowl ... Also ran track and played golf as a prep.

Personal: Is the son of Mike Sr. and Barbara Helms ... His father, Mike, is a former football standout at Lenior-Rhyne and the head football coach at Freedom High while his mother played collegiate basketball at Wake Forest and currently coaches girls basketball at Hickory High ... Has a younger brother, Brandon.


Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Luke Maye

Luke Maye 
Position: Power Forward


Hometown:  Cornelius, NC
High School:  Hough HS
Height: 6'8"
Weight:  230 lbs
AAU Team:  Team United



Stars:  Rivals - 3 stars; ESPN - 4 stars


Scholarship offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Maye has offers from Gonzaga, St. Joseph's, Notre Dame, Rhode Island, CofC, Clemson, Charlotte, Davidson, Richmond, and VT.

Jamie Shaw, SE Region Scout - "Luke Maye is a rugged player. Always around the action, defends and rebounds hard. Pushes the break with control and vigor. Finishes at rim or in the mid range. Has soft touch beyond 3, a quick release. Can handle in open court or from the wing."


Highlights -




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16 Days 'till Kickoff - #16 Terryon Robinson

It's now 16 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

#16 Terryon Robinson

Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
High School: Decatur HS
Height / Weight: 5-11 / 190
Position: WR




2013 (Freshman): Saw action in all 12 games on the season making 11 starts at wide receiver ... Made his collegiate debut by starting the season-opener at Middle Tennessee State ... Finished second on the team with 41 catches for 562 yards and two touchdowns ... Tallied catches in 11 of his 12 games on the season, shutout at ACC-foe, Virginia Tech ... Added five punt returns for 17 yards for a combined 579 yards of total offense ... Recorded his first career reception and first collegiate touchdown on the same play - a 35-yard second quarter scoring strike from Troy Mitchell at MTSU ... Ranked ninth in the Southern Conference in receiving yards per game (46.8 yds/gm) - a mark that was third among all league freshmen ... Finished 10th in the SoCon in receptions per game (3.4) ... Led the team in receiving five times including the final three games of the year ... Tallied a career-best 91 receiving yards and a second touchdown at Chattanooga ... Posted his career-high for catches with six against Furman ... Credited with two solo tackles.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity team member at Decatur High ... Finished with 94 catches for 1,660 yards and 22 receiving touchdowns ... Averaged 17.7 yards per reception during his career ... Despite nursing a sprained ankle most of his senior season, finished with 44 receptions for 480 yards and five touchdowns ... Also had two TDs on punt returns and seven interceptions as a cornerback ... Named to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution's All-Region 6-AAA squad ... Played in the DeKalb County Coaches Association Senior All-Star Game ... Also played basketball as a prep.

Personal: Is the son of Lionel & Anita Robinson ... Has two brothers, Dominicus and Michael, and a sister, Andrea.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2014 WCU Position Previews: Wide Receivers

   

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17 Days 'till Kickoff - #17 Damian Whitaker

It's now 17 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

#17 Damian Whitaker


Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
High School: Druid Hills HS
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 195
Position: DB



2013 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all 12 games as a defensive reserve and on special teams ... Credited with four total tackles including three solo stops ... Tallied a career-high two hits in the season finale against Appalachian State ... Led the team with three fumble recoveries, ranking tied for second in the Southern Conference in the category (3, 0.25/gm) ... Recovered fumbles against Virginia Tech, Georgia Southern and Appalachian State - all three games coming on the road.

2012 (Freshman): Redshirted ... Recovered a fumble for the lone takeaway in WCU's annual Spring Game, emerging from a scrum with the ball after John McBeth had punched it loose following a short pass completion.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner who was twice named All-AVCA and twice tabbed to the All-Region team as a junior and senior ... Rushed for 322 yards and six touchdowns as a senior while also hauling in 23 passes for 264 yards and two TDs ... Defensively, recorded 63 tackles including 41 solo stops with four interceptions as a senior as a part of earning team MVP honors ... Earned the Matthew Hardeman Award and was a HBCU All-Star in his final season in high school ... Also ran track as a prep, earning Most Improved Runner.

Personal: Full name is Damian Raynard Whitaker ... Is the son of Reginald and Marian Whitaker ... Has three cousins who play football at Sewanee University, Villanova and Ole Miss.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Jerome Robinson

Jerome Robinson
Position:  Shooting Guard


Hometown:  Raleigh, NC
High School:  Needham Broughton HS
Height:  6-5
Weight:  170



Scholarship offers: In addition to Western Carolina, Robinson has offers from NCCU, Campbell, Radford, Richmond, UNCW, Boston College, FIU, Old Dominion, and Miami (OH).



 Highlights: 

 


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WCU Position Previews: Wide Receivers

Video Courtesy CatamountSports.com

18 Days 'till Kickoff - #18 Garrett Brown

It's now 18 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

#18 Garrett Brown

Class: Senior
Hometown: Asheville, N.C.
High School: Erwin HS
Height / Weight: 6-0 / 195
Position: QB




Note: Prior to the 2014 season, roster moves prompted his return to the quarterback position for which he was recruited to Western Carolina initially ... Has played in 28 career games with limited time as a QB - most of which came in the "Wild Catamount" formation his freshman season.

2013 (Junior): Appeared in eight games on the season, starting the season at wide receiver before converting to running back midway through the season ... Rushed six times for 26 yards on the season ... Carried the ball a season-high three times and 17 yards at Auburn ... Led the team with eight punt returns for 60 yards, averaging 7.5 yards per return ... Finished with 86 all-purpose yards on the year.

2012 (Sophomore): Appeared in all 11 games, twice making a start on offense at wide receiver at Furman and Alabama ... Caught seven passes for 98 yards on the season, adding 20 rushing yards on two carries to give him 118 all-purpose yards on the season ... Matched a single-game career-high with three receptions at Furman, also rushing twice for 20 yards ... Sparked a scoring drive against the Paladins by completing his first collegiate pass - a 16-yard strike to Nate Stephenson.

2011 (Freshman): Played in eight games with two starts at wide receiver, making his debut at home against Mars Hill ... Saw most of his action early in the "Wild Catamount" formation as the quarterback ... Made his first collegiate reception seven games into the year, catching a 17-yard pass early in the third quarter against The Citadel ... Finished with five catches for 124 yards and a touchdown ... Posted a career-high of three catches for 94 yards against The Citadel, hauling in a 61-yard scoring strike as the only points for WCU in the loss ... Recorded 11 rushes for 31 yards and one touchdown, scoring his first collegiate points on a three-yard run in the home opener against Mars Hill ... Also returned four kickoffs for 56 yards including a long of 22 ... On the baseball diamond, played in 24 games, scoring eight runs and stealing five bases in six attempts.

Prior to Western Carolina: Named the 2010 Asheville Citizen-Times All-Western North Carolina Football Player of the Year after accounting for a WNC-record 55 touchdowns his senior year ... Set a Buncombe County record for passing yards in 2010, amassing 3,429 yards ... Selected to the NCPreps.com 3-A All-State football team as a quarterback ... Is a two-sport athlete and will play both football and baseball at WCU ... An All-Mountain Athletic Conference (MAC) outfielder and catcher, was selected by the Colorado Rockies in the 43rd round of the 2011 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft ... On the diamond as a senior, hit a team-leading .449 with six home runs, four doubles and 13 RBI ... Stole 17 bases in 18 attempts .


Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

P&G's Theme Song - Start Wearing Purple

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19 Days 'till Kickoff - #19 Seth Curtis

It's now 19 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today, we'll highlight wide receivers.

#19 Seth Curtis

Class: RS Sophomore
Hometown: Murphy, N.C.
High School: Murphy HS
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 185
Position: WR



2013 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in nine games on the year as a reserve wide receiver ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Middle Tennessee ... Recorded two pass receptions for 34 yards including a career-long 18-yard catch, all coming at Samford.

2012 (Freshman): Redshirted ... Caught three passes for 47 yards including a 28-yard TD reception in WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: Set the Murphy HS record for career yardage (rushing and passing) with 7,794 yards including over 5,000 yards through the air ... As a three-year starter, led the Bulldogs to 33 victories ... Tabbed as the NCPreps.com 1-A Player of the Year ... Also named the Asheville Citizen-Times All-WNC Player of the Year while also being touted as the 2011 Smoky Mountain Conference Back of the Year ... Guided the Bulldogs to back-to-back state title games, winning Murphy a NCHSAA 1-A championship as a senior - the first state championship for the school since 1996 ... Threw for 2,111 yards and 21 touchdowns with just five interceptions while also rushing for 1,301 yards and 20 TDs.

Personal: Is the son of David and Melanie Curtis.

Courtesy WCU Athletics Media Relations

2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Ike Smith

Ike Smith
Position:  Shooting Guard

Hometown:  Gainesville, FL
High School:  Gainesville HS
Height:  6'4"
Weight:  170 lbs
AAU Team:  Florida Elite



Scholarship offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Smith has offers from South Alabama, Ohio, and Arkansas State

Source hoops:  "Ike Smith, a 6’3 guard from Gainesville High, played both the point and off-the ball. We liked him better off the ball as he had too many unforced turnovers when he was charged with directing the offense. Smith shoots the ball well off the catch and is a solid free throw shooter. As long as he sticks to making the easy pass, he does a respectable job of finding open teammates for shots when on the move. One plus is that he is a very good rebounder for his size."

Highlights -

 

The 2014 POM sings The Alma Mater

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20 Days 'till Kickoff - #20 Darius Ramsey

It's now 20 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today, we'll continue to highlight running backs.

#20 Darius Ramsey

Class: Junior
Hometown: Waco, N.C.
High School: Burns HS
Height / Weight: 5-8 / 185
Position: RB



2013 (Sophomore): Started all 10 games in which he saw action on the season, missing the first two games of the season for precautionary reasons due to a nagging foot injury ... Recorded a single-season best 570 rushing yards on 139 carries with four rushing touchdowns ... Ranked 10th in the Southern Conference in rushing, averaging a team-best 56.5 yards per game ... Eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark three times including a season-high 116 yards against Furman ... Added 11 receptions for 86 yards and a TD coming out of the backfield ... Caught his first career touchdown pass on a 25-yard reception at Appalachian State in the season finale ... Finished third on the team in both scoring with 30 points and total offense with 570 yards (57.0 yds/gm) ... Named to the 2013 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Credited with a tackle ... Named to the 2013-14 Southern Conference Honor Roll ... Rushed seven times for 28 yards overall, adding a reception out of the backfield while also rushing for a touchdown in the special overtime, non-scored session just after the halftime break in WCU's annual Spring Game.

2012 (Freshman): Appeared in nine of WCU's 11 games with four starts at running back ... Led the team with 503 yards rushing on the season, averaging a team-leading 55.9 yards rushing per game to rank 10th in the SoCon ... Scored a pair of rushing touchdowns ... Ranked third on the team with 25 receptions out of the backfield, finishing with 131 yards with a 14.6 yard per game average ... Named to the 2012 Southern Conference All-Freshman team ... Started the season opener in the backfield in his collegiate debut against Mars Hill, rushing for a career-high 120 yards on 20 carries ... Set career highs with four catches for 32 yards at Marshall ... Recorded his first collegiate touchdown at ninth-ranked Wofford, plunging in from two-yards out with 5:25 remaining in the third quarter ... Eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark a second time at The Citadel, collecting 118 yards on 16 carries ... Rushed for 72 yards and his second career TD against Chattanooga ... Named to the 2012-13 Southern Conference Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Named the Cleveland County Player of the Year and was selected to the Cleveland County All-County team as a senior ... Selected to the second team offense of the All-Region team by the Charlotte Observer ... Rushed for 1,928 yards - the fifth-best in county history - with 31 touchdowns as a senior, accounting for 198 total points - the highest single-season total in county history ... Helped guide Burns HS to the NCHSAA West Region finals, finishing with a 13-2 record ... Finished his career with 4,627 yards, the tops in Burns High history and third all-time in the county .. .Was a three-time South Mountain Athletic Conference selection ... Was joined by Burns High teammate Brandon Littlejohn in signing with WCU in 2012.

Personal: Full name is Darius Devon Ramsey ... Is the son of Derrick and Phyllis Ramsey ... Has a younger sister, Breiona.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

First Preseason Football Scrimmage

Courtesy SoConSports.com


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2015 WCU Basketball Prospect - Trey Phills

Trey Phills
Position:  Shooting Guard



Hometown:  Charlotte, NC
High School:  Charlotte Christian School
Height:  6'2"
Weight::  180
AAU Team:  Carolina Hawks



Scholarship Offers:  In addition to Western Carolina, Trey has received offers from UC Irvine, The Citadel, Appalachian State, Radford, Mercer, ETSU, Prairie View A&M, Gardner-Webb, UNCA, High Point, Penn,  Yale and Loyola.

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2013/12/28/4573263/charlotte-christians-trey-phills.html#.U-bUQvldWSo

Highlights -

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WCU's Bobby Moranda Takes #StrikeOutALS Ice Bucket Challenge

Courtesy CatamountSports.com


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21 Days 'till Kickoff - #21 Detrez Newsome

It's now 21 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today, we'll continue to highlight running backs.

#21 Detrez Newsome

Class: Freshman
Hometown: Raeford, N.C.
High School: Hoke County HS
Height / Weight: 5-10 / 200
Position: RB



2013 (Freshman): Joined the WCU football team for spring drills ... Led all running backs with 39 yards on 14 carries, fumbling once during WCU's annual Spring Game.

Prior to Western Carolina: Named the Southeastern 4-A co-Offensive Player of the Year by the Fayetteville Observer, tallying all-conference accolades ... According to NCPreps.com, rushed for over 2,000 yards on over 240 carries with 37 touchdowns as a senior ... Recorded 402 yards on the ground on 20 rushes for an average of 20.1 yards per carry, scoring six touchdowns in the 2012 season-opener against Wilmington Ashley HS ... It was the 23rd time a 400-plus yard game had been reported to the NCHSAA ... Also ran track & field as a prep.

Personal: Full name is Jermine Detrez Newsome ... Is the son of Yolanda Newsome.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

WCU Position Previews: Defensive Line

Video Courtesy CatamountSports.com


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22 Days 'till Kickoff - #22 Bryson Jordan

It's now 24 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today, we'll continue to highlight linebackers.

#22 Bryson Jordan

Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Flowery Branch, Ga.
High School: Buford HS
Height / Weight: 6-1 / 200
Position: LB



2013 (Freshman): Started all 12 games as a freshman linebacker, making his debut in the season-opener against FBS-foe, Middle Tennessee State ... Recorded 53 tackles on the year including at least two in each game - and four-or-more eight times ... Had two tackles for three combined yards in losses ... Ranked inside the top 50 among all Southern Conference defenders in tackles, averaging 4.42 per game ... Was fifth among all SoCon freshmen in tackles ... Recorded a career-high eight tackles against Furman, posting his career-best four solo stops in the home win over Elon ... Recorded two pass breakups and a quarterback hurry ... Named to the SoCon All-Freshman team ... Opened the scoring in WCU's annual Spring Game with a touchdown on a 52-yard fumble recovery ... Added four tackles in the spring-ending scrimmage.

Prior to Western Carolina: Helped lead Buford High to the Georgia Class AAA championship, tallying eight tackles in the title game ... Forced and returned a fumble for a touchdown during the playoff run to the championship game ... Selected to the Gwinnett All-Star game at linebacker as a senior ... Also played basketball as a prep where he was mentioned by ESPNHS Georgia All-State Hoops, listed among the top high school players in the state.

Personal: Is the son of Brian and Pam Jordan ... Both parents played collegiate sports at the University of Richmond - his father played college football and baseball and his mother was a women's basketball standout ... Brian was drafted in the first round of the 1988 MLB draft by the St. Louis Cardinals and then the seventh round of the 1989 NFL draft by the Buffalo Bills ... Played both professional football (Atlanta Falcons, 1989-91) and professional baseball (St. Cardinals, 1992-98; Atlanta Braves, 1999-01-2005-06; Los Angeles Dodgers, 2002-03; and Texas Rangers, 2004).

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations

23 Days 'till Kickoff - #23 (Retired) Jerry Gains

It's now 23 days until kickoff of Catamount football at the Raymond James Stadium, home of the University of South Florida Bulls on August 30th in in Tampa, FL.

To help pass those long summer days until football season starts, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, we'll continue the 100 day football countdown each day until kickoff day.

On day 23, we come to our second retired football number, #23 worn by Jerry Gaines.

#23 is Retired (Jerry Gaines, 1970-75)

Football, Track & Field, and Baseball - (1970-75)  -An Associated Press and American Football Coaches Association All-America selection in 1974 ... Also earned All-America 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.

Jerry Gaines is the only three sport All-American in WCU athletic history. He was an NCAA Division II All America Selection in 1974 and helped the Catamounts to a 9-1 record and the national playoffs. He is one of three football players to have his jersey and number - 23 - retired and established over 40 football records as he caught 187 passes for 3,449 yards in four season. A track and field All-American in long jump and triple jump in 1971 and 1972. His records still stood after the 1990 season. He batted .404 in 1975 and was named NCAA Division II All America and North Carolina College Athlete of the Year. He signed with the Texas Rangers in 1975.

Courtesy WCU Athletic Media Relations