Wednesday, August 28, 2024

1 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - Zion Booker / Mateo Sudipo







It's now days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against the NC State Wolfpack in Carter-Finley Stadium, Raleigh, NC 
 
To help pass those long summer days, and hopefully get the Catamount faithful more excited about the upcoming season, and knowledgeable of the team members, we'll continue the football countdown each day until kickoff day.

Today we will highlight two players that wear #1, one on offense and one of defense:

#1 Zion Booker











Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 5-10
Weight: 185
Class: Sophomore
Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.
High School: Julius Chambers HS










2023 (Freshman): Saw action in 10 of the team’s 11 games on the season, each coming as a reserve on offense and on special teams … Caught eight passes for 176 yards, posting receptions in seven of the 10 games he saw action … Made his first career reception in his career debut with a 13-yard catch at Arkansas (Sept. 2) … Caught a 40-yard pass in the road win at nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Oct. 7), eclipsing that with a career-long 41-yard catch at VMI (Nov. 18) … Recorded his career-best two catches against the Keydets for a career-high 45 receiving yards.

Prior to Western Carolina: Started his prep career at Vance HS … Earned Queen City All-Conference plaudits as a senior, catching 44 passes for 598 yards and nine touchdowns … Added nine rushing yards and 95 yards on punt returns with one for a touchdown to finish with 702 all-purpose yards and 10 scores in his final season as a prep where he was named his team’s Wide Receiver and Special Teams Player of the Year … Also collected 2022 Receiver of the Year from South Charlotte Sports Report in 2022.

Personal: Is the son of Latonya and Keith Booker.






#1 Mateo Sudipo











Position: Safety
Height: 6-1
Weight: 210
Class: Redshirt Senior
Hometown: Pompano Beach, Fla.
High School: Wake Forest (N.C.) HS










2023 (Redshirt Senior): Only saw action in one game, suffering a season-ending injury after starting the season-opener at Arkansas (Sept. 2) … Credited with three total tackles with two solo stops and half a tackle for loss against the Razorbacks.

2022 (Redshirt Sophomore): Played in all 11 of the team’s games with nine starts in the defensive secondary … Finished fourth on the squad with 46 total tackles including 26 solo stops with three tackles for loss including a pair of sacks … Credited with six pass breakups and a quarterback hurry … Recorded two-or-more tackles in all 11 appearances with four-or-more stops seven times … Made his WCU debut in the season opener at Charleston Southern (Sept. 3), recording six tackles including two for losses with a sack for a six-yard loss … Recorded six stops in the home win over VMI (Oct. 1) with a sack … Credited with a career-high seven tackles against The Citadel (Oct. 22) … Posted three pass breakups and three tackles in the win over Wofford (Nov. 5) … Recorded four tackles in WCU’s annual Spring Game intrasquad scrimmage.

Prior to Western Carolina: Transferred to WCU from Coastal Carolina during the summer of 2022 ... Redshirted in 2019 as a true freshman, playing in two games on special teams but did not record statistics ... Played in 22 total games between 2019 and 2021, mostly on special teams and as a defensive substitution ... Recorded 27 total tackles with 21 solo stops and six assists with 0.5 TFL on a sack in 2021 ... Credited with two passes defended ... Made his first career start in 2021 at Arkansas State (Oct. 7) ... Recorded the game-winning tackle against No. 8 BYU in 2020, dropping Cougar WR Dax Milne at the one-yard line as time expired to help secure the program's first-ever FBS Top 10 win for the Chanticleers.

High School: Two-year letterwinner for Wake Forest High and head coach Reggie Lucas ... Was a North Carolina Shrine Bowl selection ... Started his senior season at cornerback and wide receiver before transitioning to quarterback midway through the year ... Helped lead his team to its third-straight state title and fifth title game appearance in 2018, going 14-0 with a No. 1 ranking in North Carolina ... Was a part of a 45-game team winning streak ... Named the state championship MVP with an interception on defense ... Also lettered in basketball, earning team MVP honors in 2019.

Personal: Full name is Mateo Christian Sudipo ... Is the son of Christa Hardman and Ketut Sudipo ... Has a younger sibling, Kimora Sudipo ... Was born in Boca Raton, Fla., and lists Pompano Beach, Fla., as his hometown ... Attended high school in Wake Forest, N.C.





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