17 Days Until WCU Football Kickoff - Bennett Judy / Kenyon Partridge

It's now 17 days until the kickoff of Catamount Football on Thursday, August 29, 2024, against 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 #17, one on offense and one of defense::

#17 Bennett Judy

Position: Quarterback
Height: 6-3
Weight: 200
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Hometown: Simpsonville, S.C.
High School: Hillcrest HS

:

2023 (Freshman): Played in one game on the season, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Made his collegiate debut in the home rivalry win over ETSU (Nov. 11) … Completed 6-of-8 passes for 71 yards … In WCU’s annual Spring Game, completed 18-of-27 passes including eight-straight at one point for a team-best 285 yards with three touchdown passes and two interceptions ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Pro-style quarterback, two-time team captain … Threw for 6,386 yards and 87 touchdowns as a prep … Selected to the North/South All-Star game, earning both team captain and offensive MVP honors (10-of-14, 140 yds) in leading the North squad to a 22-14 win … Was a two-time South Carolina Football Coaches Association (SCFCA) All-State quarterback in AAAAA … Named the Region I-AAAAA Player of the Year honors as a senior and as a junior in 2021, was dubbed the Region 1-AAAAA Offensive Player of the Year … Set a Hillcrest school record for passing yards in a game with 425 back in 2021 … High school coach is Anthony Frate … Hillcrest wide receivers coach Jada Sullivan is a WCU alum.

Personal: Is the son of Suzanne and Leigh Judy.

#`17 Kenyon Partridge

Position Defensive End 

Height: 6-3
Weight: 225
Class: Redshirt Freshman
Hometown: Decatur, Ga.
High School: Columbia HS

2023 (Freshman): Played in two games as a defensive reserve and on special teams, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Credited with one tackle on the year … Made his collegiate debut in the home win over Charleston Southern (Sept. 23), recording his first career tackle on an assist … Also played in the home rivalry win over ETSU (Nov. 11) ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played both outside linebacker and tight end as a prep … Named the Region 5-2A Defensive Player of the Year … Over his final two seasons, recorded 53 receiving yards with a pair of scores as a tight end … Defensively, amassed 111 total tackles including 79 solo stops with 38 tackles for loss with 22.5 sacks, according to MaxPreps … Was a three-time Player of the Game, earning two honors in 2021 and one as a senior in 2022.