87 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #87 Jake Young

                                                                                                         

It's now 87 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

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

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #87 on the WCU Spring Roster:

#87 Jake Young

Position Tight End
Height 6-3
Weight 240
Class Redshirt Senior
Hometown Waxhaw, N.C.
High School Marvin Ridge HS

2025 (Redshirt Junior): Played in 12 games at Charlotte, making his debut against App State (Aug. 29) ... Caught four passes for 30 total yards, posting two catches twice with a pair of receptions for 12 yards against Army West Point (Oct. 11) and two at directional rival East Carolina (Nov. 8) for 18 yards ... Credited with a tackle against Army; Returned to Western Carolina through the transfer portal during the spring semester.

2024 (Redshirt Sophomore): Started all 12 games at tight end … Caught 28 passes for 321 yards and two touchdowns, recording receptions in all 12 games with multiple catches seven times … Posted three catches in three-consecutive games to open the season at NC State (Aug. 29), vs. Campbell (Sept. 7), and at Elon (Sept. 14) … Scored in the season-opener against the Wolfpack on an eight-yard reception, WCU’s first TD of the 2024 season … Had four receptions for 38 yards in the road win at Furman (Oct. 19) … Tallied his second receiving touchdown as part of two catches at ETSU (Nov. 9) … Caught a career-high six passes for a career-best 74 receiving yards against VMI (Nov. 16) … Credited with one solo tackle … Named first-team All-Southern Conference at tight end by the league’s head coaches … Named to the Fall 2024 Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Selected to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team ... Entered the transfer portal following the season; transferred to Charlotte.

2023 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in four games as an offensive reserve and on special teams … Caught a pair of passes for four total yards … Made his WCU debut in the road win at Eastern Kentucky (Sept. 16) … Caught his first pass as a Catamount at The Citadel (Sept. 30) … Added a reception in the home win over ETSU (Nov. 11) … Recorded five receptions and a touchdown in WCU’s annual Spring Game ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: A three-year player at Marvin Ridge HS for coach Aubrey Carter ... Caught 40 passes for 419 yards and two TDs over his final two seasons ... Also had a passing and rushing touchdown ... Added 49 tackles and three sacks on defense ... Named a team captain ... Selected to the Shrine Bowl, the Blue-Grey All-American Game, and the Queen City Senior Bowl ... Tabbed all-conference as a both a junior and senior ... Earned all-county honors as a senior ... Also played baseball and basketball.

Personal: Is the son of Shannon and Jason Young ... His father, Jason, played football at Western Carolina as an offensive guard from 1990-94 ... His sister, Maggie, played collegiate volleyball where she was a three-time all-conference middle blocker and 2023 SAC Player of the Year at Wingate, now coaching at Tulsa ... Grandfather, John, was a pitcher at North Carolina baseball and uncle, John, played basketball at Sewanee ... A member of the Student Superintendent Council

88 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #88 Cole Craddock

                                                                                                         

It's now 88 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

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

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #88 on the WCU Spring Roster:

#88 Cole Craddock

Position  Tight End

Height 6-0
Weight 180
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Hickory, N.C.
High School Hickory HS

2025 (Freshman): Played in three games, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Made his collegiate debut in the road win at The Citadel (Oct. 18) … Did not record any official statistics.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year two-way starter (LB and TE) and a three-time All-Four Rivers Conference selection ... Named the Four Rivers Conference Defensive Player of the Year as a senior … Selected to the second-team Small Town All-American team by Max Preps and Tarboro High's Male Athlete of the Year … Credited with 153 tackles, including 11 for loss, with four fumble recoveries and two interceptions as a linebacker and defensive end … Caught eight passes for 180 yards and three touchdown receptions on offense at tight end, helping lead Tarboro to a North Carolina state 1-A title and a 14-1 record in his final season as a prep ... Was part of three state championship games, winning the title as a senior ... Also played basketball, baseball, and golf as a prep, earning conference player of the year accolades on the diamond and was a three-time state qualifier in golf.

Personal: Is the son of Jennifer and Jeff Craddock ... Has a brother, Clay, and two sisters, Kayla and Kara.

Tracking the Cats - WCU Catamount Sports Year in Review

 

89 Days to WCU Football Kickoff - #89 Ellis Chappell

                                                                                                         

It's now 89 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the  Eastern Kentucky Colonels in EJ Whitmire Stadium, Cullowhee, NC

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

Today we highlight the Catamount player currently assigned to #89 on the WCU Spring Roster:

#89 Ellis Chappell

Position Wide Receiver

Height 6-0
Weight 180
Class Redshirt Freshman
Hometown Hickory, N.C.
High School Hickory HS

Prior to Western Carolina: 2025 (Freshman): Did not see any game action, remaining eligible for a redshirt.

Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a walk-on … Two-time all-conference selection … As a senior, caught 60 passes for 1,238 yards and 11 touchdowns, adding 110 rushing yards and two scores on the ground … Ranked 10th in the state in receiving yards … Helped his team to a 14-1 record as a senior … Named team offensive MVP … Also played baseball as a prep.