It's now 18 days until the kickoff of Catamount football on Saturday, August 29, 2026, against the Eastern Kentucky Colonels in E.J. 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 two (2) Catamount players currently assigned to #18 (one offense, one defense) on the WCU Preseason Roster:
#18 Matthew Keener
Position: Wide Receiver
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown: Pilot Mountain, N.C.
High School: East Surry HS
Height: 6-2
Weight: 200
Class: Redshirt Sophomore
Hometown: Pilot Mountain, N.C.
High School: East Surry HS
2025 (Redshirt Freshman): Did not see game action, missing the season sidelined by injury ... Named to the 2025-26 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and Received a SoCon Commissioner's Medal.
2024 (Freshman): Did not see game action, remaining eligible for a redshirt ... Named to the 2024-25 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll ... Earned a SoCon Commissioner's Medal.
Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on … Was an early enrollee, coming to WCU in spring 2024 … Two-year varsity letter winner at East Surry High, coached by Trent Lowman … Caught 46 passes for 723 yards and 13 touchdowns over his final two seasons as a prep – the bulk coming as a senior that saw him catch 42 passes for 72 yards and each of his TDs to earn all-conference honors … Tied a school record with four TD catches in a game against West Wilks HS … Named to the 2023 North Carolina East/West All-Star game … Also competed in basketball and track, while also earning all-conference honors in baseball as a prep, making 10 appearances on the mound with three starts
Personal: Is the son of Sharon Keener and Jonathan Keener... Has seven siblings named Jenna, Kayla, Becca, Seth, Stevie, Zach, and Zoe
2024 (Freshman): Did not see game action, remaining eligible for a redshirt ... Named to the 2024-25 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll ... Earned a SoCon Commissioner's Medal.
Prior to Western Carolina: Joined the Catamount football team as a preferred walk-on … Was an early enrollee, coming to WCU in spring 2024 … Two-year varsity letter winner at East Surry High, coached by Trent Lowman … Caught 46 passes for 723 yards and 13 touchdowns over his final two seasons as a prep – the bulk coming as a senior that saw him catch 42 passes for 72 yards and each of his TDs to earn all-conference honors … Tied a school record with four TD catches in a game against West Wilks HS … Named to the 2023 North Carolina East/West All-Star game … Also competed in basketball and track, while also earning all-conference honors in baseball as a prep, making 10 appearances on the mound with three starts
Personal: Is the son of Sharon Keener and Jonathan Keener... Has seven siblings named Jenna, Kayla, Becca, Seth, Stevie, Zach, and Zoe
#18 Trystan Anderson
Height: 6-4
Weight: 255
Class: Redshirt Senior
Hometown: Buffalo Grove, Ill.
High School: Buffalo Grove HS
College: Drake
Prior to Western Carolina: Transferred to WCU after four seasons at Drake;At Drake: Played in 28 games with 19 starts over the past four seasons, credited with 53 tackles, including 29 solo stops and 5.5 for loss with 3.5 sacks ... In 12 games in 2025, credited with 20 total tackles, including 12 solo stops and three TFLs with 2.5 sacks ... Had a career-high 22 tackles in 2024 ... Named to the Pioneer Football League (PFL) Academic Honor Roll; High School: Recorded 177 tackles, 24 sacks, 29 tackles for loss and two fumble recoveries during his time at Buffalo Grove High … Named all-conference in three consecutive seasons … As a senior, earned MSL Defensive Player of the Year honors … Named to IHSFCA 1st Team All-State, All-Conference, All-Area and Champaign News-Gazette All-State teams.
Personal: Is the son of Lars Anderson and Travey Drewning... Has a brother named Ayden Anderson and two sisters named Kayla Tyus and Emily Anderson.
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