2022-23 Catamount Men's Basketball Digital Game Day Program - January

HEAD COACH JUSTIN GRAY second season at WCU

JUSTIN GRAY was named the 19th head men’s basketball coach at Western Carolina University on April 13, 2021. He scored his first career victory as a head coach in a thrilling overtime win over Bowling Green on Nov. 9, 2021, in his first game as Catamount head coach.

Gray came to Cullowhee after serving two seasons at Winthrop University and he had initially made the move to the College of Charleston with the staff's hiring in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Before his time in Rock Hill, Gray served as the Director of Basketball Development within the Deacon Club at his alma mater, Wake Forest, which came on the heels of a successful 12-year professional playing career overseas.

At Winthrop, Gray helped guide the Eagles to 47 victories over the past two seasons including a 24-10 mark in 2019-20 and a 23-2 campaign in 2020-21. Winthrop claimed the 2021 Big South tournament title and earning the league’s automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament. With Gray helping coordinate the offense, Winthrop led the Big South with a 78.9 point per game average with a league-best 15.0 assists per game and 8.4 made 3-pointers per contest.

A three-time All-ACC selection in his playing career at Wake Forest (2002-06), Gray left Winston-Salem as one of the program’s most prolific 3-point shooters. He scored 1,946 career points over 120 career games for the Demon Deacons, finishing his career ranked eighth in program history in scoring while average 16.2 points per game. Gray continues to rank second on Wake’s career 3-pointers made chart with 319 treys and holds three of the top six spots among the school's single-season 3-pointers made list.

In his sophomore season, Gray and eventual first-round NBA draft pick Chris Paul teamed up to become one of the best backcourts in the ACC as Gray averaged 17.0 ppg on his way to All-ACC First Team honors. In 2002-03, Gray played a role in helping Wake to an ACC Regular Season Championship with a 13-3 league mark.

His collegiate career plaudits also include being named to the ACC All-Freshman team, as well as a three-time USBWA All-District Team and two-time NABC All-District Team selection.

During his 12-year professional career overseas, Gray played for various teams from Belgium, the Czech Republic, Poland, Greece, Ukraine, China, Germany, France, Turkey, Lebanon, Bulgaria, Romania, and Belarus. He also had a couple of stints in the NBA Summer League. Gray won three Belarusian League Championships and three Belarusian Cup Championships. He also guided teams to a Czech Republic League and Cup championship as well as participating in the VTB United League All-Star Game in 2016.

Originally from Charlotte, N.C., Gray played at West Charlotte High before concluding his prep career at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. He has two sons – Justin, Jr. (JJ) and Kristian – and a daughter, Jhai.

THE JUSTIN GRAY FILE

PERSONAL:

Hometown: Charlotte, N.C.

Family: Justin Jr. (son), Kristian (son), Jhai (daughter)

EDUCATION: Wake Forest, 2006 – 3x All-ACC selection

COACHING EXPERIENCE:

WESTERN CAROLINA Head Coach 2021-present

• 1st career victory – vs. Bowling Green in overtime (11/9/21) Winthrop Assistant Coach 2019-21

• 47 wins between 2019-21 at Winthrop

• Big South tournament title in 2021

• Led the Big South in scoring (78.9 ppg) and 3-pointers made (8.4)

WESTERN CAROLINA ATHLETICS – DEPARTMENT SENIOR STAFF

ALEX GARY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

Alex Gary, a former student-athlete on the Western Carolina baseball team was dubbed the director of the Catamount athletics program in late February 2020 by WCU Chancellor Kelli R. Brown.

Selected following a national search conducted by a 15-member committee working with the assistance of the North Carolina-based executive search consulting firm Collegiate Sports Associates, Gary had most recently served as senior associate athletics director for development at Oregon State.

During his first couple of years as the Athletics Director at WCU, Gary successfully navigated the department through the COVID-19 pandemic while also overseeing the hiring of 50 employees including three high-profile sport head coaches – men's basketball head coach Justin Gray; Kerwin Bell, head football coach; and Alan Beck, head baseball coach.

Gary was appointed to both the NCAA Division I Baseball Rules Committee and the NCAA Division I Women's

Basketball Committee with terms running through 2026 and 2027, respectively.

Gary served as senior associate director of athletics and the department’s chief development officer at Oregon State from September 2017 through 2020. He previously served as associate athletics director for development and external relations at the University of Maryland from 2014 until 2017. He also has held development positions at the University of Michigan and the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.

Gary’s professional experience in major collegiate athletics conferences, such as the Pac-12 and Big Ten, combined with his personal familiarity with WCU as a former student-athlete make him a perfect fit to take over the helm of the Catamount athletics program, Brown said.

A native of Knoxville, Tenn., who grew up in Charlotte, Gary was an outfielder on the Catamount baseball team from 2001 until 2004, earning Southern Conference Player of the Week honors in March 2004. During his junior year of 2003, he was a member of WCU’s regular season and SoCon Tournament championship team and participated in the NCAA regionals held in Wilson, N.C.

While at Oregon State, he was a member of the executive leadership team responsible for the athletics department’s $85 million budget, 150 employees

and more than 500 student-athletes. He oversaw the 16-member athletics development team, which raised nearly $26 million in 2019, a record for the Beavers’ athletics program. That fundraising effort included a $3.5 million sports performance center renovation, $2.3 million women’s locker room renovation, and $2.6 million baseball stadium expansion.

During his stint at the University of Maryland, Gary chaired a committee focused on the financial sustainability of the athletics department, and he led annual giving growth in the Terrapin Club by 22 percent in 2015 and 13 percent in 2016. As a member of the development team at the University of Michigan from 2010 until 2014, he worked closely with the university’s athletics department, raising $12.8 million to support the Wolverines’ athletics program’s capital and endowment needs. He began his career in 2009 as assistant director of annual giving at UNC Charlotte.

He earned a degree in business administration in 2005 from Virginia Commonwealth University and his master’s degree in business administration at UNC Charlotte in 2009.

Gary and the former Katie Mavis of Saint Joseph, Mich., were married in a mountain-top ceremony in Oregon on Aug. 28, 2020. The couple has a daughter, Gianna.

Daniel Hooker Assistant Athletic Director for Media Relations

Julie Miller Associate Athletic Director for Development

Travis Chandler Assistant Athletic Director for Compliance

Ashleigh Simmons Associate AD for Academics & Compliance (SWA)

Kyle Pifer WCU Deputy Athletics Director

Amanda Murchie Assistant Athletic Director for Business

Chad Gerrety Associate Athletics Director for External Affairs

DATE OPPONENT

Nov. 7 at Georgia

Nov. 10 at Maryland

LOCATION TIME/RESULT

Athens, Ga. L, 68-55

College Park, Md. L, 71-51

NOV. 13 BRESCIA CULLOWHEE W, 112-45

Nov. 18 at McNeese State

Nov. 19 vs. Lamar

Nov. 20 vs. Lindenwood

Lake Charles, La. W, 88-69

Lake Charles, La. W, 98-91 (OT)

Lake Charles, La. W, 90-88 (OT)

Nov. 26 at UNC Asheville Asheville, N.C. L, 73-61

NOV. 30 GARDNER-WEBB CULLOWHEE L, 71-55

DEC. 3 USC UPSTATE (DH) CULLOWHEE L, 79-64

Dec. 7 at Davidson Davidson, N.C. L, 72-64

DEC. 10 BREVARD CULLOWHEE W, 99-55

Dec. 17 at Tennessee Tech Cookeville, Tenn. W, 75-65

DEC. 20 TOCCOA FALLS CULLOWHEE W, 117-50

DEC. 29 UNCG * CULLOWHEE L, 72-47

DEC. 31 FURMAN * CULLOWHEE W, 79-67

Jan. 4 at ETSU * Johnson City, Tenn. W, 71-60

JAN. 7 MERCER * CULLOWHEE 4 PM

Jan. 11 at Chattanooga * Chattanooga, Tenn. 7 pm Jan. 14 at The Citadel * Charleston, S.C. 1 pm

JAN. 18 WOFFORD * (BLACK OUT) CULLOWHEE 7 PM

Jan. 21 at Samford * Birmingham, Ala. 6 pm ET / 5 pm CT

JAN. 25 THE CITADEL * CULLOWHEE 7 PM

Jan. 28 at VMI * Lexington, Va. 1 pm

FEB. 1 SAMFORD * CULLOWHEE 7 PM

FEB. 4 CHATTANOOGA * (DH) CULLOWHEE 2 PM

Feb. 8 at Wofford * Spartanburg, S.C. 7 pm

Feb. 11 at Furman * Greenville, S.C. 2 pm

FEB. 15 ETSU * (BEAT THE BUCS) CULLOWHEE 2 PM

Feb. 18 at Mercer * Macon, Ga. TBA

Feb. 22 at UNCG * Greenville, S.C. 7 pm

FEB. 22 VMI * (DH) (SENIOR DAY) CULLOWHEE 4 PM

MAR. 4-7 @ SoCon Championships Asheville, N.C. TBA

VONTERIUS WOOLBRIGHT

TYZHAUN CLAUDE

TRE JACKSON

RUSSELL JONES

MERCER BEARS

No. Name (Pronunciation) Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (Previous School / High School)

0 Jah Quinones (JA qee–NO-ness) G 6-4 220 Fr. Orlando, Fla. (Lake Highland Prep School)

1 Kamar Robertson G 6-0 182 Sr. Alpharetta, Ga. (Cambridge HS)

2 Michael Zanoni (zuh–NO-nee) G 6-5 185 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. (Greensboro Day School)

3 Shannon Grant C 6-10 280 Jr. Sylacauga, Ala. (Sylacauga HS)

5 Jalyn McCreary (JAY–lin mick–CREER-ree) F 6-8 220 R-Jr. Marietta, Ga. (USF / )

10 Jordan Jones G 6-0 175 So. Macon, Ga. (First Presbyterian Day School)

11 Luis Hurtado Jr. (LEW–ees her–TA–do) F 6-7 215 Gr. Merida, Venezuela (Bryant / )

12 Harrison Drake G 6-3 180 Sr. Newnan, Ga. (Newnan HS)

14 TJ Grant F 6-5 185 Fr. Kathleen, Ga. (Veterans HS)

15 John Treanor (TRAY–ner) F 6-6 210 Jr. Roswell, Ga. (Marist School)

20 Braden Sparks G 6-0 185 Fr. Villa Rica, Ga. (McEachern HS)

22 Jalen Cobb G 6-1 175 Gr. Decatur, Ga. (Fordham / )

23 James Glisson III (GLISS–en) F 6-7 240 Sr. Decatur, Ga. (Southwest Dekalb HS)

25 Shawn Walker Jr. G 6-6 202 Sr. Elizabeth City, N.C. (Tallahassee CC / )

30 Diego Rivera (dee–EGO ri–VERA) G 6-2 180 Sr. Bayamon, Puerto Rico (Miami Christian School)

32 David Craig C 7-2 235 Fr. Johannesburg, South Africa (McCallie) School)

HEAD COACH:

Greg Gary (Tulane, 1992) • 4th season

QUICK FACTS: ASSISTANT COACHES: Bobby Kummer (Charlotte, 1996) • 4th season

LOCATION: Macon, Ga. Kim Lewis (Tulane, 1994) • 4th season ENROLLMENT: 9,033 DJ Byrd (Purdue, 2013) • 4th season

DIRECTOR OF OPS: Ryne Smith (Purdue, 2012) • 2nd season

PRESIDENT: Dr. William D. Underwood

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Jim Cole

STRENGTH & CONDITIONING: RJ Goubeaux (George Mason, 2008) • 2nd season WEBSITE: MercerBears.com

WOFFORD TERRIERS

No. Name (Pronunciation) Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (Previous School / High School)

0 Jackson Sivills (SIV–uhls) G 6-6 207 So. Paducah, Ken. (Murray State / McCracken County HS)

1 Jackson Paveletzke (pav–el–LETZ–key) G 6-3 175 Fr. Kimberly, Wis. (Kimberly HS)

2 Tauris Watson G 6-3 190 So. Lexington, S.C. (Gulf Coast State / Gray Collegiate)

4 Josh Morissette G 6-4 205 Fr. Exeter, N.H.(Phillips Exeter Academy)

5 Chase Martin G 6-5 210 Fr. Jenks, Okla. (Jenks HS)

10 Corey Tripp G 6-3 195 So. Medina, Ohio (Medina HS)

11 Amarri Tice F 6-7 220 Fr. Newburgh, N.Y. (South Kent HS)

12 Carson McCorkle G 6-3 193 So. Raleigh, N.C. (Virginia / Greensboro Day )

13 Adam Silas G 6-3 175 Fr. Vauxhall, N.J. (St. Thomas Aquinas HS)

14 Kyler Filewich C 6-9 250 Jr. Winnipeg, Manitoba (Southern Illinois / Orangeville Prep)

15 Cohen Kellogg G 6-0 165 Fr. Orono, Minn. (Orono HS)

21 Joe Spinelli G 6-0 170 Fr. Watertown, Mass. (Watertown HS)

22 Jonathan Steelman

25 Messiah Jones

G 6-3 180 Sr.

Aiken, S.C. (North Augusta HS)

F 6-6 220 Sr. Chicago, Ill. (Simeon HS)

30 Anthony Arrington, Jr. G 6-2 190 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (The Galloway School)

33 B.J. Mack

F / C 6-8 245 Sr. Charlotte, N.C. (South Florida / Charlotte Christian / Oak Hill )

INTERIM HEAD COACH: Dwight Perry (Kentucky, 2010) • 4th season

ASSISTANT COACHES: Will Murphy (Wake Forest, 2013) • 6th season

QUICK FACTS:

LOCATION: Spartanburg, S.C. Tyler Anderson (Georgia Tech, 2010) • 1st season

DIRECTOR OF OPS: David Kaplan (High Point, 2010) • 1st season

ATHLETIC TRAINER: Diane Boyce (Limestone, 2011) • 1st season

ENROLLMENT: 1,750

PRESIDENT: Dr. Nayef Samhat

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Richard Johnson WEBSITE: WoffordTerriers.com

THE CITADEL BULLDOGS

No. Name

0 Jackson Price

1 Stephen Clark

2 AJ Smith

4 Elijah Morgan

5 David Maynard

10 Austin Ash

11 Madison Durr

12 Colby McAllister

14 Brady Spence

(Pronunciation)

Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (Previous School / High School)

F 6-8 240 So.

Hiram, Ga. (Hiram HS)

F / C 6-8 205 Sr. Charlotte, N.C. (Metrolina Christian Academy)

G 6-4 215 Fr. Charlotte, N.C. (Combine Academy)

G 6-1 180 Gr.

New Orleans, La. (Notre Dame / Jesuit HS)

G 6-4 200 Gr. Herriman, Utah (Colgate / Herriman HS)

G 6-3 185 Gr. Cedar Rapids, Iowa (Iowa / Mt. Vernon HS)

G 6-4 200 Fr. Atlanta, Ga. (Hargrave Military Academy)

G 6-5 195 Fr.

15 Kaylan Makan (CAY–lan MAY–can)

Spanish Fort, Ala. (Spanish Fort HS)

F / C 6-9 220 Sr. Douglasville, Ga. (Alexander HS)

G 6-2 170 Fr.

Little Rock, Ark. (Hargrave Military Academy)

20 Josh Davis G 6-2 175 Fr. Southlake, Tex. (Grapevine Faith Christian)

21 Cole Alexander

F 6-6 200 Fr. Charleston, S.C. (Bishop England HS)

23 Tony Carpio (car–PEE–oh) F 6-8 220 Fr. Suwanee, Ga. (Providence Christian Academy)

24 Dylan Engler

32 Bailey Conrad

G 6-5 190 Jr. Oswego, Ill. (Oswego HS / Link Prep)

F 6-7 230 Jr. Corydon, Ind. (Christian Academy of Indiana)

33 John-Michael Hughes G 6-1 175 Gr. Ligonier, Pa. (High Point / IMG Academy)

HEAD COACH: Ed Conroy (The Citadel, 1989) • 5th season

QUICK FACTS: ASSISTANT COACHES: John Reynolds (The Citadel, 2011) • 1st season

LOCATION: Charleston, S.C. Chris Hill (Milwaukee, 2006) • 1st season ENROLLMENT: 3,767 Patrick Reilingh (Louisville, 2014) • 1st season

DIRECTOR OF OPS: Austin Kidd (Kentucky, 2017) • 1st season

PRESIDENT: Gen. Glenn M. Walters (USMC)

ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Mike Capaccio

ATHLETIC TRAINER: Cody Morris • 1st season WEBSITE: CitadelSports.com

ingles-markets.com

No. Name (Pronunciation) Pos. Ht. Wt. Cl. Hometown (Previous School / High School)

0 Tyzhaun Claude (TY–jion) F 6-8 235 R-Jr. Goldsboro, N.C. (Morehead State / Moravian Prep)

1 Russell Jones Jr. G 5-8 167 R-Jr. Blythewood, S.C. (Winthrop / Westwood HS)

2 Vonterius Woolbright (von–TARE–e–us) G 6-5 208 R-Jr. Albany, Ga. (Lawson State CC / Thomasville HS)

3 Tre Jackson G 6-1 181 R-Jr. Columbia, S.C. (Iowa State / Blythewood HS)

4 Tyler Harris G / F 6-7 199 Sr. Charlotte, N.C. (Independence HS)

5 DJ Campbell G 6-2 200 Fr. Hampton, Va. (Kecoughton HS)

11 Cam Bacote (BAY–coat) G 6-3 176 Gr. Hampton, Va. (Indiana State / Bethel HS)

12 Cinque Lemon (SIN–que) W 6-7 203 Fr. Spring Lake, N.C. (Liberty Heights Athletic Institute)

13 Marcus Kell F 6-8 206 Fr. Rock Hill, S.C. (Legion Collegiate Academy)

21 RaSheed Jones (rah–SHEED) G 6-6 178 Fr. Marion, Ind. (Marion HS)

23 Marlow Gilmore (MARR–low) F 6-5 195 Sr. Norway, S.C. (Dodge City CC / Hunter-Kinard-Tyler HS)

24 Bernard Pelote (pell–OAT) F 6-8 217 So. Savannah, Ga. (Catawba College / Woodville HS)

32 Colin Granger (GRAIN–jurr) F 6-9 247 Jr. Suwanee, Ga. (Ohio / Lambert HS) 41 Miles McClure (MICK-cloor) G 6-4 227 Fr. Franklin, N.C. (Franklin HS) 42 Jalen Higgins G 6-4 186 Fr. Raeford, N.C. (Freedom Christian Academy) 45 Elijah Cupples (CUP–puhls) G 6-2 200 R-Jr. Harrisburg, N.C. (Bob Jones / Hickory Ridge HS)

HEAD COACH:

Jayson Gee (University of Charleston, 1988) • Second season at WCU

Justin Gray (Wake Forest, 2006) • Second season at WCU ASSOCIATE HEAD COACH:

Ryne Lightfoot (Bethel (Ind.) University, 2010) • First season at WCU

Molly Bachand (Kansas, 2007) • Second season at WCU

Cody Cohen (Florida Atlantic, 2014) • Second Season at WCU

Kaylyn Norville (North Carolina, 2020) • First Season at WCU

Austin Davis (Michigan, 2020) • First Season at WCU

ALAN BECK baseball

JUSTIN GRAY mens basketball

KILEY HILL womens basketball

KERWIN BELL football

TIM ECKBERG mens golf

COURTNEY GUNTER womens golf

CHAD MILLER soccer

JIM CLIFT softball

BRET BEAVER tennis JESSE NORMAN xc / track and field

KAREN GLOVER volleyball

Jeff Korte Assistant Coach Baseball

Derek Beasley Assistant Coach Baseball

JD Mundy Volunteer Assistant Coach Baseball

Kendra Samuels-Eaton Associate Head Coach Women's Basketball

Megan Brown Assistant Coach Women's Basketball

Eileen Van Horn Assistant Coach Women's Basketball

Jordan Worrell Director of Women's Basketball Operations

Madison Pack Video Coordinator Women's Basketball

Seth Graves Director of Player Development Baseball

Caitlyn Davis Head Coach Cheerleading

Hailey Schenk Assistant Coach Cheerleading

Lauren Brooks Assistant Coach Cheerleading

Kade Bell Assistant Coach / OC Football

Chazmon Scales Assistant Coach / DC Football

Chris Norris Assistant Coach / SPTM Football

JJ Laster Assistant Coach Football

Brian Cochran Assistant Coach Football

Jeremy Darveau Assistant Coach Football

Todd Shealy Director of Football Operations

Jeff Burger Volunteer Assistant Coach Football

Larry Murphy Assistant Coach Football

Trent Turknett Director of Player Personnel Football

Sydney Spears Director of On-Campus Recruiting Football

Rudi Small Assistant Coach Football

Nick Whiting

Rylan Wells Assistant Coach Football

Daniel Haakenson Assistant Coach Track & Field

Greg McGruder Quality Control – Offense Football

DeAirus Whitney Quality Control – Defense Football

Ashley Gasaway Assistant Coach Volleyball

Cody Edwards Assistant Coach Football

Taylor Svehla Assistant Coach Volleyball

Gillian Urycki Assistant Coach Track & Field

Madison Armstrong Assistant Coach Softball

Maryanne Kilgore Assistant Coach Women's Soccer

Denise Gideon

Tyler Pope

Jonathan Sessoms

Michael Gilbert Athletics Ticketing

Ric Sisler

Evan Ellis

Patrick Mullaney

Mark Conlin

Arman Jones

Haley Mitchell

Matt Sawyer

Rory Jimerson

Trey Fisher

Kim Jamison

Taylor

Steven Honbarger

Mike Taylor

Todd Lawing

Kaylyn Norville Assistant Athletic Trainer (MBK)

Haley Bennington Athletic Training Intern (WSOC

Aurora Goujon

Tyler

LeeAnn Grayson

Ben Jacobs

Austin Davis

Mark Warren

Connor Owens

Nick Mashburn

RAMSEY

DEDICATION: December 6, 1986

First Game / First Women’s Basketball Game: Western Carolina 65, Mars Hill 61 (12/4/86)

First Men’s Basketball Game: N.C. State 96, Western Carolina 75 (12/6/86)

First Men’s Basketball Win: Western Carolina 90, Tusculum 58 (1/5/87) Top Men’s Basketball

• Western Carolina’s HENRY LOGAN – the program’s all-time leading scorer – helped break the color barrier in college basketball when he signed with WCU in 1964 becoming the first African-American collegiate athlete in the history of North Carolina and perhaps at any predominantly white institution in the southeastern United States ... Logan scored an astounding 3,290 points – an average of 30.7 points per game –during his WCU career and was a four-time NAIA All-America selection ... One of 11 in WCU’s initial Athletics Hall of Fame Class in 1990, Logan was inducted into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame in 2000;

• WCU gave birth to the 3-point shot in the NCAA as former Catamount RONNIE CARR buried the first 3-pointer in WCU’s 77-70 victory over Middle Tennessee State on Nov. 29, 1980 … the ball he used is on display at the Basketball Hall of Fame in Springfield, Mass. … The shot was made from the left corner with 16:09 left in the first half (7:06 pm) ... Carr, who is in the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame, actually took and missed a 3-pointer from the top of the key at the 18:15 mark of the first half;

• WCU finished as the 1963 NAIA National Runner-Up under head coach Jim Gudger ... With a 28-7 overall record, WCU won the Carolina’s Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (CIAC) tournament and the NAIA District title ... the Catamounts then rattled off wins on consecutive days over Eastern Montana, Miles, Lewis & Clark and Fort Hayes State before falling in the championship game to Texas Pan American;

• In its only NCAA tournament appearance, the 1996 Catamounts led by WCU Hall of Famer ANQUELL McCOLLUM nearly pulled off the most improbable of upsets as the No. 16 seed fell by two, 73-71, to No. 1 seed Purdue in Albuquerque, N.M. ... the game was tied 71-71 with under three minutes to play with Purdue’s Brandon Brantley scoring the game’s final bucket with 1:30 showing on the clock at “The Pit” ... WCU had two looks at both a game-winning and a game-tying shot inside the closing seconds but both attempts missed ... the 1995-96 Catamount men's basketball team was inducted into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2022;

• WCU’s bid to play in the CollegeInsider.com Post-Season Tournament (CIT) following the 2009-10 season represented the Catamounts’ return to post-season play for the first time since 1996 ... WCU made its third post-season appearance all-time in 201516 when it traveld to Burlington, Vt., in the first-ever meeting against the Vermont Catamounts in the College Basketball Invitational (CBI);

• WCU’s most recent former player to play in the NBA is KEVIN MARTIN, who played for the Catamounts from 2001-04 ... Martin, a 2019 inductee into the WCU Athletics Hall of Fame and the first-round pick of the Sacramento Kings in ‘04, was the FIRST Catamount to ever be selected in the first round of the NFL, NBA or MLB Draft;

• KEVIN MARTIN (2001-04) and FRANKIE KING (1993-95) were both named to the Southern Conference's 100th Anniversary Men's Basketball team at the end of the year-long celebration in 2021.

RONALD ROGERS

HENRY LOGAN

RONNIE CARR

FRANKIE KING

ANQUELL McCOLLUM

KEVIN MARTIN

CAT HOUSE PEP BAND

FRONT ROW (L-R): Skylar Poulos, Naidelyn Cruz and Nicole Stauffer MIDDLE ROW (L-R): Matigan Rowe, Alex Henry, Kenzie Davis, Kimberly Hydrick, Alyssa Malgrat and Megan Normandin BACK ROW (L-R): Liv Wiesenhart, Samantha Harp, Bailey Burk, Julia Gerrer, Ashley Avant, Michelle Davis and Madison Tadlock

FRONT ROW (L-R): Hannah Wing, Airica Anderson, Caroline Lopp, Molly McAvoy, Sara, Grace Smith, Olivia Hawkins and Sarena Burrell MIDDLE ROW (L-R): Riley Ledford, Lindsey Mendzoa, Emma Shue, Kate Ammend, Marissa Clontz, Becca Kilpatrick, Kamdyn Anderson, Scotting Branning and Tiana Scarchilli

BACK ROW (L-R): Isabella Fazio, Savannah Jones, Catie Osborne, Nathan Campbell, Riley Sanz, Kasi Jones and Makenna Shipley