2022 Quick Facts

UNIVERSITY INFORMATION

LOCATION: ENROLLMENT: FOUNDED:

Cullowhee, N.C. 11,000 (Spring 2022) 1889

NICKNAME:

Catamounts

COLORS: STADIUM (CAPACITY): FIELD (SURFACE): CONFERENCE: AFFILIATION: CHANCELLOR:

Purple (PMS 267) & Gold (PMS 467) E.J. Whitmire Stadium (13,742) Bob Waters Field (Artificial – IronTurf) Southern (SoCon) NCAA Div. I – Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) Dr. Kelli R. Brown (Univ. of Toledo, 1982) ATHLETICS DIRECTOR: Alex Gary (VCU, 2005) SENIOR WOMAN ADMINISTRATOR: Ashleigh Simmons (UL-Monroe, 2014)

CATAMOUNT FOOTBALL HISTORY

FIRST YEAR OF FOOTBALL / SEASONS:

1931 / 88 All-Time Record: 346-517-23 (.404) NCAA Postseason Appearances: 2 – 1974 (NCAA D-II) & 1983 (NCAA D-I) BEST FINISH: 1983 National Finalist (lost 43-7 to Southern Illinois) Last Playoff Appearance: 1983 (NCAA D-I)

BASIC CATAMOUNT FOOTBALL TEAM INFORMATION

BASIC OFFENSE: BASIC DEFENSE:

Pro Spread 4-2-5

2021 RECORD:

2021 SoCon Record / Finish: 4-7 (Home: 1-4 | Away: 3-3) 4-4 (Home: 1-3 | Away: 3-1) / 4th-t

HEAD COACH:

Kerwin Bell (Florida, 1987) Record at WCU / Overall: 4-7 (1 yr) / 97-49 (13 yrs) D-I: Jacksonville, 66-35 (2007-2015) | D-II: Valdosta State, 27-7 (2016-2018) LETTERMEN RETURNING: 39 – (18 offense, 16 defense, 5 specialists) Other Returners: 16 – (9 offense, 6 defense, 1 specialists) LETTERMEN LOST: 33 – (15 offense, 18 defense, 0 specialists) NEWCOMERS: 63 – (47 freshmen, 16 transfers) STARTERS RETURNING: 19 – (8 offense, 7 defense, 4 specialists) STARTERS LOST: 7 – (3 offense, 4 defense, 0 specialists)

WCU 2021 POSTSEASON RETURNING AWARD WINNERS:

Calvin Jones All-SoCon Return Specialist (2nd team media) Freshman All-America (HERO Sports) FCS All-America kick returner (Phil Steele, 4th team)

Andreas Keaton SoCon Freshman of the Year (coaches) SoCon All-Freshman Defense (coaches)

Raphael Williams All-SoCon Wide Receiver (1st team coaches & media) Freshman All-America (HERO Sports)

CONTACT & SOCIAL MEDIA INFORMATION

OFFICIAL ATHLETICS WEBSITE: CatamountSports.com OFFICIAL ATHLETICS / FOOTBALL TWITTER: @Catamounts / @CatamountsFB OFFICIAL ATHLETICS FACEBOOK: FB.com/CatamountSports ATHLETICS / FOOTBALL OFFICE PHONE: (828) 227-7338 / (828) 227-7395 FOOTBALL PRESS BOX PHONE: (828) 227-2116

CATAMOUNT ATHLETICS MAILING ADDRESS

Western Carolina University

Ramsey Center – Athletics 92 Catamount Road Cullowhee, NC 28723

CATAMOUNT FOOTBALL COACHING STAFF

Kerwin Bell

Head Coach (2nd yr) Kade Bell Assistant Coach / Offensive Coordinator / QBs (2nd yr) Chazmon Scales Assistant Coach / Defensive Coordinator / Safeties (2nd yr) Chris Norris Assistant Coach / Special Teams Coordinator (1st yr) Brian Cochran Assistant Coach / Defensive Line (1st yr) Jeremy Darveau Assistant Coach / Offensive Line (1st yr) Cody Edwards Assistant Coach / Linebackers (2nd yr) JJ Laster Assistant Coach / Wide Receivers (2nd yr) Larry Murphy Assistant Coach / Cornerbacks (2nd yr) Rudi Small Assistant Coach / Running Backs (2nd yr) Rylan Wells Assistant Coach / Tight Ends & Fullbacks (2nd yr) Greg McGruder Football Quality Control Coach – Offense (2nd yr) DeAirus Whitney Football Quality Control Coach – Defense (1st yr) Jeff Burger Football – Volunteer Assistant Coach (2nd yr) Landon Brown Football – Volunteer Assistant Coach (1st year)

CATAMOUNT FOOTBALL ADMINISTRATION & SUPPORT STAFF

Todd Shealy Trent Turknett Sydney Spears Mike Taylor Rory Jimerson

Director of Football Operations Director of Player Personnel Director of On-Campus Recruiting Head Athletic Equipment Manager Director of Athletics Facilities / Game Operations

WESTERN CAROLINA SPORTS PERFORMANCE STAFF

Ben Jacobs Austin Davis Bailey Forst Connor Owens

Director of Sports Performance & Nutrition Assistant Director of Sports Performance Assistant Sports Performance Coach Assistant Sports Performance Coach

WESTERN CAROLINA SPORTS MEDICINE STAFF

Steven Honbarger Robert Reyburn Haley Bennington Julia Daniel Aurora Goujon LeeAnn Grayson Tyler Spain Kaylyn Norville Lindsey Bartle

Director of Sports Medicine Associate Head Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Assistant Athletic Trainer Associate Athletic Trainer Athletic Training Intern

CATAMOUNT ATHLETICS MEDIA RELATIONS CONTACTS

Daniel Hooker, Assistant Athletics Director for Media Relations (football contact) Email: dhooker@email.wcu.edu | Office: (828) 227-2339 | Cell: (828) 508-2494 Steven Grandy, Director of Media Relations Email: sgrandy@email.wcu.edu Denise Gideon, Director of Media Relations Email: dgideon@email.wcu.edu Evan Ellis, Director of Video Operations Email: eellis@email.wcu.edu Patrick Mullaney, Asst Director of Video Ops Email: pmullaney@email.wcu.edu Greg Camillone, Director of Creative Media Email: gcamillone@email.wcu.edu

An annual production by the WCU Athletics Office of Media Relations, Western Carolina's 2018 and 2019 Catamount Football Media Guides were both selected “FIRST IN THE NATION” in the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) in the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) annual Publications and Digital Designs Contest. The 2017 Catamount Football Media Guide garnered a runner-up finish in the 2017-18 contest. WCU's 2020 Catamount Football Media Guide received "Best Cover" honors in the NCAA FCS for the 2020-21 contest.