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The Official Quarterly Newsleter of the Western Carolina University Catamount Club Cat’s All Sports Reunion WCU Athletics is calling all former Catamount players, coaches, and trainers to return this fall Head Football Coach Mark Speir More in depth look at the new catamount head coach and coaching staff Student-Athlete Spotlights A look at student-athletes competing this fall from all sports WCU Football Catamounts unveil new helmets for 2012 Summer 2012 – Volume VI On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Randy Eaton was named the new director of athletics at Western Carolina University. Eaton had been senior associate director of athletics at the University of Maryland and the athletics department’s chief financial officer since June 2008. He joined the Terrapin athletics program in 2003 as associate director in charge of business operations. At Maryland, he was the No. 2 administrator in the athletics department and oversaw a $60 million annual operating budget. He served as interim director in 2010 and had recently assumed additional responsibility for new revenues, facilities and operations. He also has held positions at the University of Houston, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, East Tennessee State University, Ohio State University, the University of Texas at San Antonio and with the Ohio Glory team of World League Football. “When I talked with the members of the search committee in December, I asked them to find someone who is a true leader – someone who has the capacity to hire, retain and mentor excellent coaches, assistant coaches and other athletics staff,” Chancellor David O. Belcher said. “I charged them with identifying a director of athletics candidate who shares Western Carolina University’s core values of excellence, student success and external focus. I am extremely pleased that the committee has found just that person in Randy Eaton.” “What impresses me most about Randy is his unwavering commitment to the student-athlete and the fact that he understands that the word ‘student’ is the most important part of that hyphenated term,” Belcher affirms. “He is totally committed to the concept that these young people who come to our university are students first and athletes second. That’s not to say that Randy does not want success on the fields and courts of play, because he shares the same expectations of excellence that I have for all of our sports teams. He has a passion for winning and for a New Direction Randy Eaton | Director of Athletics 4 21 10 18 CONTENTS Student Profiles. . .4 Student-Athlete Spotlight. . .9 Catamount Football. . 10 Donor Profile . 18 All Sports Reunion. . . . . . . . 19 Endowed Scholarship. . 20 SAAC Corner . 21 Employee Spotlight. . 21 Membership Corner. . 22 TABLE OF winning the right way. But he also understands the role that athletics plays in the university and that it is not a standalone entity apart from the academy.” Eaton also has strong skills in fiscal management and developing athletics program budgets, which will serve WCU well during times of financial constraints, Belcher expresses that. “His strengths will allow him to construct a strategically designed budget, manage our resources very carefully and guide the development of new resources through fundraising, increased ticket sales and additional corporate sponsorships,” Belcher continues to say. “He is extremely well-versed in NCAA compliance and issues of gender equity and has substantial experience in strategic planning. Perhaps best of all, Randy is a great human being with a wonderful personality, and I believe he makes a great addition to our Catamount family.” Eaton’s career includes nearly seven years as part of the athletics department administration at East Tennessee State University, a former member of the Southern Conference, the intercollegiate conference in which WCU competes. Eaton said he possesses an overarching desire to “win every game, graduate every student-athlete and do it all with class” that helps him maintain a focus on who is most important – the student-athletes. “Additionally, I believe my years of varied experience within intercollegiate athletics have prepared me for this opportunity and will serve both myself and the entire athletics program well,” he mentions. “I would also like to think my straightforwardness and outgoing nature will benefit me in leading this department. I told people during my interview, ‘what you see is what you get,’ and I meant it.” “Eaton was selected from among approximately 75 potential candidates for the position,” states Shea Browning, WCU associate general counsel and chair of the athletics director search committee. Seven candidates were interviewed by the search committee offsite in Asheville. RAs CAiTAsMOUeNTS 2 | CAT’S PAUSE “The number of well-qualified candidates in the pool is a testament to how Western Carolina University is viewed beyond these mountains,” Browning confirms. “I am extremely excited with the selection and hiring of Randy Eaton. I believe his expertise and experience will carry the department of athletics to new heights. I also applaud the effort and the hard work of the search committee. Our task of selecting two finalists from a very strong applicant pool to recommend to Chancellor Belcher was a daunting one, especially given our time constraints.” After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Eaton earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1990 and his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1992. He and his wife, Jeannette, are parents of one daughter, Alex, who is working in athletics administration at Maryland. Eaton’s boss at Maryland praised WCU for its decision. “He will do a great job as director of athletics,” affirms Kevin Anderson, director of athletics at Maryland. “In Randy, you get someone with both expertise in college athletics and a person who really cares about the student-athletes.” Deborah A. Yow, director of athletics at North Carolina State University, worked with Eaton when Yow was director of athletics at Maryland and called him “a high-energy and results-oriented professional held in high esteem by his peers.” James Franklin, head football coach at Vanderbilt University, worked with Eaton when Franklin was assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at Maryland and characterized Eaton as “a first-class guy with tremendous experience.” “He is one of those I’ve worked with in college athletics who gets it,” Franklin said. “He understands college athletics, revenue and nonrevenue sports and how to make them coexist. He is a guy who will represent the athletics department and the university very well.” What was it about Western Carolina University that initially grabbed your attention to pursue this position? It would have to be my previous experience within the Southern Conference, and the knowledge that I have of Western Carolina as an institution. I have had the opportunity to be here in Cullowhee several times while working at East Tennessee State. What previous knowledge are you bringing with you to make WCU Athletics more sucessful? Not only will my knowledge of intercollegiate athletics itself bring success to our programs, but my background in finance within intercollegiate athletics will be a huge part of what I can do for WCU. I will put that to use to strengthen the program as a whole. What goals are you hoping to acomplish this year? This year, I will learn the processes currently in place here within the athletics department. I may begin to tweak some things to better prepare the department for the future. I also plan to get out in the community and meet every current active member as well as past supporters of the Catamount Club between now and the end of the year. In the next thre years? I plan to have all of our programs in a position to compete for conference championships. Also, we will continually increase graduation rates of our student-athletes. In the next five years? I want to consistently win the Southern Conference Commissioner’s Cup as well as its Germann Cup. The Southern Conference annually awards the Commissioner’s Cup and Germann Cup to the top men’s and women’s program in the league based on a points system. If you could describe yourself in thre sentences to our student-athletes, what would you say? I would tell them that my number one priority is their academic success. And that I am approachable and available for anything that they could want to talk about. I would say, “I am here because of YOU. I work for you.” If you could describe yourself to our community and supporters? First of all, thank you for the support that you have shown to our student-athletes, our athletic program and our university in the past. I am warning you that you want to be a part of us NOW. Very soon, we are going to be very good, and a good seat at the table will be hard to come by. We’re going to have fun here at Western Carolina, and we are going to represent this university the way that they want and expect us to represent them. Finish this sentence: “I am excited about …” I am really excited about the future here at Western Carolina. We are going to give everybody something to be excited about. And the prospect of that fires me up. Q&Awith Dicertor of Athletics Randy Eaton SUMMER 2012 | 3 In this edition of Cat’s Pause, we have chosen a student-athlete to represent each of the 4 fall sports. Please join us this fall in supporting Catamount Athletics. Go Cats! RAs CAiTAsMOUeNTS 4 | CAT’S PAUSE Hometown: Brevard, N.C High School: Brevard High School In the Classroom: Lance has maintained a 3.4 GPA while majoring in Recreational Therapy with a minor in Pre-Physical Therapy. This Dean’s List student-athlete continuously shows up on the seasonal academic teams for the conference. Why did you choose WCU: “I received other good offers from other institutions, but WCU is special! I love the campus. I love the people. I love the team. I love everything! On my visit it seemed like a big family when I was meeting all of my future teammates, and that really drove me to commit to this program. There is also a really good education department at WCU, accompanied with the overall atmosphere of the staff and students, there was no way that I could say no!” Kaylan Lance CROSS COUNTRY and MIDDLE-DISTANCE RUNNER How do you fel about your team: “I love my team. We are the one team where I think we really all qualify to be a big family. There are girls, guys, assistant coaches that are like relatives, and we all have our dad Dubz (Coach Danny Williamson). We all compete with one another, nap on bus rides with one another, fight with one another, everything we do makes us all feel like a family! Even at conference championships, the guys’ or girls’ points don’t count for each other at the end of the meet. Even though they don’t, we are still rooting for each other, not just because we want to win, but also because we want to see our brother or sister succeed in life. Dubz is really a father figure for all of us. He keeps it professional, but he truly cares for us. He cares about our life more than anything. He checks on us with our success in the classroom just as much as he does on the track.” Best Story: “One of the funniest things that we’ve done as a team is have ‘van wars’. We take vans to meets a lot, and obviously we take multiple vans since there are so many of us. One day we were coming back from a meet that was far away, and we decided to kind of do charades. It started with us writing on the window with dry erase markers and then we all drew mustaches and put our faces up to the side so it looked like we had mustaches. It even made the coaches laugh! Then it escalated to us acting out charades as an entire van as we would pass by each other on the drive back. It was one of the best memories of my career!” Future Plans: “Upon graduating with a degree in Recreational Therapy, I plan to get my master’s degree in Physical Therapy.” SUMMER 2012 | 5 Position: Linebacker Hometown: Howell, Michigan High School: Howell High School High School Awards: All-KLAA (Kensington Lakes Athletic Association) honors, All-County and team defensive MVP as a senior In the classroom: As a finance major, Rock has earned a 3.7 GPA. In addition, he has made the Dean’s List, was a part of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2009-2011 and named to the 2010 & 2011 Southern Conference Fall Academic All-Conference team. On the field: Entering the 2012-2013 season as a starting linebacker… played in at least 10 games since freshman year… started all 10 games the 2011-2012 season… led the Catamounts and was third in the conference with a career-high of 115 tackles… tallied double-digit tackles six times… career-high Rock Williams FOOTBAL of 19 tackles, eight of which were solo stops against Elon University (Earning the WCU defensive player of the game)… in 2010, ranked eighth in SoCon with 66 tackles and third on the team... 2012 preseason All-Southern Conference 2nd Team choice Campus Involvement: Director of External Operations of the athletic departments Student- Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2012-2013 school year… director of the SAAC’s Facebook task force for 2011-2012 school year… volunteered throughout campus, including “Whee Think Pink” breast cancer initiative for SAAC that generated over $4,000 to be donated for breast cancer research this past school year What does Rock have to say: “Coming out of high school I thought it would be a pretty cool opportunity to play in the SoCon. When visiting schools, I really liked WCU for its people, coaches, and the location of the school. There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the school so I wanted to come here. Once I came to WCU all of my thoughts were manifested into reality! I have had a lot of great teammates over my four years at WCU. There are quite a few I will always keep in touch with. I will always be there for them and I know they will always be there for me, and that’s what I love about being here! Along with my teammates I feel that the Catamount Club donors are a part of that family as well. With that I would like to thank them for their financial support of my teammates and myself. Also for being there on the sideline watching practice. Watching our games, and just for their overall support. Thank you again and we will do all we can this season to make you all proud!” Future Plans: Upon graduation, Rock plans to find a job that he really enjoys and start a family as he remains a loyal fan of the Catamount nation. 6 | CAT’S PAUSE Position: Forward Hometown: Robbinsville, New Jersey High School: Robbinsville High School high School Awards: Named All-CVC conference all three seasons…earned first team CVC as a senior… named NSCAA HS All-Region and Trentonian Soccer Player of the Year. In the classroom: Laura majors in Health and Physical Education and has a 3.7 GPA. She has made the Dean’s List… every year she has been on the seasonal conference academic teams… has never dropped below a semester GPA of 3.3. On the field: Has played in 10 games during freshmen season… started all games in past 2 seasons (39 games)… ending the 2011-2012 seasons, she had 7 goals, 7 assist, and 21 points… had a shot percentage of .086... ranked second on the team in points in 2011. Laura Greb SOCER Fun fact: “I am probably the most superstitious person on the team. I always have to where the same thing every game. I have to tie my shoes the same way, wear the same undergarments; I have to tape myself the same way… It’s a routine I have to do before every game!” Greb 2012 Season Outlook: “This year I feel the most confident about my team out of my four years being here. We only graduated two seniors last year, and we are bringing in five freshmen along with one transfer. I am confident that we will do really well this year with the mindset we all are coming in with, ranging from the players all the way up to the coaches. The confidence we have as a team is better than it has been before, which has me very interested for this season. I expect to have a really good run this year!” Future Plans: “I plan to graduate in the spring of 2013 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. Immediately upon graduation, I hope to start on a master’s degree, while working as a graduate assistant with the soccer team or in the P.E. department. I would like to be a coach one day, so it would be good for me to start seeing the other side as a coach and learn things from a coaching perspective.” SUMMER 2012 | 7 Position: Middle Blocker Hometown: Aberdeen, North Carolina High School: Pinecrest High School high School Awards: Named the 2010 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year… selected to the All-Southeastern Conference team both her Junior and Senior seasons. Other Sports: Soccer and Basketball In the Classroom: Graduated high school early and enrolled at WCU in the spring of 2011. George is a Pre-Nursing major, currently sitting at a cumulative GPA of 3.71. She is very proud to say, “I have been on the Dean’s list every single semester that I have been in college!” She has been on the seasonal conference academic teams every semester. Addy George VOLEYBAL Why WCU? “The campus here at WCU is beautiful! I love the mountains, so for me to have the opportunity to attend a university that is in the mountains was great for me. Western has the academic programs that I am interested in to help me make it in the medical field. I am also really eager to be a part of rebuilding the volleyball program here at WCU!” How do you fel about your team: “We are such a young team! I’m excited to see how we learn and grow together. We did so well last season that I expect us to continue to improve and become a top contender in the conference! I really enjoy spending time with my teammates. We are each unique and we seem to complement each other very well both on and off of the court. They’re my best friends and the reason I can’t wait to get back to WCU whenever I am away! We’re very fortunate that Coach Karen Glover has encouraged us to extend our comradery beyond the court!” Personal Message: “I would like to thank the donors of the Catamount Club for everything that they do for the volleyball program and Catamount Athletics as a whole. Volleyball has served as a catalyst for me to achieve my academic and ultimately my career goals. I would like to invite you guys to be a part of the exciting season we have ahead of us. Go Cats!” Future: “I plan to continue playing volleyball while earning my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) at WCU. I want to go to graduate school to become a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist).” 8 | CAT’S PAUSE Redshirt senior women’s soccer player Samantha Hodge is getting a crash course in creating publicity campaigns using social media to help promote herself and the Catamount women’s soccer program. In mid-July, Hodge began a blog and a video series highlighting her hectic schedule and final season on the Catamount soccer program. A very driven and outgoing person, Hodge has provided key insight into the life of a student-athlete at Western Carolina. “I can’t wait to share my story and busy life with others,” Hodge said. “I am hoping this will show my life as a student-athlete.” In the video series called “What’s Up with Samantha,” Hodge gives an inside look into the ins and outs of Western Carolina women’s soccer. She incorporates teammates into her videos, and even did a segment at the Southern Conference Student-Athlete Leadership Institute Conference that was held July 20-22. She also finds different guests to open episodes of “What’s Up with Samantha.” Viewers of the series never know who might show up on Hodge’s video entries. The blog and video series also will capture Hodge’s various extracurricular activities including holding the office of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President, Student Government Association senator, interning with the Catamount Club and also spending time tutoring. The catalyst for Hodge to delve into the social media explosion came last November when Hodge, a forward from Louisville, Ky., became the first Catamount soccer player in school history to be named to the Capitol One Academic All-District III First Team. In the past, Western Carolina had two players make second team all-district: Kyla Deon (2002) and Emily Pierce, twice (2003 and 2005). The honor was humbling to Hodge, and with the first team selection she became eligible for national Academic All-American honors. When the list came out, and Hodge’s name was missing, she became determined to do all she could to be on the list in 2012. She already has the academic requirements for the award, with a 3.94 GPA in mathematics and actuarial science. Hodge just needed to get her name out there to be noticed for her other outside activities and work ethic. She is also pursuing another prestigious award, the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. The award focuses on the four C’s: Classroom, Character, Competition and Community. Hodge possesses all four in spades. “The All-American and Lowe’s Senior Class Award are very prestigious awards,” Hodge said. “It would be a great honor to achieve either of them.” It is an unprecedented move by Western Carolina to launch a full scale campaign for Hodge and the use of social media allows for a focused and directed assault. Hodge’s video series and blogs are highlighted on Western Carolina’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/catamounts) pages as well as a blog section on catamountsports.com. Her desire and drive most definitely comes from her near-fatal bout with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) after sophomore season. Hodge always believed if she was faced with a season-ending injury, she would most likely give up playing soccer. Given the choice of running away from these challenges or finding the fortitude to meet them headlong, Hodge chose the latter. Seven knee surgeries – a total of eight surgeries overall – and a doctor’s prognosis that she might never play college soccer again had Hodge facing her worst fear. But instead of backing down and giving up the sport she grew up playing, Hodge decided to fight for a chance to play again. “Doctors had concerns she would never play again,” said Head Soccer Coach Chad Miller. “Through her hard work, dedication and never-quit mentality, she came back in full force and was a huge asset to the team this past fall.” Hodge came back with a vengeance in 2011, her redshirt junior season. She started all 20 games, leading the Catamounts in goals (5), assists (6) and points (24). Hodge did all this while learning a new position on the field. At the top of Hodge’s list of personal goals is closing out her senior season on the Catamount women’s soccer team on a high note. Just below her goal of success for the team is sharing the ins and outs of Catamount soccer in her video series, and if her efforts yield more exposure for the team and herself, then that can be catalogued as a successful completion to a stellar career. Samantha Hodge Uses Social Media to Give Pek into Western Carolina Women’s Socer SUMMER 2012 | 9 Mark Speir, who has spent much of his 21- year coaching career at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, was named the head football coach at Western Carolina University as announced by Director of Athletics Randy Eaton on Dec. 22. Speir, who got his coaching career start at Western Carolina from 1991-96 under former Catamount head coach Steve Hodgin, becomes the 13th head coach of the WCU football program. “When I stood at my introductory press conference in December, I told the Catamount Nation that I was looking for four main attributes of our next head football coach: a love for the student-athlete and an unwavering commitment to student-athlete success both on and off the field; a track record of success at the FCS level; pre-existing relationships with local and regional high school coaches; and someone who is a `fit’ in the athletics department, on campus and in the community. I have found all four in Mark Speir,” Eaton said. Speir returns to Cullowhee after spending the past nine seasons at Appalachian State, where he was a part of three consecutive FCS National Championships from 2005-07, serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator since 2004 while most recently also coaching the inside linebackers. He also has coached the Mountaineers’ running backs (2003-04), defensive line (2005-08) and defensive ends (2009-10). New Head Football Coach In 2009, Speir was tabbed as the NCAA Division I FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The award has been handed out every year since 1997 at the five levels of football including the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), FCS, Division II and III and NAIA levels. “It’s great to be a Catamount,” Speir began during his comments at the press conference. “For former Catamounts, we want you to return. This is home; this is where you ought to be on Saturday afternoons. This is a place we all should be proud of. We are going to be a team that is sound fundamentally. We are going to take care of the football and play hard until there is no time left on the clock. We are going to play with class and character because we are representing something a lot bigger than just ourselves. You’ve heard the phrase ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, it takes a ‘Catamount Nation’ to raise a football team – and we are counting on you.” Prior to Appalachian, Speir also made coaching stops at Presbyterian (1997-99) while the Blue Hose were a NCAA Division II member institution and at Elon (2000-02) the year after the program made the transition to a NCAA Division I school. A native of Kannapolis, Speir broke into coaching while an undergraduate at Clemson University, working as a student assistant from 1986 through 1989 and helping the Tigers to three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships during his four years. Following his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1990, Speir landed on Hodgin’s staff in Cullowhee, first working with the running backs from 1991-93, then the linebackers in 1994 before coaching the defensive line and serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator from 1995-96. Throughout his collegiate coaching career, Speir has made a name for himself through the recruiting process. He has held the title of recruiting coordinator at three NCAA FCS institutions (WCU, Elon and ASU), most recently organizing the efforts that landed Appalachian State six consecutive crops of freshmen that have been widely considered to be among the top in NCAA Division I FCS recruiting classes, which helped the Mountaineers to three straight national titles. Off the field, Speir is involved in many charitable causes. He has raised more than $30,000 to help rebuild the Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh by training for and participating in the 2008 Music City Marathon in Nashville, which he finished in 4:01; the 2009 Boston Marathon, which he completed in 3:59; and the 2010 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. In 2009, he traveled to Bangladesh to provide much-needed medical supplies and volunteer at the hospital for 10 days. Jerry Moore, the head coach at Appalachian State, praised WCU for its decision. “Western Carolina is 10 | CAT’S PAUSE What was your initial thought when you learned that the position for the head football coach at Western Carolina University was open? I thought, “I would like to have that job!” What previous knowledge are you bringing with you to make the WCU football program more sucessful? Well first of all, I have had six years of experience with Western Carolina football. I was here for the 1992 season, when we were only one win away from a Southern Conference championship. I understand the culture, challenges and rewards that Cullowhee brings to life in Western North Carolina. What goals are you hoping to acomplish this year? We will create an atmosphere of competitiveness. We also will create the belief that we can be special on and off the field. In the next thre years … In the next three years I expect to be competing for playoff spots in the FCS, and I also expect to graduate our football players and develop them into model citizens on and off this campus. In the next five years … I want to win this school its first SoCon championship and make a deep run in the playoffs. I also want to make sure that we are always producing quality individuals who will want to come back and give back to their university. If you could describe yourself in thre sentences to your players, what would you say? I would tell them that I am a passionate, blue collar, no frills kind of football coach. I am also a family man with strong Christian values. And lastly, I am a guy who enjoys life! Hakuna matata! Thre sentences to our community and supporters? I would like to assure them that I am so excited and honored to be the head football coach at Western Carolina. I am excited for the opportunity to lead these young men into the next phase of Catamount football, and I am excited to bring the past traditions into future greatness. Finish this sentence: I am excited about … Western Carolina University! very lucky to get Mark. He is a perfect fit. He knows Western Carolina and knows it well. He is a great coach and a better man. He is the kind of guy whom you would love your son to go play for.” Speir was “one of the main reasons I went to WCU,” said former Catamount football standout Brad Hoover, who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. “It was because of the level of Mark Speir’s sincerity and his positive attitude during my recruitment experience with him that drew me to commit to Western Carolina.” Stacy Searels, the offensive line coach at the University of Texas, described Speir as a “a self-starter, a real go-getter and a relentless recruiter who will do a great job for WCU,” while Daryl Dickey, the head coach and director of athletics at the University of West Georgia, characterized him as “a hard worker who is passionate about and loves all aspects of the game of football.” Speir is married to the former Paige Holt of Pickens, S.C., and the couple has two sons, Zeb and Jackson. Q&Awith Head Football Coach Mark Speir SUMMER 2012 | 11 Post-season honors and awards also were familiar to Banks. He was named first-team All-Independent as a return specialist in 2001 and also received-second team All- Big South Conference plaudits as a wide receiver and return specialist in 2002. Banks received player of the week honors both in ’01 (Independent) and twice in ’02 (Big South). Banks was a heralded defensive back at Warren County High, where he also ran track and field. He began his coaching career at his alma mater at Warren County, taking over as the program’s head coach in 2005 through 2006, finishing 6-5 before coaching defensive backs and quarterbacks at Wakefield High in Raleigh through 2007. In 2008, he pursued his collegiate coaching at Brevard College. Banks married the former Latora Pettaway of Henderson during the summer of 2009, and the couple had their first child together in 2011. Banks also has a daughter, Shymia. Trey Elder joined the Catamount football coaching staff under head coach Mark Speir in January 2012 from Appalachian State. Elder will coach the WCU wide receivers, a position he held at ASU for two seasons prior to the move. “Trey has an up-and-coming offensive mind in the business as well as a great knowledge of the game. He has an excellent eye for the details of the game. Trey will be a great leader, and he is a man of character on and off the field. These players are going to absolutely love him.” – Coach Speir Brad Glenn joined the Western Carolina University football coaching staff after having just completed his seventh year at Appalachian State. He will work with the Catamount quarterbacks while also serving as the program’s offensive coordinator. finishes in 1999 and 2000. He got his start at the collegiate ranks in 2001 at Elon coaching tight ends before spending the next two seasons at North Greenville College as the offensive coordinator. He returned to the high school ranks for a season in his hometown at Seneca High (2004) before being hired at Appalachian State. Glenn is a 1995 graduate of Clemson University. He is married to the former Anna Thompson and the couple has two daughters, Zoey and Landry. Arketa Banks is entering his fourth season at WCU. He arrived in Cullowhee after having spent 2008 at Brevard College, where he coached the defensive secondary and was the program’s recruiting coordinator. “I have known Arketa since his playing days at Elon. He has always been a leader and a positive energy guy. I am excited that he has decided to stay in Cullowhee. He is a great recruiter and coach. I look for big things out of Arketa.” – Coach Speir Under new head coach Mark Speir – who coached Banks for three seasons while at Elon – Banks returns to coaching the Catamount running backs, a position he held during the 2009-10 seasons before coaching the wide receivers in 2011. During his previous stint with the running backs at WCU, Banks mentored Michael Johnson to 2009 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year accolades. In addition to coordinating WCU’s football camps, Banks also serves as the team’s community service liaison. Banks is no stranger to Southern Conference-caliber football. A 2003 graduate of Elon, the Warrenton native was a four-year letter-winner for the then “Fighting Christians,” playing from 1999-2003. He led Elon in receiving from 2000 through 2002, amassing 1,371 yards on 54 catches with 17 receiving touchdowns during that same span. His seven touchdowns and 42 points led the Elon squad in 2001. Banks continues to hold the ninth-longest reception in Elon history with a 75-yard catch in 2002 against East Tennessee State. Going into his senior season at Elon, The Sports Network deemed Banks the “fifth-best kick returner” in NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) football. FOOTBALL STAF F “Brad has an excellent offensive mind, as good as anybody in the country in running the spread offense. He also is a great teacher and innovator of quarterback play. Brad also is a great family man who will be an asset to this community and university. WCU is very fortunate to have the Glenn family here in Cullowhee.” – Coach Speir Glenn spent the past three seasons as the quarterbacks coach while also serving one year as tight ends coach (2005) and three working with the slot receivers (2006-08). He comes to Cullowhee with coordinator experience at two different high schools as well as two seasons at North Greenville College (2002-03). While at ASU, Glenn coached six All- Southern Conference honorees, most notably mentoring the last two SoCon Offensive Players of the Year in Armanti Edwards and DeAndre Presley. Edwards additionally garnered the Walter Payton Award honoring the nation’s top NCAA Division I FCS player. A native of Seneca, S.C., Glenn started his coaching career as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Greer (S.C.) High School from 1995 through 2000, helping lead the program to a 25-3 overall record and back-to- back South Carolina Upper-State runner-up 12 | CAT’S PAUSE Elder, a four-year letter winner at quarterback from 2004-07, returned to his alma mater in 2010 as the wide receivers coach. In his first season on staff, he coached a trio of receivers – Matt Cline, CoCo Hillary and Brian Quick – who rank among ASU’s all-time top 10 in receptions and receiving yards. Quick was a two-time All-American, earning his second honor under Elder after leading the Mountaineer receivers with 71 receptions for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2011. Elder’s coaching experience also includes one season at his high school alma mater, Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C., where he served as the wide receivers coach in 2009. He helped lead the Rebels to a 13-2 record and an appearance in the South Carolina 4A Division I state championship game. Under Elder’s tutelage, Byrnes receivers caught 284 passes for 4,655 yards and 60 touchdowns in ’09. Elder, who was South Carolina’s Mr. Football as a senior at Byrnes in 2003, began his coaching career as a student assistant at ASU in 2008. A 2008 graduate of Appalachian State, Elder spent much of his career backing up the two greatest signal-callers in Mountaineer history, Richie Williams and Armanti Edwards. However, he excelled when given the opportunity, posting a 7-1 career record as a starter. He helped lead the Mountaineers to the team’s third-straight national championship by going 4-0 as a starter in 2007 and played an integral part in ASU’s first national title in 2005, when he replaced an injured Williams early in the national semifinals versus Furman and led Appalachian to a 29-23 come-from-behind victory. John Holt joined Mark Speir’s coaching staff at Western Carolina in January 2012. He will serve as the program’s offensive line coach, coming to Cullowhee from his alma mater, Appalachian State, where he worked the four previous seasons. Holt spent three of his four years on staff at ASU working with the Mountaineer tight ends, including coaching four-time All-SoCon selection Ben Jorden during three of his four all-conference seasons. “John is a high-energy offensive line coach with a lot of passion for the game and players. He is a great motivator and teacher of young men. He is also an excellent recruiter and evaluator of talent. WCU is going to love him!” – Coach Speir In 2008, Holt began his coaching career by serving on head coach Jerry Moore’s staff in an offensive quality control capacity. His duties included assisting the offensive staff with day-to-day noncoaching duties, specifically offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. Thanks in large part to Holt’s efforts, ASU’s offense ranked among the nation’s top 10 in scoring, rushing, pass efficiency and total offense in ’08. A native of nearby Leicester, Holt played in 55 of ASU’s 56 games during his four-year career (2004-07), including all 15 games as a senior in 2007, serving as a team captain while also earning third-team All-America honors from The Sports Network. A versatile offensive lineman, he saw significant playing time at right guard and both tackle positions during his collegiate career. The son of Michael Joe and Susah Holt, he graduated from ASU in 2008. His brother, Sherman, followed him to Boone, playing for the Mountaineers from 2007-11. Mark Rhea came to Western Carolina in mid-March 2010 as the defensive line coach and was promoted to the program’s recruiting coordinator during the spring of 2011. Under new head coach Mark Speir, Rhea will continue to hold both positions entering the 2012 season. “We are excited that Mark decided to stay with our program. I have found him to be a motivator and a difference-maker to these players. He is a very professional and detail-oriented coach and recruiter.” – Coach Speir A four-year starter at the University of Toledo from 1988-91, Rhea got his start on the Rockets’ staff serving as an administrative assistant and graduate assistant from 1992-94. He has served as a defensive line coach at four different institutions and most recently was the defensive coordinator last season at Tiffin University in Ohio. Rhea coached for six seasons at Idaho State before returning to his alma mater. During his tenure at Idaho State, he coached a defensive line that had all four linemen earn All-Big Sky honors four years in a row and earned a combined 22 all-conference honors, including eight first-team All-Big Sky picks and seven academic All-Big Sky selections. Prior to his stint at Idaho State, Rhea was on the staff at Austin Peay and before that coached at the United State Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. In his career, Rhea has mentored three players who have gone on to the professional ranks. In 2006, he coached J.P. Bekasiak, who later became a first-round pick of the Hamilton Tiger- Cats of the Canadian Football League. Rhea continued on page 14 SUMMER 2012 | 13 also coached two players at Idaho State who went on to the NFL in Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings and Jeff Charleston, who played for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints last season. After earning his bachelor’s degree in athletic administration from Toledo in 1992, Rhea assisted the Rockets’ coaching staff before working two seasons as a graduate assistant at Michigan State. The Beavercreek, Ohio, native had a standout playing career at Toledo that saw him named the team’s outstanding defensive lineman as a senior and play a pivotal role on the Rockets’ 1990 Mid-America Conference (MAC) co-championship team. Rhea and his wife, Stacey, have a daughter, Madeline. Chris Collins joined the Western Carolina coaching staff as a defensive assistant prior to the spring drills in 2011, after spending the previous season as a student assistant. He has worked primarily with the linebackers, a position he played for the Catamounts during his collegiate career, and under new head coach Mark Speir will assist with the defensive secondary. “Chris is a young coach who has a big future in this profession. Being a former player, he brings a lot of ideas and history to the table. He has a lot of desire and passion for this program to be successful. We are excited that he is going to be a part of this staff.” – Coach Speir Collins, a four-year letter-winner, closed his career by being named All-Southern Conference by the voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association as a senior after tallying a career-high 109 tackles, including 63 solo stops. He added 12.5 tackles for loss playing the “hybrid” linebacker position in WCU’s 4-2-5 scheme. Through 44 career games, the High Point native finished with 303 career hits, including 166 solo tackles and 19 tackles for a combined 93 yards in losses. A ball-hawk, Collins finished with nine forced fumbles with a SoCon-leading six coming during his junior season. He also was credited with five pass break-ups. Collins played in 10 or more games in each of his four seasons in Cullowhee. Off the field, Collins was named to the 2007 fall academic All-Southern Conference team. Daniel Gibson enters his seventh season working with the Catamount football staff. He is entering his first season as the director of football operations after having spent the past two as the defensive assistant. “We are extremely excited that Dan Gibson has decided to stay on as director of football operations. He is a true Catamount and certainly bleeds purple. He has a wealth of knowledge and relationships on this campus that will make our transition as a staff smooth. He is a very hard worker with great professionalism. I am personally ecstatic that he will be a vital part of our staff.” – Coach Speir Gibson, who played prep football at Wakefield High School, worked his way up from video coordinator to having more of a coaching role with the Catamounts. As the director of football operations, Gibson will manage all aspects of the team from roster maintenance to travel. He also will serve as the academic liaison for the WCU football team. Gibson, who worked with the Catamount Club in the summer of 2006, has become a fixture around Catamount athletics with his willingness to assist any staff member or coach. A native of Wake Forest, Gibson graduated from Western Carolina with an undergraduate degree in psychology in 2007. He then earned his master’s degree in sport management from WCU in 2009. Pat Mills is a 2010 graduate of Appalachian State University, where he played varsity football for four years. He was a member of the 2006 and 2007 national championship teams as well as five SoCon championship teams, from 2006-10. “We are very excited about the addition of Pat Mills, our tight ends coach. He will bring a lot of energy and passion to the Catamount Program. He is a young coach with great work ethic and energy. He will bring a positive mentality of winning to our team.” – Coach Speir Mills earned ASU’s Media All Conference Award as a player for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Upon graduating, he accepted a job at Concord University as an assistant coach, working with the tight ends and the offensive line. During the 2011 season, Concord went on to win the WVIAC Conference Championship and was selected to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in more than 20 years. Mills is the son of Dean and Gail Mills, and he was born and raised in Charlotte, where he started his football career at Providence High School. In his free time, Mills enjoys the outdoors and spending quality time with his friends and family. Steve Sisa is joining the Catamount staff as a secondary coach. A native of Manassas, Va., Sisa most recently served two years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked with player development and safeties. continued from page 13 14 | CAT’S PAUSE “Steve comes to WCU via the University of North Carolina, where he spent last year as the Tar Heels’ safeties coach. He has an excellent defensive mind. Steve brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Catamount program. He is an excellent recruiter with a lot of ties to the area.” – Coach Speir Prior to his work with the Tar Heels, Sisa served two seasons (2008-09) as a graduate assistant at Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles made back-to- back appearances in the New Orleans Bowl during his tenure. Sisa helped tutor the Southern Miss secondary under defensive coordinator Todd Bradford and head coach Larry Fedora. He also was responsible for opponent scouting reports, scout team film study and practice scripts. Sisa was a quality control coach at the University of Illinois in 2007, where he worked primarily with the team’s linebackers. Illinois was 9-3 that season and advanced to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1984. Sisa began his coaching career at Ed White High School in Jacksonville, Fla., under head coach Dan Disch, who is now the defensive coordinator at Southern Miss. He was the secondary coach in 2003 and the defensive coordinator from 2004-06. Sisa served as the team’s NCAA recruiting liaison for prospective student-athletes and also was the Shrine Bowl defensive coordinator in 2006. A linebacker at perennial Division III power Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., in 1997, Sisa’s career was cut short by a shoulder injury. He transferred to Virginia Tech, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2001. He received a master’s degree in sports management in 2009 from Southern Miss. Steve will be making the transfer to Cullowhee with his wife, Lisa, who is an elementary school teacher. Curtis Walker will join Speir and his staff as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to coming to WCU, Walker served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Coastal Carolina University’s football program for 10 seasons under head coach David Bennett. “Curtis will serve as our defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Curtis has spent the past 10 years coordinating a defense at Coastal Carolina University that has won four Big South Conference Championships and has had two FCS playoff appearances. He is a very detailed and sound football coach. Curtis also is widely respected as a recruiter.” – Coach Speir Under Walker’s tutelage, the Coastal Carolina defense helped the Chanticleers capture three consecutive Big South Conference titles in the program’s just second, third and fourth seasons of play, a berth in the 2006 NCAA Division I Football Championships and final top-25 rankings in three national polls all three years. In 2010, the defense once again played a key role in Coastal winning its fourth Big South title. From the outset, Coastal Carolina’s defense has set the tone. In the program’s first year, it ranked first in the league and eighth nationally in turnover margin while ranking second in the Big South in total defense. From 2004-07, the Chants’ defense ranked first in the league in pass efficiency defense, while ranking first or second in sacks and tackles for loss from 2005-09 with the exception of 2008, when Coastal ranked third. Walker got his coaching start at Salisbury High School as the linebackers coach. He then served under Bennett (whom he followed to Coastal Carolina) for seven years on the staff at Catawba College, where he was linebackers coach from 1995-2000 and promoted to defensive coordinator in 2001, his final season there. With Walker as defensive coordinator, the Indians ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, 11th in rushing defense and 22nd in total defense. During his tenure at Catawba, the program made the NCAA Division II playoffs three straight seasons, including a 2001 semifinal berth. A native of Burlington, Walker was a two-time All-Conference selection at Graham High School. A 1988 graduate of the school, he held the school’s record for career tackles for 14 years. Walker and his wife, Sheka, have two sons, Jalon (7) and Curtis Jr. (5). SUMMER 2012 | 15 Q. What is your football philosophy? A. “The main thing is: number one, you have to surround yourself with quality people, both as a coaching staff and the players you recruit on board. I want to have a hard-nosed, tough, and well-conditioned football team. I want players with speed. I recruit playmakers who can run and make plays. We are going to be a football team that controls the tempo of the game, and we also want to be a football team that protects and secures the football on offense, and creates turnovers on defense.” Q. What is your typical Tuesday football practice? A. “A typical Tuesday practice will usually start off with the kicking game. We want to work our players before they get into their position mindsets. Special teams are a team unit, so we want to stress the importance in the beginning of practice while their minds are fresh. From there, we will separate offense and defense and try to perfect our individual techniques and position groups. Then, we will do a lot of group work and will finish up with total team offense and defense, and finish strong with conditioning.” Q. How can you change the football status from that of a losing program to a winning program? A. “Hard work. Anything special does not come easy. I need to get my players to buy into being a part of something bigger than themselves.” Q. How did you gain the players’ trust? Get them to buy into your philosophy? A. “It is a continual process in gaining my players’ trust. It does not happen overnight. They have to see that we, as coaches, care about them as people and not just players. By treating the players right and building relationships with them. They need to know and understand that we have a plan, and know that as a team, what we are willing to do to execute the plan. Take care of business and win!” Q. How will you generate community interest in the program? A. “I think you have to get out and engage with the community. We require every one of our players, each semester, to do two hours of community service. I think then the community feels like it’s like a relationship with the individuals, instead of just a University student-athlete. The community can build a relationship with the players, and ultimately it will draw a bigger and better fan base when they come and watch them play. We are very excited about the upcoming season and it is critical that the fans get out there and support this football team. Our players are buying into being a championship program, and we just ask that the fans buy in as well and support these student-athletes. We want to create a game day environment that is second to none. Finish strong. GO CATS!” Q. How do you communicate with your athletes? A. “I communicate with the team by being very straightforward and blunt with them. Those young men have been brought up in a strong society and we have to be politically correct. I don’t want to hurt their feelings, but sometimes they need to know what their expectations and responsibilities are, without sugar coating.” Q. What are the biggest improvements from the spring? A. “I have been pleased with the work habit. The biggest thing that I have noticed is that I am starting to see some leadership surface that I didn’t see in the spring. Offensive Players Ed Sullivan, Teddy Rhoney, and Deja Alexander have been holding their teammates accountable both on and off the field. Defensive players Rock Williams, Eli Martinez, and Brian Johnson have also stepped up their leadership skills from the spring. During the summertime, we cannot coach the team, which makes it difficult to keep everyone in the proper shape to get ready for season. The team has been having player-only practices, and they are holding each other accountable with going to the weight room and conditioning practices. They have also participated in team cookouts. Bonding is a big part of a team and what builds team chemistry. Success comes from a player-driven team, where the players are each other’s coach.” We had a chance to sit down with Coach Speir and staff to talk about the new strategy and mindsets of the WCU football team. 16 | CAT’S PAUSE Q. How will you get the student body excited about supporting the football team? A. “Number one, we want to create a game day atmosphere. We want the whole day to be an event, and not just the football game. We want to create an event where families, the student body, the community, and the alumni can all come together and share something in common: Purple & Gold spirit. The structure of the game day environment is going to be changed, and we will have a team that plays exciting hard-nosed football.” Offensive line coach John Holt was asked a few questions about pre-season and gave us a little insight to his new strategy. Q. What is the Offensive Philosophy? A. “To control the football at all times. This means no turnovers or negative yardage plays. On each drive our goal is to put points on the board. We want to control the line of scrimmage and execute plays to increase the possibility of a game-changing play or series of plays. We will be in top shape in order to give ourselves a chance to wear out our opponents and take advantage of any weakness they may display. Our number one goal is to play with the character, passion, and integrity that represents the students, alumni, and supporters of Western Carolina University to the best of our ability.” Q. What are the biggest improvements of the offense from the spring? A. “We learned to use better fundamentals, and started acting as a cohesive unit. A huge improvement was our ability to use endurance in conditioning to our advantage. We developed a lot of character as an offense line and our players have a better understanding of the new offense we are running.” Q. Who will be the leaders on offense? A. “Eddie Sullivan, Ryan Moore, Mike Johnson, and Teddy Rhoney are our offensive leaders. My expectations of these players are to make the plays and do the right things to help us become a successful football team on and off the field.” Defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Curtis Walker talks about his philosophy and expectations of his defensive players. Q. What is the WCU defensive philosophy? A. “To be a great defense, there must be a team concept of defense. There must be an overall philosophy which prevails at all times, and an individual goal which everyone strives to achieve. They must have tremendous pride in being a member of the defensive team, and more important, each individual must respect and take pride in his teammates. It is necessary that each individual earn and maintain this respect, and have confidence in his teammate. It is this chemistry that evolves amongst a team that enables them to be great and achieve the goals they have set. But it is only through hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that this can be accomplished.” Q. What are the defense’s biggest improvements from the spring? A. “The biggest improvements are getting our guys to play as one. We are unified as a group and have done a lot of drills as far as getting them in to situations where they can rely on one another to make plays. We must improve upon in the fall two stats that were glaring, which were rush defense and a scoring defense. We need to improve to get better, and we will.” Q. Who are the leaders on defense? A. “We are counting on leadership from Brian Johnson, Eli Martinez, and Rock Williams to lead our defense to help us be successful and achieve our defensive goals. They all work very hard and hold their other teammates accountable.” With football season right around the corner, the Catamount football team will continue to improve and work hard to become successful. Catamount Compliance Corner Welcome to a new and exciting academic year where great things are happening at WCU. The Compliance Office at Western Carolina appreciates the support of every donor to our program. However, our priority is to maintain the integrity of each of our programs and uphold all NCAA legislation, while achieving the greatest experience for our student-athletes. Please remember that fans and boosters may not provide anything to prospective or enrolled student-athletes (or their families) without prior approval from the Compliance Office. In addition, boosters and fans may not provide free or reduced-rent housing on- or off-campus to student-athletes or potential student-athletes. If a student-athlete or his/her family accepts any benefits of special consideration (e.g., transportation, meals, money, etc.) based on his/her athletic skill, the student-athlete will lose his/her eligibility and WCU will be subject to NCAA penalties. Please feel free to contact the Compliance Office if you have any questions. Thank you for your continued support of Catamount Athletics. For more infor mation Contact Stacey Miller, Assistant Athletic Director of compliance 828.227.7338 or Srmiller@wcu.edu SUMMER 2012 | 17 Kevin Murphy What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of “selling groceries”? For some people it could mean an image of the bag boy at the local supermarket. Former Catamount Kevin Murphy, however, brings a new meaning to the phrase “grocery handling.” Kevin Murphy, co-owner of Concepts Food Group, founded in 2008, is the ultimate businessman in the food industry. Concepts Food Group is a master food brokerage company focusing on specialty product sales in four categories: dressings and sauces, seafood, poultry and beef. Since 2008, annual sales have incrementally increased to $36 million with a projected increase of more than $54 million in 2012. This success undoubtedly comes from his key core values of hard work, determination and leadership. These values are key to any success and are usually instilled in people at young ages. Fortunately for Kevin, he was able to develop these characteristics through playing football. Kevin was hardworking on the field starting at a young age. He attended Byrnes High School in Spartanburg, S.C., and was named second-team All-State in South Carolina. Shortly after, in 1987, he committed and signed with the Western Carolina University football team. After one year, he transferred to the University of South Carolina and played three years of football there while earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing. He graduated in 1991 and has found immense success in his career off the court as a businessman and family man. Kevin married Deidra Murphy in 2001, and they currently reside in Concord. They have five kids: Andrew (21), Kevin (10), Chloe (9), Sydney (4), and Ella (3). With four young children and a multimillion dollar company, day-to-day events can become quite hectic for Kevin. A day in the life for this business executive could begin as routinely as preparing his children for school or as ritzy as catching a flight from Charlotte for a face-to-face meeting with corporate clients such as chief executive officers, vice presidents of national account teams or corporate chefs. However crazy his schedule and life may become, Kevin always is willing to give back to Western Carolina in the form of supporting the Catamount Club or speaking to students about the importance of using a great education to its advantages. In fall 2011, Kevin was able to come to WCU and speak to all of the senior athletes about his life and how he adjusted from being a student-athlete to being a “real grown-up” in the business world. He sent a positive message to the athletes: Whether your goal is to find a job in corporate America, government, education or the private sector, a solid education is fundamental in establishing a professional foundation and using networking to the best advantage. It is obvious that Kevin is genuinely interested and committed to giving back his time and resources to help develop student-athletes not only as Catamount athletes but as well-rounded and successful individuals as well. 18 | CAT’S PAUSE Join us as we celebrate the achievements of many Catamount Alumni athletes. This weekend will feature the: Official WCU Homecoming events, a “Meet and Greet” at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel with past and present Catamounts, and a special pregame tailgate prior to the Catamounts’ home football game against Georgia Southern. We are inviting back Catamounts who played on WCU’s current 16 teams, plus participants of sports no longer in competition such as wrestling, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming, rifle and gymnastics – along with the former coaches, trainers, and managers from those teams – for the initial event. This will be a great way to catch up with old friends, meet new friends of similar sport interests and share in the honor of “bleeding purple and gold!” For more information visit the website www.CatamountSports.com. For immediate details, contact Stefanie Conley, director of special events, at 828.227.2401 or e-mail slconley@wcu.edu. Financial investment advisers warn against individuals investing with their hearts. Bob and Susie Ray definitely listened to their hearts when they established the Robert G. Ray Basketball Scholarship Fund, but they also looked at it as a smart investment with more than monetary gains. The endowment was funded in 2006 to honor Bob Ray and his parents, Clifford S. and Vannie Allen Ray. That initial gift was doubled in 2009 and was substantially increased in recent months. A scholarship from the endowment is to be awarded annually to a member of Western Carolina University’s men’s basketball team as recommended by its head basketball coach. Keaton Cole, a senior guard on WCU’s 2011-12 team, is the most recent recipient of the Ray Scholarship. Bob Ray, an inductee into WCU’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, is unique among former WCU student-athletes as the first individual to play, coach, teach and serve as the head of an academic department for his alma mater. He was raised in the Barnardsville area of north Buncombe County and came to WCU in 1951 as a walk-on basketball player. He was soon awarded a scholarship by WCU’s legendary coach Jim Gudger, and he became Gudger’s assistant coach 11 years later. “I was offered a full scholarship by Mars Hill College but turned it down as I had dreamed of playing for Western Carolina,” said Ray. “My love for this school started a long time ago and is part of the motivation for my desire to give back.” Ray was a four-year starter on Western’s basketball teams (1952-54 and 1957), was an All-North State Conference selection and finished his intercollegiate career ranked second on the Catamounts’ all-time career scoring list. He became WCU’s first-ever assistant basketball coach in 1962, a position he held until 1969, when he took leave to complete his doctorate at Rays Cont inue to Increase Funding for Endowed Basketball Scholarship “My love for this school started a long time ago and is part of the motivation for my desire to give back.” the University of Georgia. After a distinguished – Bob Ray career as a teacher in WCU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, he became the department’s chairman in 1982. He retired after 11 years in that position and began a new career as a public servant and community leader. Today, the Rays are regulars at all Catamount sporting events as they cheer the players and support the athletics program and university in myriad ways. “We challenge former players, coaches, alums and fans to join us in investing in the future of our basketball program and all the young people who attend and would like to attend Western Carolina University,” Ray said. “A school like WCU has a much more critical need than the larger, well-heeled institutions to provide scholarships for our future leaders.” Another WCU Hall of Famer, Ron Rogers, a three-time All-America basketball player in the early 1950s, already has answered the challenge with a significant gift to the Rays’ endowed scholarship fund. Much of Ray’s early motivation to further his education came from Hugh Tomberlin, a former WCU student-athlete and his high school basketball coach and classroom teacher. “It is our wish that our current student-athletes can one day motivate and inspire other young men and women, much like Coach Tomberlin did, to live out their dreams and perpetuate leadership,” Ray said. “Yes, it is an investment from our hearts, and maybe one that some might not consider smart in terms of personal monetary return, but it is a wise investment in terms of the future of education and our young people.” “WCU is grateful for the tremendous generosity shown by the Ray Family through the support of this scholarship,” said Gorham Bradley, director of WCU’s Catamount Club. “Coach Ray and his family’s motivation to give back by creating scholarship opportunities for current and future young men in our basketball program is truly inspiring.” For more information on how to contribute to the Robert G. Ray Endowed Basketball Scholarship or how to create an endowed scholarship, please contact Gorham Bradley at 828-227-3794 or email bradley@wcu.edu. 20 | CAT’S PAUSE Jamaal Mayo is entering his sixth year as a member of the Western Carolina University Department of Athletics, serving most recently as the Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services. He is the sport supervisor for volleyball, women’s tennis and softball. In addition, Mayo serves as the gameday administrator for the men’s and women’s basketball programs and track & field. As of July 1, 2012, Mayo began a new role as Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations. In this new role, Mayo has been charged with galvanizing Western Carolina’s Facilities and Operations unit. This is an effort to ensure that positive experiences of WCU’s student athletes, coaches and fans are equal from venue to venue, game to game and practice to practice. This deals with pre-game preparation, field/arena maintenance and overseeing the day-to-day operations for all of Western Carolina’s venues and facilities. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services, Mayo oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services and also coordinated the NCAA Student-Athlete Affairs Program - formerly known as CHAMPS Life Skills - for the athletic department. Prior to being promoted to Academic Services, Mayo served as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Academic Support. The Hillsborough, N.C., native is a 2003 graduate of Western Carolina University, Mayo earned his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management while also playing football for the Catamounts. Mayo returned to his alma mater in August of 2007 after a brief stint with the Durham Bulls as the team’s group ticket sales associate. Mayo is also pursuing his master’s degree in College Student Personnel from WCU. Jamaal Mayo What makes WCU and being a Catamount special? “To me, being a Catamount epitomizes the concept of family. Being a small and nurturing community, it really creates an atmosphere of family.” What does it mean to you to work at an institution where you not only earned your degre but competed for the university? “I am extremely privileged to be able to come back and work at the institution that has afforded me so many personal and professional opportunities. I see this as a way that I can attempt to pay WCU back for all that it has done for me. I also love coming in every day and being somewhat of a mentor to the students here. Individuals such as myself, Anquell McCollum, Gorham Bradley, Eric Wilson and Brigham Waginger have somewhat of a blueprint to success here as it relates to being a Catamount student-athlete and earning a degree from WCU so we take pride in the fact that we are able to somewhat advise the current Catamount student-athletes.” What is your favorite thing about WCU? “I have a number of things that I love about WCU, but the thing that stands out the most to me is, regardless of the division you work in (athletics, academic affairs, student affairs, etc.) or whether a student is an athlete, Greek or in the band, there is a common theme of support and encouragement for each other campus wide.” The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. Representatives from every sport here at Western participate on the committee to offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect all student-athletes’ lives on campuses around the country. The representatives are elected by their coaches from certain criteria such as academic excellence, responsibility and displaying leadership qualities. At the beginning of every month, SAAC meets to discuss the student-athlete life and possible changes to be made. The committee isn’t just concerned about bettering the student-athlete experience. They are dedicated to giving back to the community in a variety of ways, including mandatory community service hours outside of their respective sports. This past school year, the committee raised more than $4,000 for breast cancer awareness research with the Pink Zone games taking place throughout every sport. The committee will continue to support breast cancer awareness with Pink Zone games this school year. WCU SAAC is building to promote more service to the outside community by also teaming up with Relay for Life. SAAC has reached out to fellow student-athletes and fans by creating the @WCUSAAC Twitter page this year. Also, student-athletes in the committee update their personal Facebook and Twitter pages with upcoming events taking place on campus. Awards are given through the committee and to student-athletes to promote improvement of each team and the university. The Golden Paw Award is given to a team who is the best within certain criteria such as community service hours, cumulative academic GPA, percentage of wins versus Appalachian State and – new this year – collecting tabs from cans for recycling. This competition helps prompt sports teams at WCU to push for all-around success. Each month, the SAAC voting committee votes on Player of the Month and Spotlight Athlete of the Month for those who have displayed excellent qualities on and off the field/court/track. At the end of the year, SAAC hosts the A-Cat-Emy Award Show for the Athletics Department, rewarding those who excelled throughout the year. This committee is essential to the advancement of student-athletes, the community and the university not only at WCU but around the country. SAAC is determined to work hard for positive change to be made and success to be implemented. Together We Achieve More Written by Nancy Thacker Women’s Basketball SUMMER 2012 | 21 CASH GIFTS Cash and checks are the most common types of donations. Please make your checks payable to the WCU Foundation and note “Catamount Club” in the memo section. CREDIT CARDS The Catamount Club accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover for pledge payments. For your convenience, the Catamount Club offers online giving at www.catamountsports.com. SCHEDULED PAYMENTS The new scheduled payments option is an easy way to fulfill your contribution to the Catamount Club. Arrange a monthly, quarterly or semiannual contribution through a bank account or credit/ debit card draft to pay your annual contribution to the Catamount Club and never worry about it again. To set up scheduled payment, call the Catamount Club at 828.227.3047. SECURITIES Appreciated stocks are excellent options to make a gift to the Catamount Club because the donor may avoid capital gains taxes and still receive a charitable income tax deduction. MATCHING GIFTS Many companies and corporations provide matching gift programs for employee contributions. Check out the new MATCHING GIFT SEARCH ENGINE on the Catamount Club website to see whether an employer matches gifts and how to increase gift and benefit levels. GIFTS IN-KIND Rather than a monetary gift, the Catamount Club may accept goods and services that assist in reducing expenditures to the athletics budget. Methods of Giving ENDOWMENT GIFTS An endowment may be established in honor or memory of an individual, family or organization to provide a perpetual gift for WCU Athletics. Gifts to the endowment fund are invested, and a portion of the return is used to fund scholarships each year. As the principal is never spent, this gift will create an eternal legacy of your support for Western Carolina Athletics. PLANNED GIFTS Planned deferred gifts are an increasingly popular way to make a significant contribution to Catamount Athletics. Insurance policies, real estate, annuities, bequests and trusts are among the ways to leave a legacy to WCU. Trophy Club $20,000 out-of-state tuition each year for 4 years Champ ions Club $11,500 in-state tuition each year for 4 years I-Cat $5,500 Vars ity Club $3,000 Coaches Club $1,850 Cullowhe Cat $1,250 Top Cat $750 Super Cat $400 Purp le Cat $200 Gold Cat $100 Catam ount $50 stu dent Catam ount $15 Young Alumni FREE for the first year upon graduation Trip for 2 with Team of Choice Season Sideline Passes for Football 2 2 Complimentary Tickets to Paw's Porch 4 4 2 Invitation to Annual Scholarship Dinner Comped Comped Exclusive Catamount Club Apparel Invitation to Football Purple Zone Invitation to Basketball Purple Zone Catamount Club Gift Priority Football Parking season ticket holders only Stadium Stadium Stadium Stadium Stadium Creek Creek Creek Creek if available Priority Football Season Tickets Priority Basketball Season Tickets Tax Deduction Cat's Pause Magazine Catamount Club Email Bulletin Game Program Recognition Catamount Club Decal CATAMOUNT CLUB Benefits 2012-13 memb ers hip Levels Benefits For more information contact Gorham Bradley, Associate Athletic Director and Catamount Club Director at 828.227.3407 or email bradley@wcu.edu 22 | CAT’S PAUSE 2012 Football Schedule Mars Hill – Aug. 30 Catamount Club Day at Marshall – Sept. 8 Huntington, W.Va. at Wofford* – Sept. 15 Spartanburg, S.C. Samford* – Sept. 22 Family Weekend at Furman* – Sept. 29 Greenville, S.C. Georgia Southern* – Oct. 6 Homecoming at The Citadel* – Oct. 13 Charleston, S.C. at Elon* – Oct. 20 Elon, N.C. Appalachian State* – Oct. 27 Battle for the Old Mountain Jug Chattanooga* – Nov. 3 Senior Day - Hall Of Fame Weekend at Alabama – Nov. 17 Tuscaloosa, Ala. NCAA FCS PLAYOFFS – Nov. 24 *Denotes Southern Conference games THE PURPLE ZONE Looking for a place to connect with Catamount friends? The Purple Zone is a pre-game event held on the patio of Jordan-Phillips Field House prior to each kickoff at E.J. Whitmire Stadium for donors at the TOP CAT membership level ($750) and above. Each qualified member is entitled to four (4) admissions to the PURPLE ZONE and must have a game-day ticket to receive access to this exclusive area. Amenities include upscale dining and beverages, television, air-conditioning, private rest rooms and the opportunity to have an outstanding view of the pre-game, on-the-field action. Paws’ Porch at the Purple Zone Paws’ Porch offers a location to be up-close all season long as you cheer on Catamount Football from the Purple Zone. Tickets may be purchased for the season or on a single-game basis by Catamount Club members eligible to receive admittance into the Purple Zone. Priority Seating and Parking Catamount Club members receive top priority in seat and parking assignments. Active Catamount Club members who purchase season tickets have the opportunity to select reserved seats in the exclusive Catamount Club section located on the 50-yard line. Priority parking is determined by current Catamount Club giving level and CATS POINTS rank within membership level. For more information, please contact the Catamount Club at 828-227-3047 or email jfisher1@wcu.edu. SUMMER 2012 | 23 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #1 CULLOWHEE, NC 28723 Western Carolina University | Ramsey Center 92 Catamount Road | Cullowhee, NC 28723 WCU is a University of North Carolina campus and an Equal Opportunity Institution. 800 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $2,186.25 or $2.73 each. Office of Creative Services | August 2012 | 12-581 Message from the Catamount Ticket Office It’s not too late to buy your ticket mini packs and guarantee your seat for the Battle of the Old Mountain Jug! Single-Game tickets are now on sale Purchase by going online at CatamountSports.com, giving us a call at 828.227.2401 or by coming into the ticket office located in the bottom of the Ramsey Center. All Catamount Club members can begin purchasing single game Appalachian State tickets September 1. Make sure to watch for Men’s and Women’s Basketball season tickets going on sale the beginning of September! Corinne Hahn Ticket Operations Coordinator Western Carolina Athletics 92 Catamount Road | Cullowhee, NC 28723 828.227.2401 tel | 828.227.7688 fax Option 1 Mars Hill ��� Aug. 30 Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) Option 2 Samford – Sept. 22 (Family Weekend) Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) Option 3 Georgia Southern – Oct. 6 (Homecoming) Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) ‘Whee Three Pack
Object Description
Description
Title | Cat's pause : the official quarterly newsletter of the Western Carolina University Catamount Club |
Other Title | Official quarterly newsletter of the Western Carolina University Catamount Club |
Date | 2012 |
Description | Summer 2012 - Vol. VI |
Digital Characteristics-A | 5.54 MB; 24 p. |
Digital Format | application/pdf |
Pres File Name-M | pubs_serial_catspause2012summer.pdf |
Full Text | The Official Quarterly Newsleter of the Western Carolina University Catamount Club Cat’s All Sports Reunion WCU Athletics is calling all former Catamount players, coaches, and trainers to return this fall Head Football Coach Mark Speir More in depth look at the new catamount head coach and coaching staff Student-Athlete Spotlights A look at student-athletes competing this fall from all sports WCU Football Catamounts unveil new helmets for 2012 Summer 2012 – Volume VI On Wednesday, Dec. 14, Randy Eaton was named the new director of athletics at Western Carolina University. Eaton had been senior associate director of athletics at the University of Maryland and the athletics department’s chief financial officer since June 2008. He joined the Terrapin athletics program in 2003 as associate director in charge of business operations. At Maryland, he was the No. 2 administrator in the athletics department and oversaw a $60 million annual operating budget. He served as interim director in 2010 and had recently assumed additional responsibility for new revenues, facilities and operations. He also has held positions at the University of Houston, Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, East Tennessee State University, Ohio State University, the University of Texas at San Antonio and with the Ohio Glory team of World League Football. “When I talked with the members of the search committee in December, I asked them to find someone who is a true leader – someone who has the capacity to hire, retain and mentor excellent coaches, assistant coaches and other athletics staff,” Chancellor David O. Belcher said. “I charged them with identifying a director of athletics candidate who shares Western Carolina University’s core values of excellence, student success and external focus. I am extremely pleased that the committee has found just that person in Randy Eaton.” “What impresses me most about Randy is his unwavering commitment to the student-athlete and the fact that he understands that the word ‘student’ is the most important part of that hyphenated term,” Belcher affirms. “He is totally committed to the concept that these young people who come to our university are students first and athletes second. That’s not to say that Randy does not want success on the fields and courts of play, because he shares the same expectations of excellence that I have for all of our sports teams. He has a passion for winning and for a New Direction Randy Eaton | Director of Athletics 4 21 10 18 CONTENTS Student Profiles. . .4 Student-Athlete Spotlight. . .9 Catamount Football. . 10 Donor Profile . 18 All Sports Reunion. . . . . . . . 19 Endowed Scholarship. . 20 SAAC Corner . 21 Employee Spotlight. . 21 Membership Corner. . 22 TABLE OF winning the right way. But he also understands the role that athletics plays in the university and that it is not a standalone entity apart from the academy.” Eaton also has strong skills in fiscal management and developing athletics program budgets, which will serve WCU well during times of financial constraints, Belcher expresses that. “His strengths will allow him to construct a strategically designed budget, manage our resources very carefully and guide the development of new resources through fundraising, increased ticket sales and additional corporate sponsorships,” Belcher continues to say. “He is extremely well-versed in NCAA compliance and issues of gender equity and has substantial experience in strategic planning. Perhaps best of all, Randy is a great human being with a wonderful personality, and I believe he makes a great addition to our Catamount family.” Eaton’s career includes nearly seven years as part of the athletics department administration at East Tennessee State University, a former member of the Southern Conference, the intercollegiate conference in which WCU competes. Eaton said he possesses an overarching desire to “win every game, graduate every student-athlete and do it all with class” that helps him maintain a focus on who is most important – the student-athletes. “Additionally, I believe my years of varied experience within intercollegiate athletics have prepared me for this opportunity and will serve both myself and the entire athletics program well,” he mentions. “I would also like to think my straightforwardness and outgoing nature will benefit me in leading this department. I told people during my interview, ‘what you see is what you get,’ and I meant it.” “Eaton was selected from among approximately 75 potential candidates for the position,” states Shea Browning, WCU associate general counsel and chair of the athletics director search committee. Seven candidates were interviewed by the search committee offsite in Asheville. RAs CAiTAsMOUeNTS 2 | CAT’S PAUSE “The number of well-qualified candidates in the pool is a testament to how Western Carolina University is viewed beyond these mountains,” Browning confirms. “I am extremely excited with the selection and hiring of Randy Eaton. I believe his expertise and experience will carry the department of athletics to new heights. I also applaud the effort and the hard work of the search committee. Our task of selecting two finalists from a very strong applicant pool to recommend to Chancellor Belcher was a daunting one, especially given our time constraints.” After serving in the U.S. Air Force, Eaton earned his bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Texas at San Antonio in 1990 and his master’s degree in sports administration from Ohio State in 1992. He and his wife, Jeannette, are parents of one daughter, Alex, who is working in athletics administration at Maryland. Eaton’s boss at Maryland praised WCU for its decision. “He will do a great job as director of athletics,” affirms Kevin Anderson, director of athletics at Maryland. “In Randy, you get someone with both expertise in college athletics and a person who really cares about the student-athletes.” Deborah A. Yow, director of athletics at North Carolina State University, worked with Eaton when Yow was director of athletics at Maryland and called him “a high-energy and results-oriented professional held in high esteem by his peers.” James Franklin, head football coach at Vanderbilt University, worked with Eaton when Franklin was assistant head coach and quarterbacks coach at Maryland and characterized Eaton as “a first-class guy with tremendous experience.” “He is one of those I’ve worked with in college athletics who gets it,” Franklin said. “He understands college athletics, revenue and nonrevenue sports and how to make them coexist. He is a guy who will represent the athletics department and the university very well.” What was it about Western Carolina University that initially grabbed your attention to pursue this position? It would have to be my previous experience within the Southern Conference, and the knowledge that I have of Western Carolina as an institution. I have had the opportunity to be here in Cullowhee several times while working at East Tennessee State. What previous knowledge are you bringing with you to make WCU Athletics more sucessful? Not only will my knowledge of intercollegiate athletics itself bring success to our programs, but my background in finance within intercollegiate athletics will be a huge part of what I can do for WCU. I will put that to use to strengthen the program as a whole. What goals are you hoping to acomplish this year? This year, I will learn the processes currently in place here within the athletics department. I may begin to tweak some things to better prepare the department for the future. I also plan to get out in the community and meet every current active member as well as past supporters of the Catamount Club between now and the end of the year. In the next thre years? I plan to have all of our programs in a position to compete for conference championships. Also, we will continually increase graduation rates of our student-athletes. In the next five years? I want to consistently win the Southern Conference Commissioner’s Cup as well as its Germann Cup. The Southern Conference annually awards the Commissioner’s Cup and Germann Cup to the top men’s and women’s program in the league based on a points system. If you could describe yourself in thre sentences to our student-athletes, what would you say? I would tell them that my number one priority is their academic success. And that I am approachable and available for anything that they could want to talk about. I would say, “I am here because of YOU. I work for you.” If you could describe yourself to our community and supporters? First of all, thank you for the support that you have shown to our student-athletes, our athletic program and our university in the past. I am warning you that you want to be a part of us NOW. Very soon, we are going to be very good, and a good seat at the table will be hard to come by. We’re going to have fun here at Western Carolina, and we are going to represent this university the way that they want and expect us to represent them. Finish this sentence: “I am excited about …” I am really excited about the future here at Western Carolina. We are going to give everybody something to be excited about. And the prospect of that fires me up. Q&Awith Dicertor of Athletics Randy Eaton SUMMER 2012 | 3 In this edition of Cat’s Pause, we have chosen a student-athlete to represent each of the 4 fall sports. Please join us this fall in supporting Catamount Athletics. Go Cats! RAs CAiTAsMOUeNTS 4 | CAT’S PAUSE Hometown: Brevard, N.C High School: Brevard High School In the Classroom: Lance has maintained a 3.4 GPA while majoring in Recreational Therapy with a minor in Pre-Physical Therapy. This Dean’s List student-athlete continuously shows up on the seasonal academic teams for the conference. Why did you choose WCU: “I received other good offers from other institutions, but WCU is special! I love the campus. I love the people. I love the team. I love everything! On my visit it seemed like a big family when I was meeting all of my future teammates, and that really drove me to commit to this program. There is also a really good education department at WCU, accompanied with the overall atmosphere of the staff and students, there was no way that I could say no!” Kaylan Lance CROSS COUNTRY and MIDDLE-DISTANCE RUNNER How do you fel about your team: “I love my team. We are the one team where I think we really all qualify to be a big family. There are girls, guys, assistant coaches that are like relatives, and we all have our dad Dubz (Coach Danny Williamson). We all compete with one another, nap on bus rides with one another, fight with one another, everything we do makes us all feel like a family! Even at conference championships, the guys’ or girls’ points don’t count for each other at the end of the meet. Even though they don’t, we are still rooting for each other, not just because we want to win, but also because we want to see our brother or sister succeed in life. Dubz is really a father figure for all of us. He keeps it professional, but he truly cares for us. He cares about our life more than anything. He checks on us with our success in the classroom just as much as he does on the track.” Best Story: “One of the funniest things that we’ve done as a team is have ‘van wars’. We take vans to meets a lot, and obviously we take multiple vans since there are so many of us. One day we were coming back from a meet that was far away, and we decided to kind of do charades. It started with us writing on the window with dry erase markers and then we all drew mustaches and put our faces up to the side so it looked like we had mustaches. It even made the coaches laugh! Then it escalated to us acting out charades as an entire van as we would pass by each other on the drive back. It was one of the best memories of my career!” Future Plans: “Upon graduating with a degree in Recreational Therapy, I plan to get my master’s degree in Physical Therapy.” SUMMER 2012 | 5 Position: Linebacker Hometown: Howell, Michigan High School: Howell High School High School Awards: All-KLAA (Kensington Lakes Athletic Association) honors, All-County and team defensive MVP as a senior In the classroom: As a finance major, Rock has earned a 3.7 GPA. In addition, he has made the Dean’s List, was a part of the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll in 2009-2011 and named to the 2010 & 2011 Southern Conference Fall Academic All-Conference team. On the field: Entering the 2012-2013 season as a starting linebacker… played in at least 10 games since freshman year… started all 10 games the 2011-2012 season… led the Catamounts and was third in the conference with a career-high of 115 tackles… tallied double-digit tackles six times… career-high Rock Williams FOOTBAL of 19 tackles, eight of which were solo stops against Elon University (Earning the WCU defensive player of the game)… in 2010, ranked eighth in SoCon with 66 tackles and third on the team... 2012 preseason All-Southern Conference 2nd Team choice Campus Involvement: Director of External Operations of the athletic departments Student- Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) for the 2012-2013 school year… director of the SAAC’s Facebook task force for 2011-2012 school year… volunteered throughout campus, including “Whee Think Pink” breast cancer initiative for SAAC that generated over $4,000 to be donated for breast cancer research this past school year What does Rock have to say: “Coming out of high school I thought it would be a pretty cool opportunity to play in the SoCon. When visiting schools, I really liked WCU for its people, coaches, and the location of the school. There really wasn’t anything I didn’t like about the school so I wanted to come here. Once I came to WCU all of my thoughts were manifested into reality! I have had a lot of great teammates over my four years at WCU. There are quite a few I will always keep in touch with. I will always be there for them and I know they will always be there for me, and that’s what I love about being here! Along with my teammates I feel that the Catamount Club donors are a part of that family as well. With that I would like to thank them for their financial support of my teammates and myself. Also for being there on the sideline watching practice. Watching our games, and just for their overall support. Thank you again and we will do all we can this season to make you all proud!” Future Plans: Upon graduation, Rock plans to find a job that he really enjoys and start a family as he remains a loyal fan of the Catamount nation. 6 | CAT’S PAUSE Position: Forward Hometown: Robbinsville, New Jersey High School: Robbinsville High School high School Awards: Named All-CVC conference all three seasons…earned first team CVC as a senior… named NSCAA HS All-Region and Trentonian Soccer Player of the Year. In the classroom: Laura majors in Health and Physical Education and has a 3.7 GPA. She has made the Dean’s List… every year she has been on the seasonal conference academic teams… has never dropped below a semester GPA of 3.3. On the field: Has played in 10 games during freshmen season… started all games in past 2 seasons (39 games)… ending the 2011-2012 seasons, she had 7 goals, 7 assist, and 21 points… had a shot percentage of .086... ranked second on the team in points in 2011. Laura Greb SOCER Fun fact: “I am probably the most superstitious person on the team. I always have to where the same thing every game. I have to tie my shoes the same way, wear the same undergarments; I have to tape myself the same way… It’s a routine I have to do before every game!” Greb 2012 Season Outlook: “This year I feel the most confident about my team out of my four years being here. We only graduated two seniors last year, and we are bringing in five freshmen along with one transfer. I am confident that we will do really well this year with the mindset we all are coming in with, ranging from the players all the way up to the coaches. The confidence we have as a team is better than it has been before, which has me very interested for this season. I expect to have a really good run this year!” Future Plans: “I plan to graduate in the spring of 2013 with a degree in Health and Physical Education. Immediately upon graduation, I hope to start on a master’s degree, while working as a graduate assistant with the soccer team or in the P.E. department. I would like to be a coach one day, so it would be good for me to start seeing the other side as a coach and learn things from a coaching perspective.” SUMMER 2012 | 7 Position: Middle Blocker Hometown: Aberdeen, North Carolina High School: Pinecrest High School high School Awards: Named the 2010 Southeastern Conference Player of the Year… selected to the All-Southeastern Conference team both her Junior and Senior seasons. Other Sports: Soccer and Basketball In the Classroom: Graduated high school early and enrolled at WCU in the spring of 2011. George is a Pre-Nursing major, currently sitting at a cumulative GPA of 3.71. She is very proud to say, “I have been on the Dean’s list every single semester that I have been in college!” She has been on the seasonal conference academic teams every semester. Addy George VOLEYBAL Why WCU? “The campus here at WCU is beautiful! I love the mountains, so for me to have the opportunity to attend a university that is in the mountains was great for me. Western has the academic programs that I am interested in to help me make it in the medical field. I am also really eager to be a part of rebuilding the volleyball program here at WCU!” How do you fel about your team: “We are such a young team! I’m excited to see how we learn and grow together. We did so well last season that I expect us to continue to improve and become a top contender in the conference! I really enjoy spending time with my teammates. We are each unique and we seem to complement each other very well both on and off of the court. They’re my best friends and the reason I can’t wait to get back to WCU whenever I am away! We’re very fortunate that Coach Karen Glover has encouraged us to extend our comradery beyond the court!” Personal Message: “I would like to thank the donors of the Catamount Club for everything that they do for the volleyball program and Catamount Athletics as a whole. Volleyball has served as a catalyst for me to achieve my academic and ultimately my career goals. I would like to invite you guys to be a part of the exciting season we have ahead of us. Go Cats!” Future: “I plan to continue playing volleyball while earning my BSN (Bachelor of Science in Nursing) at WCU. I want to go to graduate school to become a CRNA (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist).” 8 | CAT’S PAUSE Redshirt senior women’s soccer player Samantha Hodge is getting a crash course in creating publicity campaigns using social media to help promote herself and the Catamount women’s soccer program. In mid-July, Hodge began a blog and a video series highlighting her hectic schedule and final season on the Catamount soccer program. A very driven and outgoing person, Hodge has provided key insight into the life of a student-athlete at Western Carolina. “I can’t wait to share my story and busy life with others,” Hodge said. “I am hoping this will show my life as a student-athlete.” In the video series called “What’s Up with Samantha,” Hodge gives an inside look into the ins and outs of Western Carolina women’s soccer. She incorporates teammates into her videos, and even did a segment at the Southern Conference Student-Athlete Leadership Institute Conference that was held July 20-22. She also finds different guests to open episodes of “What’s Up with Samantha.” Viewers of the series never know who might show up on Hodge’s video entries. The blog and video series also will capture Hodge’s various extracurricular activities including holding the office of Student-Athlete Advisory Committee President, Student Government Association senator, interning with the Catamount Club and also spending time tutoring. The catalyst for Hodge to delve into the social media explosion came last November when Hodge, a forward from Louisville, Ky., became the first Catamount soccer player in school history to be named to the Capitol One Academic All-District III First Team. In the past, Western Carolina had two players make second team all-district: Kyla Deon (2002) and Emily Pierce, twice (2003 and 2005). The honor was humbling to Hodge, and with the first team selection she became eligible for national Academic All-American honors. When the list came out, and Hodge’s name was missing, she became determined to do all she could to be on the list in 2012. She already has the academic requirements for the award, with a 3.94 GPA in mathematics and actuarial science. Hodge just needed to get her name out there to be noticed for her other outside activities and work ethic. She is also pursuing another prestigious award, the Lowe’s Senior Class Award. The award focuses on the four C’s: Classroom, Character, Competition and Community. Hodge possesses all four in spades. “The All-American and Lowe’s Senior Class Award are very prestigious awards,” Hodge said. “It would be a great honor to achieve either of them.” It is an unprecedented move by Western Carolina to launch a full scale campaign for Hodge and the use of social media allows for a focused and directed assault. Hodge’s video series and blogs are highlighted on Western Carolina’s Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/catamountsports) and Twitter (https://twitter.com/catamounts) pages as well as a blog section on catamountsports.com. Her desire and drive most definitely comes from her near-fatal bout with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) after sophomore season. Hodge always believed if she was faced with a season-ending injury, she would most likely give up playing soccer. Given the choice of running away from these challenges or finding the fortitude to meet them headlong, Hodge chose the latter. Seven knee surgeries – a total of eight surgeries overall – and a doctor’s prognosis that she might never play college soccer again had Hodge facing her worst fear. But instead of backing down and giving up the sport she grew up playing, Hodge decided to fight for a chance to play again. “Doctors had concerns she would never play again,” said Head Soccer Coach Chad Miller. “Through her hard work, dedication and never-quit mentality, she came back in full force and was a huge asset to the team this past fall.” Hodge came back with a vengeance in 2011, her redshirt junior season. She started all 20 games, leading the Catamounts in goals (5), assists (6) and points (24). Hodge did all this while learning a new position on the field. At the top of Hodge’s list of personal goals is closing out her senior season on the Catamount women’s soccer team on a high note. Just below her goal of success for the team is sharing the ins and outs of Catamount soccer in her video series, and if her efforts yield more exposure for the team and herself, then that can be catalogued as a successful completion to a stellar career. Samantha Hodge Uses Social Media to Give Pek into Western Carolina Women’s Socer SUMMER 2012 | 9 Mark Speir, who has spent much of his 21- year coaching career at the NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) level, was named the head football coach at Western Carolina University as announced by Director of Athletics Randy Eaton on Dec. 22. Speir, who got his coaching career start at Western Carolina from 1991-96 under former Catamount head coach Steve Hodgin, becomes the 13th head coach of the WCU football program. “When I stood at my introductory press conference in December, I told the Catamount Nation that I was looking for four main attributes of our next head football coach: a love for the student-athlete and an unwavering commitment to student-athlete success both on and off the field; a track record of success at the FCS level; pre-existing relationships with local and regional high school coaches; and someone who is a `fit’ in the athletics department, on campus and in the community. I have found all four in Mark Speir,” Eaton said. Speir returns to Cullowhee after spending the past nine seasons at Appalachian State, where he was a part of three consecutive FCS National Championships from 2005-07, serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator since 2004 while most recently also coaching the inside linebackers. He also has coached the Mountaineers’ running backs (2003-04), defensive line (2005-08) and defensive ends (2009-10). New Head Football Coach In 2009, Speir was tabbed as the NCAA Division I FCS Assistant Coach of the Year by the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA). The award has been handed out every year since 1997 at the five levels of football including the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), FCS, Division II and III and NAIA levels. “It’s great to be a Catamount,” Speir began during his comments at the press conference. “For former Catamounts, we want you to return. This is home; this is where you ought to be on Saturday afternoons. This is a place we all should be proud of. We are going to be a team that is sound fundamentally. We are going to take care of the football and play hard until there is no time left on the clock. We are going to play with class and character because we are representing something a lot bigger than just ourselves. You’ve heard the phrase ‘It takes a village to raise a child.’ Well, it takes a ‘Catamount Nation’ to raise a football team – and we are counting on you.” Prior to Appalachian, Speir also made coaching stops at Presbyterian (1997-99) while the Blue Hose were a NCAA Division II member institution and at Elon (2000-02) the year after the program made the transition to a NCAA Division I school. A native of Kannapolis, Speir broke into coaching while an undergraduate at Clemson University, working as a student assistant from 1986 through 1989 and helping the Tigers to three Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) championships during his four years. Following his graduation with a bachelor’s degree in secondary education in 1990, Speir landed on Hodgin’s staff in Cullowhee, first working with the running backs from 1991-93, then the linebackers in 1994 before coaching the defensive line and serving as the program’s recruiting coordinator from 1995-96. Throughout his collegiate coaching career, Speir has made a name for himself through the recruiting process. He has held the title of recruiting coordinator at three NCAA FCS institutions (WCU, Elon and ASU), most recently organizing the efforts that landed Appalachian State six consecutive crops of freshmen that have been widely considered to be among the top in NCAA Division I FCS recruiting classes, which helped the Mountaineers to three straight national titles. Off the field, Speir is involved in many charitable causes. He has raised more than $30,000 to help rebuild the Memorial Christian Hospital in Bangladesh by training for and participating in the 2008 Music City Marathon in Nashville, which he finished in 4:01; the 2009 Boston Marathon, which he completed in 3:59; and the 2010 Flying Pig Marathon in Cincinnati. In 2009, he traveled to Bangladesh to provide much-needed medical supplies and volunteer at the hospital for 10 days. Jerry Moore, the head coach at Appalachian State, praised WCU for its decision. “Western Carolina is 10 | CAT’S PAUSE What was your initial thought when you learned that the position for the head football coach at Western Carolina University was open? I thought, “I would like to have that job!” What previous knowledge are you bringing with you to make the WCU football program more sucessful? Well first of all, I have had six years of experience with Western Carolina football. I was here for the 1992 season, when we were only one win away from a Southern Conference championship. I understand the culture, challenges and rewards that Cullowhee brings to life in Western North Carolina. What goals are you hoping to acomplish this year? We will create an atmosphere of competitiveness. We also will create the belief that we can be special on and off the field. In the next thre years … In the next three years I expect to be competing for playoff spots in the FCS, and I also expect to graduate our football players and develop them into model citizens on and off this campus. In the next five years … I want to win this school its first SoCon championship and make a deep run in the playoffs. I also want to make sure that we are always producing quality individuals who will want to come back and give back to their university. If you could describe yourself in thre sentences to your players, what would you say? I would tell them that I am a passionate, blue collar, no frills kind of football coach. I am also a family man with strong Christian values. And lastly, I am a guy who enjoys life! Hakuna matata! Thre sentences to our community and supporters? I would like to assure them that I am so excited and honored to be the head football coach at Western Carolina. I am excited for the opportunity to lead these young men into the next phase of Catamount football, and I am excited to bring the past traditions into future greatness. Finish this sentence: I am excited about … Western Carolina University! very lucky to get Mark. He is a perfect fit. He knows Western Carolina and knows it well. He is a great coach and a better man. He is the kind of guy whom you would love your son to go play for.” Speir was “one of the main reasons I went to WCU,” said former Catamount football standout Brad Hoover, who went on to play nine seasons in the NFL with the Carolina Panthers. “It was because of the level of Mark Speir’s sincerity and his positive attitude during my recruitment experience with him that drew me to commit to Western Carolina.” Stacy Searels, the offensive line coach at the University of Texas, described Speir as a “a self-starter, a real go-getter and a relentless recruiter who will do a great job for WCU,” while Daryl Dickey, the head coach and director of athletics at the University of West Georgia, characterized him as “a hard worker who is passionate about and loves all aspects of the game of football.” Speir is married to the former Paige Holt of Pickens, S.C., and the couple has two sons, Zeb and Jackson. Q&Awith Head Football Coach Mark Speir SUMMER 2012 | 11 Post-season honors and awards also were familiar to Banks. He was named first-team All-Independent as a return specialist in 2001 and also received-second team All- Big South Conference plaudits as a wide receiver and return specialist in 2002. Banks received player of the week honors both in ’01 (Independent) and twice in ’02 (Big South). Banks was a heralded defensive back at Warren County High, where he also ran track and field. He began his coaching career at his alma mater at Warren County, taking over as the program’s head coach in 2005 through 2006, finishing 6-5 before coaching defensive backs and quarterbacks at Wakefield High in Raleigh through 2007. In 2008, he pursued his collegiate coaching at Brevard College. Banks married the former Latora Pettaway of Henderson during the summer of 2009, and the couple had their first child together in 2011. Banks also has a daughter, Shymia. Trey Elder joined the Catamount football coaching staff under head coach Mark Speir in January 2012 from Appalachian State. Elder will coach the WCU wide receivers, a position he held at ASU for two seasons prior to the move. “Trey has an up-and-coming offensive mind in the business as well as a great knowledge of the game. He has an excellent eye for the details of the game. Trey will be a great leader, and he is a man of character on and off the field. These players are going to absolutely love him.” – Coach Speir Brad Glenn joined the Western Carolina University football coaching staff after having just completed his seventh year at Appalachian State. He will work with the Catamount quarterbacks while also serving as the program’s offensive coordinator. finishes in 1999 and 2000. He got his start at the collegiate ranks in 2001 at Elon coaching tight ends before spending the next two seasons at North Greenville College as the offensive coordinator. He returned to the high school ranks for a season in his hometown at Seneca High (2004) before being hired at Appalachian State. Glenn is a 1995 graduate of Clemson University. He is married to the former Anna Thompson and the couple has two daughters, Zoey and Landry. Arketa Banks is entering his fourth season at WCU. He arrived in Cullowhee after having spent 2008 at Brevard College, where he coached the defensive secondary and was the program’s recruiting coordinator. “I have known Arketa since his playing days at Elon. He has always been a leader and a positive energy guy. I am excited that he has decided to stay in Cullowhee. He is a great recruiter and coach. I look for big things out of Arketa.” – Coach Speir Under new head coach Mark Speir – who coached Banks for three seasons while at Elon – Banks returns to coaching the Catamount running backs, a position he held during the 2009-10 seasons before coaching the wide receivers in 2011. During his previous stint with the running backs at WCU, Banks mentored Michael Johnson to 2009 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year accolades. In addition to coordinating WCU’s football camps, Banks also serves as the team’s community service liaison. Banks is no stranger to Southern Conference-caliber football. A 2003 graduate of Elon, the Warrenton native was a four-year letter-winner for the then “Fighting Christians,” playing from 1999-2003. He led Elon in receiving from 2000 through 2002, amassing 1,371 yards on 54 catches with 17 receiving touchdowns during that same span. His seven touchdowns and 42 points led the Elon squad in 2001. Banks continues to hold the ninth-longest reception in Elon history with a 75-yard catch in 2002 against East Tennessee State. Going into his senior season at Elon, The Sports Network deemed Banks the “fifth-best kick returner” in NCAA Division I-AA (now FCS) football. FOOTBALL STAF F “Brad has an excellent offensive mind, as good as anybody in the country in running the spread offense. He also is a great teacher and innovator of quarterback play. Brad also is a great family man who will be an asset to this community and university. WCU is very fortunate to have the Glenn family here in Cullowhee.” – Coach Speir Glenn spent the past three seasons as the quarterbacks coach while also serving one year as tight ends coach (2005) and three working with the slot receivers (2006-08). He comes to Cullowhee with coordinator experience at two different high schools as well as two seasons at North Greenville College (2002-03). While at ASU, Glenn coached six All- Southern Conference honorees, most notably mentoring the last two SoCon Offensive Players of the Year in Armanti Edwards and DeAndre Presley. Edwards additionally garnered the Walter Payton Award honoring the nation’s top NCAA Division I FCS player. A native of Seneca, S.C., Glenn started his coaching career as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach at Greer (S.C.) High School from 1995 through 2000, helping lead the program to a 25-3 overall record and back-to- back South Carolina Upper-State runner-up 12 | CAT’S PAUSE Elder, a four-year letter winner at quarterback from 2004-07, returned to his alma mater in 2010 as the wide receivers coach. In his first season on staff, he coached a trio of receivers – Matt Cline, CoCo Hillary and Brian Quick – who rank among ASU’s all-time top 10 in receptions and receiving yards. Quick was a two-time All-American, earning his second honor under Elder after leading the Mountaineer receivers with 71 receptions for 1,096 yards and 11 touchdowns in 2011. Elder’s coaching experience also includes one season at his high school alma mater, Byrnes High in Duncan, S.C., where he served as the wide receivers coach in 2009. He helped lead the Rebels to a 13-2 record and an appearance in the South Carolina 4A Division I state championship game. Under Elder’s tutelage, Byrnes receivers caught 284 passes for 4,655 yards and 60 touchdowns in ’09. Elder, who was South Carolina’s Mr. Football as a senior at Byrnes in 2003, began his coaching career as a student assistant at ASU in 2008. A 2008 graduate of Appalachian State, Elder spent much of his career backing up the two greatest signal-callers in Mountaineer history, Richie Williams and Armanti Edwards. However, he excelled when given the opportunity, posting a 7-1 career record as a starter. He helped lead the Mountaineers to the team’s third-straight national championship by going 4-0 as a starter in 2007 and played an integral part in ASU’s first national title in 2005, when he replaced an injured Williams early in the national semifinals versus Furman and led Appalachian to a 29-23 come-from-behind victory. John Holt joined Mark Speir’s coaching staff at Western Carolina in January 2012. He will serve as the program’s offensive line coach, coming to Cullowhee from his alma mater, Appalachian State, where he worked the four previous seasons. Holt spent three of his four years on staff at ASU working with the Mountaineer tight ends, including coaching four-time All-SoCon selection Ben Jorden during three of his four all-conference seasons. “John is a high-energy offensive line coach with a lot of passion for the game and players. He is a great motivator and teacher of young men. He is also an excellent recruiter and evaluator of talent. WCU is going to love him!” – Coach Speir In 2008, Holt began his coaching career by serving on head coach Jerry Moore’s staff in an offensive quality control capacity. His duties included assisting the offensive staff with day-to-day noncoaching duties, specifically offensive line coach Shawn Elliott. Thanks in large part to Holt’s efforts, ASU’s offense ranked among the nation’s top 10 in scoring, rushing, pass efficiency and total offense in ’08. A native of nearby Leicester, Holt played in 55 of ASU’s 56 games during his four-year career (2004-07), including all 15 games as a senior in 2007, serving as a team captain while also earning third-team All-America honors from The Sports Network. A versatile offensive lineman, he saw significant playing time at right guard and both tackle positions during his collegiate career. The son of Michael Joe and Susah Holt, he graduated from ASU in 2008. His brother, Sherman, followed him to Boone, playing for the Mountaineers from 2007-11. Mark Rhea came to Western Carolina in mid-March 2010 as the defensive line coach and was promoted to the program’s recruiting coordinator during the spring of 2011. Under new head coach Mark Speir, Rhea will continue to hold both positions entering the 2012 season. “We are excited that Mark decided to stay with our program. I have found him to be a motivator and a difference-maker to these players. He is a very professional and detail-oriented coach and recruiter.” – Coach Speir A four-year starter at the University of Toledo from 1988-91, Rhea got his start on the Rockets’ staff serving as an administrative assistant and graduate assistant from 1992-94. He has served as a defensive line coach at four different institutions and most recently was the defensive coordinator last season at Tiffin University in Ohio. Rhea coached for six seasons at Idaho State before returning to his alma mater. During his tenure at Idaho State, he coached a defensive line that had all four linemen earn All-Big Sky honors four years in a row and earned a combined 22 all-conference honors, including eight first-team All-Big Sky picks and seven academic All-Big Sky selections. Prior to his stint at Idaho State, Rhea was on the staff at Austin Peay and before that coached at the United State Coast Guard Academy in Connecticut. In his career, Rhea has mentored three players who have gone on to the professional ranks. In 2006, he coached J.P. Bekasiak, who later became a first-round pick of the Hamilton Tiger- Cats of the Canadian Football League. Rhea continued on page 14 SUMMER 2012 | 13 also coached two players at Idaho State who went on to the NFL in Jared Allen of the Minnesota Vikings and Jeff Charleston, who played for the Super Bowl champion New Orleans Saints last season. After earning his bachelor’s degree in athletic administration from Toledo in 1992, Rhea assisted the Rockets’ coaching staff before working two seasons as a graduate assistant at Michigan State. The Beavercreek, Ohio, native had a standout playing career at Toledo that saw him named the team’s outstanding defensive lineman as a senior and play a pivotal role on the Rockets’ 1990 Mid-America Conference (MAC) co-championship team. Rhea and his wife, Stacey, have a daughter, Madeline. Chris Collins joined the Western Carolina coaching staff as a defensive assistant prior to the spring drills in 2011, after spending the previous season as a student assistant. He has worked primarily with the linebackers, a position he played for the Catamounts during his collegiate career, and under new head coach Mark Speir will assist with the defensive secondary. “Chris is a young coach who has a big future in this profession. Being a former player, he brings a lot of ideas and history to the table. He has a lot of desire and passion for this program to be successful. We are excited that he is going to be a part of this staff.” – Coach Speir Collins, a four-year letter-winner, closed his career by being named All-Southern Conference by the voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association as a senior after tallying a career-high 109 tackles, including 63 solo stops. He added 12.5 tackles for loss playing the “hybrid” linebacker position in WCU’s 4-2-5 scheme. Through 44 career games, the High Point native finished with 303 career hits, including 166 solo tackles and 19 tackles for a combined 93 yards in losses. A ball-hawk, Collins finished with nine forced fumbles with a SoCon-leading six coming during his junior season. He also was credited with five pass break-ups. Collins played in 10 or more games in each of his four seasons in Cullowhee. Off the field, Collins was named to the 2007 fall academic All-Southern Conference team. Daniel Gibson enters his seventh season working with the Catamount football staff. He is entering his first season as the director of football operations after having spent the past two as the defensive assistant. “We are extremely excited that Dan Gibson has decided to stay on as director of football operations. He is a true Catamount and certainly bleeds purple. He has a wealth of knowledge and relationships on this campus that will make our transition as a staff smooth. He is a very hard worker with great professionalism. I am personally ecstatic that he will be a vital part of our staff.” – Coach Speir Gibson, who played prep football at Wakefield High School, worked his way up from video coordinator to having more of a coaching role with the Catamounts. As the director of football operations, Gibson will manage all aspects of the team from roster maintenance to travel. He also will serve as the academic liaison for the WCU football team. Gibson, who worked with the Catamount Club in the summer of 2006, has become a fixture around Catamount athletics with his willingness to assist any staff member or coach. A native of Wake Forest, Gibson graduated from Western Carolina with an undergraduate degree in psychology in 2007. He then earned his master’s degree in sport management from WCU in 2009. Pat Mills is a 2010 graduate of Appalachian State University, where he played varsity football for four years. He was a member of the 2006 and 2007 national championship teams as well as five SoCon championship teams, from 2006-10. “We are very excited about the addition of Pat Mills, our tight ends coach. He will bring a lot of energy and passion to the Catamount Program. He is a young coach with great work ethic and energy. He will bring a positive mentality of winning to our team.” – Coach Speir Mills earned ASU’s Media All Conference Award as a player for the 2009 and 2010 seasons. Upon graduating, he accepted a job at Concord University as an assistant coach, working with the tight ends and the offensive line. During the 2011 season, Concord went on to win the WVIAC Conference Championship and was selected to the NCAA playoffs for the first time in more than 20 years. Mills is the son of Dean and Gail Mills, and he was born and raised in Charlotte, where he started his football career at Providence High School. In his free time, Mills enjoys the outdoors and spending quality time with his friends and family. Steve Sisa is joining the Catamount staff as a secondary coach. A native of Manassas, Va., Sisa most recently served two years at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he worked with player development and safeties. continued from page 13 14 | CAT’S PAUSE “Steve comes to WCU via the University of North Carolina, where he spent last year as the Tar Heels’ safeties coach. He has an excellent defensive mind. Steve brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Catamount program. He is an excellent recruiter with a lot of ties to the area.” – Coach Speir Prior to his work with the Tar Heels, Sisa served two seasons (2008-09) as a graduate assistant at Southern Miss. The Golden Eagles made back-to- back appearances in the New Orleans Bowl during his tenure. Sisa helped tutor the Southern Miss secondary under defensive coordinator Todd Bradford and head coach Larry Fedora. He also was responsible for opponent scouting reports, scout team film study and practice scripts. Sisa was a quality control coach at the University of Illinois in 2007, where he worked primarily with the team’s linebackers. Illinois was 9-3 that season and advanced to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1984. Sisa began his coaching career at Ed White High School in Jacksonville, Fla., under head coach Dan Disch, who is now the defensive coordinator at Southern Miss. He was the secondary coach in 2003 and the defensive coordinator from 2004-06. Sisa served as the team’s NCAA recruiting liaison for prospective student-athletes and also was the Shrine Bowl defensive coordinator in 2006. A linebacker at perennial Division III power Bridgewater College in Bridgewater, Va., in 1997, Sisa’s career was cut short by a shoulder injury. He transferred to Virginia Tech, where he earned a bachelor’s degree in political science in 2001. He received a master’s degree in sports management in 2009 from Southern Miss. Steve will be making the transfer to Cullowhee with his wife, Lisa, who is an elementary school teacher. Curtis Walker will join Speir and his staff as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to coming to WCU, Walker served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach for Coastal Carolina University’s football program for 10 seasons under head coach David Bennett. “Curtis will serve as our defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Curtis has spent the past 10 years coordinating a defense at Coastal Carolina University that has won four Big South Conference Championships and has had two FCS playoff appearances. He is a very detailed and sound football coach. Curtis also is widely respected as a recruiter.” – Coach Speir Under Walker’s tutelage, the Coastal Carolina defense helped the Chanticleers capture three consecutive Big South Conference titles in the program’s just second, third and fourth seasons of play, a berth in the 2006 NCAA Division I Football Championships and final top-25 rankings in three national polls all three years. In 2010, the defense once again played a key role in Coastal winning its fourth Big South title. From the outset, Coastal Carolina’s defense has set the tone. In the program’s first year, it ranked first in the league and eighth nationally in turnover margin while ranking second in the Big South in total defense. From 2004-07, the Chants’ defense ranked first in the league in pass efficiency defense, while ranking first or second in sacks and tackles for loss from 2005-09 with the exception of 2008, when Coastal ranked third. Walker got his coaching start at Salisbury High School as the linebackers coach. He then served under Bennett (whom he followed to Coastal Carolina) for seven years on the staff at Catawba College, where he was linebackers coach from 1995-2000 and promoted to defensive coordinator in 2001, his final season there. With Walker as defensive coordinator, the Indians ranked first in the nation in scoring defense, 11th in rushing defense and 22nd in total defense. During his tenure at Catawba, the program made the NCAA Division II playoffs three straight seasons, including a 2001 semifinal berth. A native of Burlington, Walker was a two-time All-Conference selection at Graham High School. A 1988 graduate of the school, he held the school’s record for career tackles for 14 years. Walker and his wife, Sheka, have two sons, Jalon (7) and Curtis Jr. (5). SUMMER 2012 | 15 Q. What is your football philosophy? A. “The main thing is: number one, you have to surround yourself with quality people, both as a coaching staff and the players you recruit on board. I want to have a hard-nosed, tough, and well-conditioned football team. I want players with speed. I recruit playmakers who can run and make plays. We are going to be a football team that controls the tempo of the game, and we also want to be a football team that protects and secures the football on offense, and creates turnovers on defense.” Q. What is your typical Tuesday football practice? A. “A typical Tuesday practice will usually start off with the kicking game. We want to work our players before they get into their position mindsets. Special teams are a team unit, so we want to stress the importance in the beginning of practice while their minds are fresh. From there, we will separate offense and defense and try to perfect our individual techniques and position groups. Then, we will do a lot of group work and will finish up with total team offense and defense, and finish strong with conditioning.” Q. How can you change the football status from that of a losing program to a winning program? A. “Hard work. Anything special does not come easy. I need to get my players to buy into being a part of something bigger than themselves.” Q. How did you gain the players’ trust? Get them to buy into your philosophy? A. “It is a continual process in gaining my players’ trust. It does not happen overnight. They have to see that we, as coaches, care about them as people and not just players. By treating the players right and building relationships with them. They need to know and understand that we have a plan, and know that as a team, what we are willing to do to execute the plan. Take care of business and win!” Q. How will you generate community interest in the program? A. “I think you have to get out and engage with the community. We require every one of our players, each semester, to do two hours of community service. I think then the community feels like it’s like a relationship with the individuals, instead of just a University student-athlete. The community can build a relationship with the players, and ultimately it will draw a bigger and better fan base when they come and watch them play. We are very excited about the upcoming season and it is critical that the fans get out there and support this football team. Our players are buying into being a championship program, and we just ask that the fans buy in as well and support these student-athletes. We want to create a game day environment that is second to none. Finish strong. GO CATS!” Q. How do you communicate with your athletes? A. “I communicate with the team by being very straightforward and blunt with them. Those young men have been brought up in a strong society and we have to be politically correct. I don’t want to hurt their feelings, but sometimes they need to know what their expectations and responsibilities are, without sugar coating.” Q. What are the biggest improvements from the spring? A. “I have been pleased with the work habit. The biggest thing that I have noticed is that I am starting to see some leadership surface that I didn’t see in the spring. Offensive Players Ed Sullivan, Teddy Rhoney, and Deja Alexander have been holding their teammates accountable both on and off the field. Defensive players Rock Williams, Eli Martinez, and Brian Johnson have also stepped up their leadership skills from the spring. During the summertime, we cannot coach the team, which makes it difficult to keep everyone in the proper shape to get ready for season. The team has been having player-only practices, and they are holding each other accountable with going to the weight room and conditioning practices. They have also participated in team cookouts. Bonding is a big part of a team and what builds team chemistry. Success comes from a player-driven team, where the players are each other’s coach.” We had a chance to sit down with Coach Speir and staff to talk about the new strategy and mindsets of the WCU football team. 16 | CAT’S PAUSE Q. How will you get the student body excited about supporting the football team? A. “Number one, we want to create a game day atmosphere. We want the whole day to be an event, and not just the football game. We want to create an event where families, the student body, the community, and the alumni can all come together and share something in common: Purple & Gold spirit. The structure of the game day environment is going to be changed, and we will have a team that plays exciting hard-nosed football.” Offensive line coach John Holt was asked a few questions about pre-season and gave us a little insight to his new strategy. Q. What is the Offensive Philosophy? A. “To control the football at all times. This means no turnovers or negative yardage plays. On each drive our goal is to put points on the board. We want to control the line of scrimmage and execute plays to increase the possibility of a game-changing play or series of plays. We will be in top shape in order to give ourselves a chance to wear out our opponents and take advantage of any weakness they may display. Our number one goal is to play with the character, passion, and integrity that represents the students, alumni, and supporters of Western Carolina University to the best of our ability.” Q. What are the biggest improvements of the offense from the spring? A. “We learned to use better fundamentals, and started acting as a cohesive unit. A huge improvement was our ability to use endurance in conditioning to our advantage. We developed a lot of character as an offense line and our players have a better understanding of the new offense we are running.” Q. Who will be the leaders on offense? A. “Eddie Sullivan, Ryan Moore, Mike Johnson, and Teddy Rhoney are our offensive leaders. My expectations of these players are to make the plays and do the right things to help us become a successful football team on and off the field.” Defensive coordinator and linebacker coach Curtis Walker talks about his philosophy and expectations of his defensive players. Q. What is the WCU defensive philosophy? A. “To be a great defense, there must be a team concept of defense. There must be an overall philosophy which prevails at all times, and an individual goal which everyone strives to achieve. They must have tremendous pride in being a member of the defensive team, and more important, each individual must respect and take pride in his teammates. It is necessary that each individual earn and maintain this respect, and have confidence in his teammate. It is this chemistry that evolves amongst a team that enables them to be great and achieve the goals they have set. But it is only through hard work, sacrifice, and dedication that this can be accomplished.” Q. What are the defense’s biggest improvements from the spring? A. “The biggest improvements are getting our guys to play as one. We are unified as a group and have done a lot of drills as far as getting them in to situations where they can rely on one another to make plays. We must improve upon in the fall two stats that were glaring, which were rush defense and a scoring defense. We need to improve to get better, and we will.” Q. Who are the leaders on defense? A. “We are counting on leadership from Brian Johnson, Eli Martinez, and Rock Williams to lead our defense to help us be successful and achieve our defensive goals. They all work very hard and hold their other teammates accountable.” With football season right around the corner, the Catamount football team will continue to improve and work hard to become successful. Catamount Compliance Corner Welcome to a new and exciting academic year where great things are happening at WCU. The Compliance Office at Western Carolina appreciates the support of every donor to our program. However, our priority is to maintain the integrity of each of our programs and uphold all NCAA legislation, while achieving the greatest experience for our student-athletes. Please remember that fans and boosters may not provide anything to prospective or enrolled student-athletes (or their families) without prior approval from the Compliance Office. In addition, boosters and fans may not provide free or reduced-rent housing on- or off-campus to student-athletes or potential student-athletes. If a student-athlete or his/her family accepts any benefits of special consideration (e.g., transportation, meals, money, etc.) based on his/her athletic skill, the student-athlete will lose his/her eligibility and WCU will be subject to NCAA penalties. Please feel free to contact the Compliance Office if you have any questions. Thank you for your continued support of Catamount Athletics. For more infor mation Contact Stacey Miller, Assistant Athletic Director of compliance 828.227.7338 or Srmiller@wcu.edu SUMMER 2012 | 17 Kevin Murphy What is the first image that comes to mind when you think of “selling groceries”? For some people it could mean an image of the bag boy at the local supermarket. Former Catamount Kevin Murphy, however, brings a new meaning to the phrase “grocery handling.” Kevin Murphy, co-owner of Concepts Food Group, founded in 2008, is the ultimate businessman in the food industry. Concepts Food Group is a master food brokerage company focusing on specialty product sales in four categories: dressings and sauces, seafood, poultry and beef. Since 2008, annual sales have incrementally increased to $36 million with a projected increase of more than $54 million in 2012. This success undoubtedly comes from his key core values of hard work, determination and leadership. These values are key to any success and are usually instilled in people at young ages. Fortunately for Kevin, he was able to develop these characteristics through playing football. Kevin was hardworking on the field starting at a young age. He attended Byrnes High School in Spartanburg, S.C., and was named second-team All-State in South Carolina. Shortly after, in 1987, he committed and signed with the Western Carolina University football team. After one year, he transferred to the University of South Carolina and played three years of football there while earning his bachelor’s degree in marketing. He graduated in 1991 and has found immense success in his career off the court as a businessman and family man. Kevin married Deidra Murphy in 2001, and they currently reside in Concord. They have five kids: Andrew (21), Kevin (10), Chloe (9), Sydney (4), and Ella (3). With four young children and a multimillion dollar company, day-to-day events can become quite hectic for Kevin. A day in the life for this business executive could begin as routinely as preparing his children for school or as ritzy as catching a flight from Charlotte for a face-to-face meeting with corporate clients such as chief executive officers, vice presidents of national account teams or corporate chefs. However crazy his schedule and life may become, Kevin always is willing to give back to Western Carolina in the form of supporting the Catamount Club or speaking to students about the importance of using a great education to its advantages. In fall 2011, Kevin was able to come to WCU and speak to all of the senior athletes about his life and how he adjusted from being a student-athlete to being a “real grown-up” in the business world. He sent a positive message to the athletes: Whether your goal is to find a job in corporate America, government, education or the private sector, a solid education is fundamental in establishing a professional foundation and using networking to the best advantage. It is obvious that Kevin is genuinely interested and committed to giving back his time and resources to help develop student-athletes not only as Catamount athletes but as well-rounded and successful individuals as well. 18 | CAT’S PAUSE Join us as we celebrate the achievements of many Catamount Alumni athletes. This weekend will feature the: Official WCU Homecoming events, a “Meet and Greet” at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino and Hotel with past and present Catamounts, and a special pregame tailgate prior to the Catamounts’ home football game against Georgia Southern. We are inviting back Catamounts who played on WCU’s current 16 teams, plus participants of sports no longer in competition such as wrestling, men’s soccer, men’s tennis, men’s volleyball, men’s and women’s swimming, rifle and gymnastics – along with the former coaches, trainers, and managers from those teams – for the initial event. This will be a great way to catch up with old friends, meet new friends of similar sport interests and share in the honor of “bleeding purple and gold!” For more information visit the website www.CatamountSports.com. For immediate details, contact Stefanie Conley, director of special events, at 828.227.2401 or e-mail slconley@wcu.edu. Financial investment advisers warn against individuals investing with their hearts. Bob and Susie Ray definitely listened to their hearts when they established the Robert G. Ray Basketball Scholarship Fund, but they also looked at it as a smart investment with more than monetary gains. The endowment was funded in 2006 to honor Bob Ray and his parents, Clifford S. and Vannie Allen Ray. That initial gift was doubled in 2009 and was substantially increased in recent months. A scholarship from the endowment is to be awarded annually to a member of Western Carolina University’s men’s basketball team as recommended by its head basketball coach. Keaton Cole, a senior guard on WCU’s 2011-12 team, is the most recent recipient of the Ray Scholarship. Bob Ray, an inductee into WCU’s Athletics Hall of Fame in 2009, is unique among former WCU student-athletes as the first individual to play, coach, teach and serve as the head of an academic department for his alma mater. He was raised in the Barnardsville area of north Buncombe County and came to WCU in 1951 as a walk-on basketball player. He was soon awarded a scholarship by WCU’s legendary coach Jim Gudger, and he became Gudger’s assistant coach 11 years later. “I was offered a full scholarship by Mars Hill College but turned it down as I had dreamed of playing for Western Carolina,” said Ray. “My love for this school started a long time ago and is part of the motivation for my desire to give back.” Ray was a four-year starter on Western’s basketball teams (1952-54 and 1957), was an All-North State Conference selection and finished his intercollegiate career ranked second on the Catamounts’ all-time career scoring list. He became WCU’s first-ever assistant basketball coach in 1962, a position he held until 1969, when he took leave to complete his doctorate at Rays Cont inue to Increase Funding for Endowed Basketball Scholarship “My love for this school started a long time ago and is part of the motivation for my desire to give back.” the University of Georgia. After a distinguished – Bob Ray career as a teacher in WCU’s Department of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, he became the department’s chairman in 1982. He retired after 11 years in that position and began a new career as a public servant and community leader. Today, the Rays are regulars at all Catamount sporting events as they cheer the players and support the athletics program and university in myriad ways. “We challenge former players, coaches, alums and fans to join us in investing in the future of our basketball program and all the young people who attend and would like to attend Western Carolina University,” Ray said. “A school like WCU has a much more critical need than the larger, well-heeled institutions to provide scholarships for our future leaders.” Another WCU Hall of Famer, Ron Rogers, a three-time All-America basketball player in the early 1950s, already has answered the challenge with a significant gift to the Rays’ endowed scholarship fund. Much of Ray’s early motivation to further his education came from Hugh Tomberlin, a former WCU student-athlete and his high school basketball coach and classroom teacher. “It is our wish that our current student-athletes can one day motivate and inspire other young men and women, much like Coach Tomberlin did, to live out their dreams and perpetuate leadership,” Ray said. “Yes, it is an investment from our hearts, and maybe one that some might not consider smart in terms of personal monetary return, but it is a wise investment in terms of the future of education and our young people.” “WCU is grateful for the tremendous generosity shown by the Ray Family through the support of this scholarship,” said Gorham Bradley, director of WCU’s Catamount Club. “Coach Ray and his family’s motivation to give back by creating scholarship opportunities for current and future young men in our basketball program is truly inspiring.” For more information on how to contribute to the Robert G. Ray Endowed Basketball Scholarship or how to create an endowed scholarship, please contact Gorham Bradley at 828-227-3794 or email bradley@wcu.edu. 20 | CAT’S PAUSE Jamaal Mayo is entering his sixth year as a member of the Western Carolina University Department of Athletics, serving most recently as the Assistant Athletics Director for Academic Services. He is the sport supervisor for volleyball, women’s tennis and softball. In addition, Mayo serves as the gameday administrator for the men’s and women’s basketball programs and track & field. As of July 1, 2012, Mayo began a new role as Assistant Athletic Director for Facilities and Operations. In this new role, Mayo has been charged with galvanizing Western Carolina’s Facilities and Operations unit. This is an effort to ensure that positive experiences of WCU’s student athletes, coaches and fans are equal from venue to venue, game to game and practice to practice. This deals with pre-game preparation, field/arena maintenance and overseeing the day-to-day operations for all of Western Carolina’s venues and facilities. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director for Academic Services, Mayo oversaw the day-to-day operations of the Student-Athlete Academic Support Services and also coordinated the NCAA Student-Athlete Affairs Program - formerly known as CHAMPS Life Skills - for the athletic department. Prior to being promoted to Academic Services, Mayo served as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Academic Support. The Hillsborough, N.C., native is a 2003 graduate of Western Carolina University, Mayo earned his bachelor’s degree in Sport Management while also playing football for the Catamounts. Mayo returned to his alma mater in August of 2007 after a brief stint with the Durham Bulls as the team’s group ticket sales associate. Mayo is also pursuing his master’s degree in College Student Personnel from WCU. Jamaal Mayo What makes WCU and being a Catamount special? “To me, being a Catamount epitomizes the concept of family. Being a small and nurturing community, it really creates an atmosphere of family.” What does it mean to you to work at an institution where you not only earned your degre but competed for the university? “I am extremely privileged to be able to come back and work at the institution that has afforded me so many personal and professional opportunities. I see this as a way that I can attempt to pay WCU back for all that it has done for me. I also love coming in every day and being somewhat of a mentor to the students here. Individuals such as myself, Anquell McCollum, Gorham Bradley, Eric Wilson and Brigham Waginger have somewhat of a blueprint to success here as it relates to being a Catamount student-athlete and earning a degree from WCU so we take pride in the fact that we are able to somewhat advise the current Catamount student-athletes.” What is your favorite thing about WCU? “I have a number of things that I love about WCU, but the thing that stands out the most to me is, regardless of the division you work in (athletics, academic affairs, student affairs, etc.) or whether a student is an athlete, Greek or in the band, there is a common theme of support and encouragement for each other campus wide.” The Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) is made up of student-athletes assembled to provide insight on the student-athlete experience. Representatives from every sport here at Western participate on the committee to offer input on the rules, regulations and policies that affect all student-athletes’ lives on campuses around the country. The representatives are elected by their coaches from certain criteria such as academic excellence, responsibility and displaying leadership qualities. At the beginning of every month, SAAC meets to discuss the student-athlete life and possible changes to be made. The committee isn’t just concerned about bettering the student-athlete experience. They are dedicated to giving back to the community in a variety of ways, including mandatory community service hours outside of their respective sports. This past school year, the committee raised more than $4,000 for breast cancer awareness research with the Pink Zone games taking place throughout every sport. The committee will continue to support breast cancer awareness with Pink Zone games this school year. WCU SAAC is building to promote more service to the outside community by also teaming up with Relay for Life. SAAC has reached out to fellow student-athletes and fans by creating the @WCUSAAC Twitter page this year. Also, student-athletes in the committee update their personal Facebook and Twitter pages with upcoming events taking place on campus. Awards are given through the committee and to student-athletes to promote improvement of each team and the university. The Golden Paw Award is given to a team who is the best within certain criteria such as community service hours, cumulative academic GPA, percentage of wins versus Appalachian State and – new this year – collecting tabs from cans for recycling. This competition helps prompt sports teams at WCU to push for all-around success. Each month, the SAAC voting committee votes on Player of the Month and Spotlight Athlete of the Month for those who have displayed excellent qualities on and off the field/court/track. At the end of the year, SAAC hosts the A-Cat-Emy Award Show for the Athletics Department, rewarding those who excelled throughout the year. This committee is essential to the advancement of student-athletes, the community and the university not only at WCU but around the country. SAAC is determined to work hard for positive change to be made and success to be implemented. Together We Achieve More Written by Nancy Thacker Women’s Basketball SUMMER 2012 | 21 CASH GIFTS Cash and checks are the most common types of donations. Please make your checks payable to the WCU Foundation and note “Catamount Club” in the memo section. CREDIT CARDS The Catamount Club accepts Visa, MasterCard, American Express and Discover for pledge payments. For your convenience, the Catamount Club offers online giving at www.catamountsports.com. SCHEDULED PAYMENTS The new scheduled payments option is an easy way to fulfill your contribution to the Catamount Club. Arrange a monthly, quarterly or semiannual contribution through a bank account or credit/ debit card draft to pay your annual contribution to the Catamount Club and never worry about it again. To set up scheduled payment, call the Catamount Club at 828.227.3047. SECURITIES Appreciated stocks are excellent options to make a gift to the Catamount Club because the donor may avoid capital gains taxes and still receive a charitable income tax deduction. MATCHING GIFTS Many companies and corporations provide matching gift programs for employee contributions. Check out the new MATCHING GIFT SEARCH ENGINE on the Catamount Club website to see whether an employer matches gifts and how to increase gift and benefit levels. GIFTS IN-KIND Rather than a monetary gift, the Catamount Club may accept goods and services that assist in reducing expenditures to the athletics budget. Methods of Giving ENDOWMENT GIFTS An endowment may be established in honor or memory of an individual, family or organization to provide a perpetual gift for WCU Athletics. Gifts to the endowment fund are invested, and a portion of the return is used to fund scholarships each year. As the principal is never spent, this gift will create an eternal legacy of your support for Western Carolina Athletics. PLANNED GIFTS Planned deferred gifts are an increasingly popular way to make a significant contribution to Catamount Athletics. Insurance policies, real estate, annuities, bequests and trusts are among the ways to leave a legacy to WCU. Trophy Club $20,000 out-of-state tuition each year for 4 years Champ ions Club $11,500 in-state tuition each year for 4 years I-Cat $5,500 Vars ity Club $3,000 Coaches Club $1,850 Cullowhe Cat $1,250 Top Cat $750 Super Cat $400 Purp le Cat $200 Gold Cat $100 Catam ount $50 stu dent Catam ount $15 Young Alumni FREE for the first year upon graduation Trip for 2 with Team of Choice Season Sideline Passes for Football 2 2 Complimentary Tickets to Paw's Porch 4 4 2 Invitation to Annual Scholarship Dinner Comped Comped Exclusive Catamount Club Apparel Invitation to Football Purple Zone Invitation to Basketball Purple Zone Catamount Club Gift Priority Football Parking season ticket holders only Stadium Stadium Stadium Stadium Stadium Creek Creek Creek Creek if available Priority Football Season Tickets Priority Basketball Season Tickets Tax Deduction Cat's Pause Magazine Catamount Club Email Bulletin Game Program Recognition Catamount Club Decal CATAMOUNT CLUB Benefits 2012-13 memb ers hip Levels Benefits For more information contact Gorham Bradley, Associate Athletic Director and Catamount Club Director at 828.227.3407 or email bradley@wcu.edu 22 | CAT’S PAUSE 2012 Football Schedule Mars Hill – Aug. 30 Catamount Club Day at Marshall – Sept. 8 Huntington, W.Va. at Wofford* – Sept. 15 Spartanburg, S.C. Samford* – Sept. 22 Family Weekend at Furman* – Sept. 29 Greenville, S.C. Georgia Southern* – Oct. 6 Homecoming at The Citadel* – Oct. 13 Charleston, S.C. at Elon* – Oct. 20 Elon, N.C. Appalachian State* – Oct. 27 Battle for the Old Mountain Jug Chattanooga* – Nov. 3 Senior Day - Hall Of Fame Weekend at Alabama – Nov. 17 Tuscaloosa, Ala. NCAA FCS PLAYOFFS – Nov. 24 *Denotes Southern Conference games THE PURPLE ZONE Looking for a place to connect with Catamount friends? The Purple Zone is a pre-game event held on the patio of Jordan-Phillips Field House prior to each kickoff at E.J. Whitmire Stadium for donors at the TOP CAT membership level ($750) and above. Each qualified member is entitled to four (4) admissions to the PURPLE ZONE and must have a game-day ticket to receive access to this exclusive area. Amenities include upscale dining and beverages, television, air-conditioning, private rest rooms and the opportunity to have an outstanding view of the pre-game, on-the-field action. Paws’ Porch at the Purple Zone Paws’ Porch offers a location to be up-close all season long as you cheer on Catamount Football from the Purple Zone. Tickets may be purchased for the season or on a single-game basis by Catamount Club members eligible to receive admittance into the Purple Zone. Priority Seating and Parking Catamount Club members receive top priority in seat and parking assignments. Active Catamount Club members who purchase season tickets have the opportunity to select reserved seats in the exclusive Catamount Club section located on the 50-yard line. Priority parking is determined by current Catamount Club giving level and CATS POINTS rank within membership level. For more information, please contact the Catamount Club at 828-227-3047 or email jfisher1@wcu.edu. SUMMER 2012 | 23 NONPROFIT ORG. U.S. POSTAGE PAID PERMIT #1 CULLOWHEE, NC 28723 Western Carolina University | Ramsey Center 92 Catamount Road | Cullowhee, NC 28723 WCU is a University of North Carolina campus and an Equal Opportunity Institution. 800 copies of this public document were printed at a cost of $2,186.25 or $2.73 each. Office of Creative Services | August 2012 | 12-581 Message from the Catamount Ticket Office It’s not too late to buy your ticket mini packs and guarantee your seat for the Battle of the Old Mountain Jug! Single-Game tickets are now on sale Purchase by going online at CatamountSports.com, giving us a call at 828.227.2401 or by coming into the ticket office located in the bottom of the Ramsey Center. All Catamount Club members can begin purchasing single game Appalachian State tickets September 1. Make sure to watch for Men’s and Women’s Basketball season tickets going on sale the beginning of September! Corinne Hahn Ticket Operations Coordinator Western Carolina Athletics 92 Catamount Road | Cullowhee, NC 28723 828.227.2401 tel | 828.227.7688 fax Option 1 Mars Hill ��� Aug. 30 Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) Option 2 Samford – Sept. 22 (Family Weekend) Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) Option 3 Georgia Southern – Oct. 6 (Homecoming) Appalachian State – Oct. 27 Chattanooga – Nov. 3 $80 (adult) / $45 (youth) ‘Whee Three Pack |
OCLC number | 709903617 |