Western Carolina Athletics Hall of Fame
Dr. Charles Schrader - Coach - (1968-93)
Came to Cullowhee in 1968 after establishing soccer programs at Virginia Tech and South Florida and started WCU's first-ever men's soccer team. He served as head coach for 10 seasons, 1969-78, and posted six winning seasons built WCU into a Southern Conference soccer name. After a humble beginning in 1969, his team put together four-straight winning seasons against schedules that included powers Clemson, South Carolina, Warren Wilson, Rollins, Erskine, and Campbell. His 1970 team was 8-3, and outscored opponents 48-12 and advanced to area playoffs. The 1972 team posted a WCU-best ever 9-2-1 record. He retired from coaching following the 1978 season after being named WCU's first-ever Southern Conference Coach of the Year, and retired from his WCU faculty position in 1993 - but continued to support the growth of soccer on all levels in the region. When WCU added women's soccer in the late 1990s, the field was named "Schrader Field," in honor of Charles Schrader.
