Asheville, N.C. – Redshirt sophomore offensive lineman Tyler Smith represented Western Carolina on the 2021 Preseason All-Southern Conference team announced today as the league converged on the Biltmore Estate for the 2021 Football Kickoff and Media Day.
 
The preseason honor is the first for the third-year lineman from Laurinburg, N.C. Smith has played in 25 career games, making 21-consecutive starts over the past two seasons along WCU's offensive front nearly equally split between right tackle (11) and left tackle (10). Smith was an honorable mention on the HERO Sports Freshman All-America team following his redshirt season back in 2019.
 
Smith's first-team selection is the first for a WCU offensive lineman since Zach Weeks collected first-team preseason All-SoCon accolades prior to the 2018 football season. Smith is among five returning starters on the Catamount offense, leading three starters back along the offensive line.
 
All nine SoCon teams were represented on the preseason all-conference teams, with each program securing at least one first-team selection. ETSU led the way with 10 All-SoCon selections, matching Samford with six on the first team as the Bulldogs and Chattanooga both had nine honorees combined. The Mocs and Furman both had a league-best five second-team selections.
 
WCU's lone selection on the preseason all-conference team marked its fewest since 2012 when LB Rock Williams garnered the squad's only preseason nod.
 
Samford quarterback Liam Welch was tabbed as the SoCon Preseason Offensive Player of the Year, and VMI linebacker Stone Snyder collected the league's top preseason defensive honor from the head coaches. Both shared the same respective awards after the 2020-21 season that were announced back in April.
 
Chattanooga was selected as the SoCon preseason favorite by both the head coaches and voting media, receiving four of nine first-place votes from the coaches and 18 of 30 in the media tabulation. The coaches narrowly selected Samford over VMI for the runner-up spot, with both collecting two first-place votes with ETSU tabbed fourth, tallying the final first-place nod. Furman was picked sixth, followed by Mercer, The Citadel, Wofford, and WCU in ninth.
 
In the media preseason poll, defending champion VMI – which was picked sixth and seventh in last year's polling – collected six first-place votes to finish just behind the Mocs in second. Three teams – ETSU, Furman, and Samford – each finished tied for third in the voting, with the Buccaneers (3), Samford (2), and Furman (1) each collecting a first-place vote. Like in the coaches' tabulation, Mercer was picked sixth by the media, with Wofford and The Citadel exchanging spots in seventh and eighth, respectively, ahead of the Catamounts.
 
Season tickets for Western Carolina's 2021 home schedule are on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center; by phone at (828) 22-2401; and online at CatamountSports.com. Additionally, to secure 2021 football game day parking and access to game day hospitality events, be sure to join the Catamount Club. For more information on the Catamount Club and how to support student-athlete scholarships, contact their offices at (828) 227-3047.
 
Western Carolina's football student-athletes officially report for fall camp on Thursday, Aug. 5, with preseason drills opening with the first of two helmet-only practices on Friday, Aug. 6. The 2021 fall season begins with a Labor Day weekend meeting against Eastern Kentucky as WCU looks to #WhiteOutWhitmire with all fans encouraged to wear white to the game as the Catamounts wear their new white Nike uniforms for the first time.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports) and Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB).
 
Important Dates in Catamount Athletics / Catamount Football:
Tuesday, July 27 – 2021 SoCon Football Preseason Media Day Special to air on ESPN+ (10 am)
Thursday, August 5 – Catamount Football student-athletes report for fall camp
Friday, August 6 – First scheduled football practice of the 2021 preseason (helmet only)
Friday, August 20 – Western Carolina University Freshman Move-In Day
Monday, August 23 – First day of classes for the fall semester
Saturday, September 4 – 2021 Catamount Football season and home-opener vs. Eastern Kentucky
Friday, September 17 – The Bob Waters Memorial – Laurel Ridge Country Club – Waynesville, N.C.
 
 2021 Preseason Southern Conference Coaches Poll
Team (1st-place votes)       Total
1. Chattanooga (4)                   59
2. Samford (2)                          52
3. VMI (2)                                 50
4. ETSU (1)                              49
5. Furman                                 34
6. Mercer                                  29
7. The Citadel                           22
8. Wofford                                 21
9. Western Carolina                    8
 
2021 Preseason All-Southern Conference Football Teams
Offensive Player of the Year: Liam Welch, QB, Gr., Samford
Defensive Player of the Year: Stone Snyder, LB, Jr., VMI

First-team offense
QB         Liam Welch, Gr., Samford
RB          Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU
RB          Devin Wynn, 5th, Furman
RB          Ailym Ford, So., Chattanooga
OL          Tre'mond Shorts, R-Jr., ETSU
OL          Gavin Orr, Jr., Samford
OL          Cole Strange, Sr., Chattanooga
OL          Marshall Gill, Sr., VMI
OL          Tyler Smith, R-So., Western Carolina
OL          Zak Kurz, Sr., Wofford
TE          Nate Adkins, Jr., ETSU
WR        Ty King, R-So., Samford
WR        Jakob Herres, Sr., VMI
 
First-team defense
DL          Solomon Zubairu, So., Mercer
DL          Armond Lloyd, R-Sr., Samford
DL          Devonnsha Maxwell, Jr., Chattanooga
DL          Micheal Mason, Jr., Wofford
LB          Willie Eubanks III, Sr., The Citadel
LB          Jared Folks, Gr., ETSU
LB          Stone Snyder, Jr., VMI
DB         Tyree Robinson, Sr., ETSU
DB         Chris Edmonds, So., Samford
DB         Brandon Dowdell, Sr., Chattanooga
DB         Ethan Caselberry, Sr., VMI
 
First-team specialists
PK          Tyler Keltner, So., ETSU
P            Matthew Campbell, Jr., The Citadel
RS          Montrell Washington, Sr., Samford

Second-team offense
QB         Seth Morgan, R-So., VMI
RB          Brandon Marshall, Fr., Mercer
RB          Nathan Walker, Sr., Wofford
OL          Haden Haas, R-Sr., The Citadel
OL          Tavon Matthews, So., ETSU
OL          Anderson Tomlin, R-Jr., Furman
OL          McClendon Curtis, Jr., Chattanooga
OL          Harrison Moon, Sr., Chattanooga
OL          Al Hogan, Jr., Wofford
TE          Michael Vice, So., Samford
WR        AJ Toney, So., Samford
WR        Reggie Henderson, Sr., Chattanooga
 
Second-team defense
DL          Parker Stokes, 5th, Furman
DL          Chris Hill, Fr., Mercer
DL          Jay Person, So., Chattanooga
DL          Warren Dabney, Sr., VMI
LB          Anthony Britton Jr., So., The Citadel
LB          Donovan Manuel, R-So., ETSU
LB          Isaac Dowling, Fr., Mercer
LB          Trimarcus Cheeks, So., Samford
DB         Alijah Huzzie, R-Fr., ETSU
DB         Travis Blackshear, R-Jr., Furman
DB         Lance Wise, So., Mercer
DB         Jerrell Lawson, Sr., Chattanooga
 
Second-team specialists
PK          Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
P            Timmy Bleekrode, R-So., Furman
RS          Quay Holmes, R-Jr., ETSU