Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina freshman running back Desmond Reid finished sixth in the final national voting for the Stats Perform Jerry Rice Award, which is presented to the national freshman of the year in college football's Division I subdivision. The consensus 2022 Southern Conference Freshman of the Year, Reid was the top rookie running back among the 25 finalists that included seven running backs on the ballot.
 
A 54-member panel voted on the 12th annual award – named after legendary wide receiver Jerry Rice, who starred at Mississippi Valley State as part of his Hall of Fame career. Idaho freshman quarterback Gevani McCoy finished ahead of UAlbany QB Reese Poffenbarger with Saint Francis wide receiver Makai Jackson in third. McCoy will be honored at the FCS National Awards banquet on Jan. 7 in Frisco, Texas.
 
Reid's sixth-place finish in the national voting represents the second-best finish by a Catamount rookie, just behind the fourth-place tally by former QB Tyrie Adams back in 2016. He was also the lone representative from the SoCon on the final ballot.
 
In addition to collecting the league's top freshman honors giving WCU a SoCon Freshman of the Year in consecutive seasons – joining DB Andreas Keaton in 2021 – Reid was a second-team All-SoCon and a SoCon All-Freshman team selection by the league's head coaches. Reid is the sixth Catamount to earn top freshman honors, joining PK Kirk Roach (1984, media), WR Lamont Seward (2000, coaches & media), RB Michael Johnson (2009, coaches & media), QB Tyrie Adams (2016, coaches & media), and Keaton (2021, coaches).
 
Reid amassed 1,038 all-purpose yards through 10 of the team's 11 games on the season, finishing fourth in the conference with an average of 104.6 all-purpose yards per game. The Miami Gardens, Fla., product rushed for 826 yards on 119 carries with four touchdowns on the ground to rank fourth in the league, averaging 82.6 yards per game while adding 212 receiving yards with a score.
 
Reid eclipsed the 100-yard rushing mark three times in his rookie campaign, posting a career-best 175 yards and two touchdowns against Presbyterian. He also eclipsed the century mark with 129 yards against The Citadel and 112 yards in the home win over Wofford, collecting an honorable mention for the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman of the Week award from Stats Perform after his second-consecutive, 100-yard rushing game.
 
The Jerry Rice Award, first awarded after the 2011 season, has a distinguished list of past recipients, including current NFL players Cooper Kupp, Chase Edmonds, and Trey Lance.
 
Also at the national banquet, Stats Perform will present the Walter Payton Award (FCS offensive player of the year), Buck Buchanan Award (FCS defensive player of the year) and Eddie Robinson Award (FCS coach of the year), and FedEx Ground will present the Doris Robinson Scholar-Athlete of the Year.
 
Riding the momentum of winning three straight including knocking off the nationally-ranked Chattanooga Mocs to conclude the 2022 season, season tickets for the 2023 Catamount football season are on sale now both online and through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office in the Ramsey Center. Now through Dec. 16, fans can lock in 2022 pricing for 2023 tickets for both renewals and new purchases. Visit CatamountSports.com for more information.
 
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