Cullowhee, N.C. – Postseason accolades continued to pour in for Western Carolina freshman Desmond Reid today as the first-year running back was named to the HERO Sports Freshman All-America team as the online publication released its three FCS All-America teams for freshmen, sophomores, and all classes.
 
Reid was one of just two freshmen from the Southern Conference on the 2022 all-freshman squad, joined by ETSU linebacker Chandler Martin on the freshman defensive squad. Reid is the sixth Catamount freshman to earn FCS All-America plaudits from HERO Sports since 2016. He joins 2022 WCU teammates WR Raphael Williams (2021), RS Calvin Jones (2021), and OL Tyler Smith (2019), as well as former DB Ronald Kent Jr. (2018) and QB Tyrie Adams (2016) to have received the honor.
 
Earlier this week, it was announced that Reid finished sixth in the national voting for the Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award which is given annually to the top freshman in the NCAA's football championship subdivision. His sixth-place tally is the second-best for a Catamount rookie all-time, just behind Tyrie Adams' fourth-place finish in the 2016 tabulations.
 
The consensus 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year from both the league's head coaches and the voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA), Reid paced the Catamounts on the ground this year with 826 yards over 10 games of WCU's 11 games, averaging 82.6 rushing yards per contest – fourth-best in the SoCon – and scored four touchdowns. He added 21 receptions for 212 yards and a score in the upset win over nationally-ranked Chattanooga, amassing a team-best 1,038 all-purpose yards – one of just five players in the league to finish the season with a seasonal average of over 100 all-purpose yards per game.


 
All told, Reid accumulated over 100 all-purpose yards six times on the season for the SoCon-leading Catamount offense.
 
A product of Miami Gardens, Fla., Reid eclipsed the 100 rushing yard mark three times in 2022, posting a career-best 175 yards and two touchdowns in the home-opening win over Presbyterian. He also went over the century mark with 129 yards against The Citadel and 112 yards in the home victory over Wofford, collecting an honorable mention for the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman of the Week award from Stats Perform.
 
Riding the momentum of winning three straight including knocking off No. 15 Chattanooga 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.
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (fb.com/CatamountSports), Twitter (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts).
 
WCU on HERO Sports Freshman All-America Team:
2022: RB Desmond Reid
2021: WR Raphael Williams, RS Calvin Jones
2019: OL Tyler Smith
2018: DB Ronald Kent Jr.
2016: QB Tyrie Adams