CULLOWHEE, N.C. – Graduate transfer Charles Lampten, who spent the past two seasons playing at the College of Charleston, has joined the Western Carolina men's basketball team, announced today by head coach Justin Gray. Adding size to the Catamount frontcourt, the 6-11, 230-lbs. forward has one year of eligibility remaining.
"Charles is an unbelievable addition to our program," said Gray on the near 7-foot addition to his squad's lineup. "For a guy that is almost seven feet, he moves so well on the court. He fits perfectly with our vision for the ABC's, too. He brings winning qualities both on and off the court. He is also a guy that is hungry to prove himself. I'm looking forward to the impact Charles will have on our program."
During the 2022-23 season, Lampten played in 31 games and made five starts for the 31-win and CAA tournament champion CofC Cougars. He tallied a career-best eight rebounds in a win over Chattanooga and corralled four rebounds in six minutes in a contest at then-No. 1 North Carolina.
Lampten played in 32 games during the 2021-22 campaign and led the team with 32 blocks including a career-best five against William & Mary. He had nine multiple-block games and ranked sixth in the CAA averaging a blocked shot per game. Lampten tallied a career-best eight points and grabbed six rebounds against James Madison.
Prior to arriving at the College of Charleston, Lampten played for two seasons at Dawson Community College in Glendive, Mont. He averaged 10.1 points, 8.7 rebounds, and three blocked shots in 23 games as a sophomore, earning NJCAA All-American Honors in 2021. During his freshman year, Lampten averaged 5.0 points, 5.0 rebounds, and 1.5 points.
"I'm so happy Charles found a great home at WCU," said Dawson head coach Joe Peterson. "He is a high-character guy that is always a great teammate and always going to give maximum effort. He's a winner. I know he will make a huge impact next year on the floor, in the program, on campus, and in the community."
Originally from Cameroon, Lampten moved to the United States when he was 15 and played high school basketball at Byron Nelson HS in Roanoke, Texas. He joins a veteran returning lineup for the Catamounts that features seven returning letterwinners and four starters from a squad that made WCU's fourth postseason appearance all-time, playing in the Discount Tire College Basketball Invitational (CBI) in Daytona Beach, Fla.
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