Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina football was listed at No. 21 this week in the preseason 2025 FCS Football Top 25 from pundit Craig Haley of Stats Perform FCS, updating his "never-too-early rankings" that he released back in January. The Catamounts were not among Haley's Top 25 in his previously released rankings.
WCU was one of two teams from the Southern Conference in Haley's preseason prediction. Defending league champion Mercer was tagged 14th after an 11-3 overall record, 7-1 SoCon mark a season ago. Chattanooga, which appeared in the January polling, dropped out in this week's update.
Rosters across the NCAA FCS are in flux in the new age of college football, lending credence to the adjusted ranking from one of the division's foremost experts. As transfers, both in and out, find new homes ahead of fall camps across the nation, the rankings will likely shift yet again before the first toe hits leather in the fall.
Western Carolina opens its 2025 schedule at home for the first time since 2021 when it hosts regional rival Gardner-Webb at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. Official game day kickoff times and additional game day promotions will be released in the coming days as the coaching staff continues to finalize a full roster for the rapidly approaching season that's just over 100 days away.
Season tickets for Western Carolina's six-game 2025 home football schedule are on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office and start at just $96 for adults and $66 for youth 12 and under. A Catamount Family Four Pack that includes two adult reserved season tickets and two youth reserved season tickets is just $250 – that's less than $11 per ticket. Season ticket options include general admission, reserved bleacher bench, and chairback seats, with a Family Zone four-pack in Section FF.
A $10 transaction fee will be charged for all season ticket orders, including credit card, cash, and check.
Fans can purchase tickets through the Catamount Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or by phone Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. Tickets can also be purchased online at
CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
Catamount Nation is also encouraged to
join the Catamount Club, and current Catamount Club members are also reminded to renew their memberships before the end of June.
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).
