Cullowhee, N.C. – Catamount football hit the practice field in uppers – or helmets and shoulder pads – for the first time this preseason on Friday morning, working out for right at two hours in the squad's third preseason practice session of the 2025 preseason camp on the turf at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
 
With morning fog hanging over the mountain tops of the namesake Great Smoky Mountains, the Catamounts worked through position, unit, and team drills, with special teams segments scattered between. Competition levels and assertiveness seemed to ratchet up a notch or two on the field with a little more contact with the players strapped up in shoulder pads.
 
During Friday's team segments, pitting the offensive 11 against the defense's 11, five of WCU's six rostered quarterbacks saw reps, with much of the attention focused on the newer QBs in redshirt sophomore Bennett Judy, redshirt freshman Isaac Lee, and true freshman Jordan Martin-Durham. Returning starter Taron Dickens and junior transfer Jack Benson also had reps in guiding the offense.
 
Lee, who showed off his illusiveness and speed during a couple of scrambles, also hit freshman WR Ellis Chappell, as the two central North Carolina products connected on a long pass completion. Running back was also handled by committee, with RB Jaiden Bond and returning RB Camury Reid both breaking long runs from scrimmage.
 
Among the defensive highlights was an interception by returning redshirt sophomore nickel Jeno Junius Jr.
 
WCU wraps up its first four days of practice on Saturday (Aug.2) morning with an 8:30 am workout in uppers, before taking Sunday off to recap the opening week with position meetings and film study. The Catamounts have two more workouts in shoulder pads – Saturday and Monday, Aug. 4 – before going full-contact in full pads on the morning of Tuesday, Aug. 5 (practice times are subject to change).
 
A reminder that WCU's preseason football practices are open to the public. It is respectfully requested, though, that spectators observe from the stadium seating area and avoid being either on the field or on the sidelines for safety. Also, please be aware of the construction fencing around the West side of the stadium, which will limit access points as construction on the Western Skybox and Whitmire West projects continues this summer and into the fall season.
 
Western Carolina opens the season at home, under the lights on Labor Day Weekend against Gardner-Webb on Saturday, Aug. 30. It's the first season-opening home game for the Catamounts since 2021 in Kerwin Bell's first season in Cullowhee, which also represented WCU's most recent night game at Whitmire Stadium.
 
Season tickets for all six home games, along with single-game tickets and gameday parking for each of WCU's home dates, are currently on sale through the Catamount Athletics Ticket Office on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, or online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
 
Western Carolina Athletics is planning a special Fall Sports Preview, LIVE on location at Catamount Jaxe (114 Market Street, Cullowhee – www.catamountjaxe.com), coming in the second full week of August. The show will feature the head coaches of each of WCU's fall sports, including Bell, Chad Miller from women's soccer, Karen Glover from volleyball, and Jesse Norman from cross country. The show will air on WCU's official Facebook page (FB.com/catamountsports).

2025 Catamount Football Preseason Practice Schedule:
Sat., Aug. 2 – Practice #4 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Sun., Aug. 3 – No Practice (Off Day – Film)
Mon., Aug. 4 – Practice #5 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Tues., Aug. 5 – Practice #6 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Wed., Aug. 6 – Practice #7 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Thurs., Aug. 7 – No Practice (Off Day – Film)
Fri., Aug. 8 – Practice #8 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Sat., Aug. 9 – Practice #9 – 9:00 am – 11:00 am (scrimmage, full pads)
Sun., Aug. 10 – Team Photo Day – 2 pm; Practice #10 – 3 pm – 5 pm (helmets only)
Mon., Aug. 11 – Practice #11 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Tues., Aug. 12 – Practice #12 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Wed., Aug. 13 – Practice #13 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Thurs., Aug. 14 – No Practice (Off Day – Film)
Fri., Aug. 15 – Practice #14 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (helmets only)
Fri., Aug. 15 – WCU Freshman Student Convocation
Sat., Aug. 16 – Practice #15 – 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm (scrimmage, full – student day)
Sun., Aug 17 – Athletics Welcome Back Event at Catamount Soccer – 12:30 pm
Sun. Aug. 17 – Catamount Football Team Building Event – 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
Mon., Aug. 18 – First Day of Classes at WCU – No Practice (Off-Day)
Tues., Aug. 19 – Begins in-season practice schedule – 4:30 pm
 
Keep track of everything related to Catamount football and WCU Athletics through its social media outlets on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports, FB.com/WesternCarolinaFootball), Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsfb).
 
Important Dates in Catamount Athletics & Catamount Football:
Tues., Aug. 5 – Catamount Soccer vs. Charleston Southern (Exhibition), 4 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 8 – Catamount Soccer vs. Queens University (Exhibition) – 6 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 14 – Catamount Football Ladies Night – Whitmire Stadium – 5 p.m.
Thurs., Aug. 14 – Catamount Soccer vs. Appalachian State (Season Opener) – 6 p.m.
Sun., Aug. 17 – Catamount Soccer vs. High Point – 1 p.m.
Fri., Aug. 22 – Catamount Volleyball vs. UNC Pembroke (Exhibition) – 6 p.m.
Sat., Aug. 30 – Catamount Football vs. Gardner-Webb – 6 p.m. (Postgame Fireworks)
Sun., Aug. 31 – Catamount Soccer vs. Tennessee (First Bank Beach Night) – 6 p.m.
Tues., Sept. 9 – Catamount Volleyball vs. UNC Asheville (First Bank Beach Night) – 6 p.m.
Fri., Sept. 12 – The Bob Waters Memorial Golf Tournament – Sequoyah National in Cherokee, N.C.
Sat., Sept. 13 – Catamount Football vs. Elon – 2:30 p.m. (White Out Whitmire! Wear White!)