Cullowhee, N.C. – Preseason excitement for the 2026 football season revs up this week as the Southern Conference convenes at the Hotel Hartness in Greenville, S.C., on Monday and Tuesday, July 21-22, for the 2026 SoCon Football Media Day.
The preseason All-SoCon teams and predicted order of finish, as voted on by the league's head coaches, will be unveiled as the league's 10 head coaches and two players from each league team meet with members of the media to mark the unofficial start of the 2026 campaign. SoCon Commissioner Michael Cross will also address attendees to kick off the afternoon's interview sessions.
Entering his sixth season in Cullowhee, head coach
Kerwin Bell is slated to be joined at the annual preseason event by all-conference candidates in wide receiver
AJ Colombo and defensive back
Ken Moore Jr., who was dubbed a preseason All-America defensive back and candidate for the Buck Buchanan Award by Stats Perform FCS.
Colombo returns after missing 2025 with an injury. He was a first-team All-SoCon selection in 2024 after leading the league with 61 receptions, and he ranked eighth with 590 receiving yards, scoring five touchdowns. The Waxhaw, N.C., product has 97 career catches for 1,064 yards and 10 receiving TDs. Moore Jr. recorded 43 of his 96 career tackles and three of his eight career interceptions a season ago.
Western Carolina football enters 2026 riding the momentum of four straight winning seasons, including three straight with seven victories at season's end. It's the first time WCU has recorded four consecutive winning finishes since 1976-79.
Among the 20 student-athletes slated to attend the SoCon's Media Day, five are offensive linemen, with four defensive backs and defensive linemen apiece. The group also includes three wide receivers, two linebackers, a running back, and a tight end.
Monday's events include availability for the head coaches and student-athletes at the state-of-the-art studios at 9/8 Central in Greenville, as well as conference meetings. Tuesday's media day includes additional conference meetings in the morning for the coaches, athletic directors, and communications representatives, and officially kicks off with a media day luncheon at Noon ahead of the media availability.
2026 Southern Conference Football Media Day Attendees:
The Citadel: Head coach Maurice Drayton; Rhyder Poppell (RB); Temarcus Elam (DB)
ETSU: Head coach Will Healy; Charlie Browder (TE); Brenden Leblanc (DL)
Furman: Head coach Clay Hendrix; Chris Luna (OL); Joshua Stoneking (DL)
Mercer: Head coach Joel Taylor; Brody Balliew (OL); Cam Moore (DL)
Samford: Head coach John Grass; Preston Bird (WR); Jalen Nelson (DB)
Chattanooga: Head coach Rusty Wright; Devin Lively (OL); Zion Rutledge (LB)
Tennessee Tech: Head coach Bobby Wilder; Tre Holloway (WR); Chris Rhodes (DE)
VMI: Head coach Ashley Ingram; Bryce Burnett (OL); Isaiah Grevious (LB)
Western Carolina: Head coach
Kerwin Bell;
AJ Colombo (WR);
Ken Moore Jr. (DB)
Wofford: Head coach Shawn Watson; Dillon Porter (OL); Eli Campbell (DB)
Catamount fans are invited to keep tabs on and join in the conversation about 2026 SoCon Football Media Day through WCU's social media outlets, including Facebook (fb.com/catamountsports), X (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts) using the hashtag #SoConFB.
Season tickets for the 2026 home schedule remain on sale now through the Catamount Athletics ticket office on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, by phone at (828) 227-2401, and online at CatamountSports.com. Single-game tickets and parking for Western Carolina's 2026 home opener against Eastern Kentucky, under the new lights
on Saturday, Aug. 29, are also on sale now! The opener has been billed as a "Blackout Whitmire" game. The remaining five home dates will be available for purchase beginning July 28.
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).
Important Dates in Catamount Athletics & Catamount Football:
Tuesday, July 21 – 2026 Southern Conference Football Media Day (Greenville, S.C.)
Tuesday, July 28 – Single-game tickets and parking for remaining five home dates on sale
Wednesday, July 29 – Catamount Football student-athletes report for fall camp
Thursday, July 30 – First football 2026 preseason practice (8:30 a.m., helmet only)
Wednesday, Aug. 5 –
Women's Soccer Exhibition – vs. Georgia State (CAC, 7 p.m.)
Saturday, Aug. 8 –
Women's Soccer Exhibition – vs. Wright State (CAC, 2 p.m.)
Thursday, Aug. 13 –
Women's Soccer Season-Opener – vs. Winthrop (CAC, 6 p.m.)
Friday, Aug. 14 – WCU Freshman Convocation (Ramsey Center)
Monday, Aug. 17 – First day of classes for the 2026 fall semester – Cullowhee
Friday, Aug. 21 – Volleyball Exhibition – vs. Anderson (Ramsey Center, 6 p.m.)
Friday, Aug. 21 – Catamount Shootout Golf Tournament (Marion Lake Club, Nebo, N.C.)
Saturday, Aug. 29 – Catamount Football season-opener vs. Eastern Kentucky (7 p.m.)
Tuesday, Sept. 8 – Volleyball Home Opener – vs. Gardner-Webb (Ramsey Center, 6 p.m.)
Sept. 13-15 – Men's Golf – JT Poston Invitational – (Waynesville Inn & Golf Club)
Friday, Oct. 2 – Bob Waters Memorial Golf Tournament – (Sequoyah National, Cherokee)
