Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina cheerleading has added an experienced coach and recruiter to its staff with the hiring of Cole Mars as assistant coach, Catamount head coach Corbin Huntley announced.
 
"I am excited to welcome Cole Mars to our coaching staff," Huntley said. "His experience, energy, and passion for student-athlete development will be a tremendous asset to our program as we continue building upon our momentum."
 
Mars will assist with day-to-day team operations while serving as the program's primary recruiting coordinator and point of contact for prospective student-athletes. His areas of expertise include coed and all-girl stunting, game day performance enhancement, and competition choreography.
 
Mars arrives in Cullowhee with an extensive coaching background. Following his graduation from Newberry College, he served as the Wolves' assistant cheer coach from 2021 through 2025 while simultaneously leading the cheerleading program at Clinton (S.C.) High School as head coach. He also joined the Varsity Spirit UCA Staff in 2022 and advanced to head instructor from 2023 through 2026.
 
"I am passionate about creating a positive team culture, developing confident leaders, and helping student-athletes reach their full potential," Mars said. "I'm excited for the opportunity to bring that passion and energy to Western Carolina and become part of the Catamount family."
 
A 2020 Newberry graduate with a bachelor's degree in Spanish, Mars was a four-year letterwinner for the Wolves cheer program. A native of Englewood, Fla., he served as team captain during the 2019-20 academic year.