Cullowhee, N.C. – After career performances in Saturday's 58-14 victory over Presbyterian, Western Carolina football's Joshua Perry and Bryan McCollum collected two of the Southern Conference's three weekly awards on Monday. Perry was named the SoCon Offensive Player of the Week, while McCollum earned Special Teams Player of the Week honors following the Catamounts' dominant home win at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field.
 
The weekly honor is the first for Perry and the second for McCollum, who collected his first honor following his collegiate debut last November with a 12-point effort at VMI.
 
McCollum also garnered honorable mention recognition from Stats Perform FCS in its weekly national awards release.
 
Perry spearheaded a Catamount rushing attack that amassed 325 yards against the Blue Hose, totaling a career-high 142 yards on 16 carries with a career-best three touchdowns in Western Carolina's 58-14 victory. The Orlando, Fla. product scored on rushes of 3 yards, a career-long 62 yards, and 14 yards in WCU's dominant home win. He added three catches for 20 yards, amassing 162 combined yards in the winning effort.
 
Perry's 142 rushing yards are the most by a Catamount this season and equal the highest total by a WCU running back since Patrick Boyd Jr. rushed for 142 yards against Gardner-Webb a season ago. Perry's three rushing TDs were the most by a Catamount since Jalynn Williams scored three on the ground against The Citadel back in 2024.
 
McCollum scored a career-high 16 points in the victory, converting all seven PAT attempts and connecting on three field goals, including a career-long 45-yarder. The Sanford, N.C. product also split the uprights from 39 and 27 yards. His 36 points currently lead the Southern Conference and are tied for third in the NCAA FCS.
 
McCollum's three field goals were the most by a Catamount since Christian Lowery accomplished the feat twice during the 2024 season against Campbell and VMI. McCollum also matched his older brother, former Catamount placekicker Richard McCollum, with 16 points scored in a game.
 
Perry and McCollum join quarterback Lex Thomas, who earned the conference's Offensive Player of the Week award following Western Carolina's season-opening victory over Eastern Kentucky. Western Carolina has now claimed three SoCon weekly awards through the season's opening four games.
 
The SoCon's weekly honors are selected by the league office from nominations submitted by each member institution's communications staff.
 
Saturday's victory sends Western Carolina into Southern Conference play with momentum as the Catamounts travel to Johnson City, Tenn., for the annual Blue Ridge Border Battle against ETSU. WCU will look to reclaim "The Rock" traveling trophy and snap a two-game skid in the rivalry when the teams kick off at 3:30 p.m. Saturday from Greene Stadium.
 
Head coach Kerwin Bell will be live on location Monday (Sept. 21) at Catamount Jaxe (114 Market Street) in Cullowhee for "Catamount Football Weekly," presented by Stanberry Insurance. The show airs weekly at 6 p.m. on the Catamount Athletics Facebook page and YouTube channel.
 
For the latest news, scores, highlights, and behind-the-scenes content, follow Catamount football and WCU Athletics on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports; FB.com/westerncarolinafootball; FB.com/CatamountSportsNetwork) and X (@Catamounts, @CatamountsFB).