Western Carolina University

PRONUNCIATION: Matthew BAIR (like Bear)

2021 (Redshirt Senior*): Penciled in as the season-opening starter at center, suffered an injury prior to the first game and was sidelined by injury until the final two games of the season … Remained a vocal team leader for the offensive line while out with injury … Played along the offensive line in the home finale against ETSU (Nov. 13) and season-finale at VMI (Nov. 20), serving as a team captain for the pregame coin toss ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2020-21 (Redshirt Senior): Saw action in eight of the team’s nine games on the year with eight starts along the offensive line … Also saw time on WCU’s special teams ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2019 (Redshirt Junior): Started all 11 of the team’s 12 games in which he saw action along the offensive line and on special teams, missing the N.C. State (Sept. 7) game  … Credited with one tackle in the season finale at Alabama (Nov. 23).

2018 (Redshirt Sophomore): Saw action in eight of the team’s 11 games on the season, all as a reserve along the offensive line and on special teams … His eight seasonal appearances came in succession from the season-opener against Newberry (Sept. 1) through the road loss at nationally-ranked ETSU (Oct. 27) … Missed the final three games of the regular season.

2017 (Redshirt Freshman): Saw action in nine games as a reserve along the offensive line and in special teams ... Made his collegiate debut in the season-opener at Hawai'i ... Selected to the 2017 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team and was named to the 2017-18 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2016 (Freshman): Did not see game action; expected to take a redshirt ... Named to the 2016-17 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Named to the High School Sports Report (HSSR) South Carolina Division II AAAA All-State team as an offensive lineman following his senior year ... Also garnered all-region plaudits ... Graded out at 90 percent with 78 pancake blocks and scored a touchdown as a senior ... Was a two-time Offensive Lineman of the Week from the Anderson Area Touchdown Club ... Twice named T.L. Hanna's Most Valuable Offensive Lineman (2014, 2015) and received the Captain's Award in 2015 ... ... High school coach was Bruce Ollis.

Personal: Full name is Matthew David Bair ... Is the son of David and Sonya Bair.