Western Carolina University

PRONUNCIATION: KEN-yen

2024 (Redshirt Freshman): Saw action in all 12 of the team’s games, each coming as a defensive reserve and on special teams … Finished with nine total tackles, including five solo stops with two for loss coming on a pair of quarterback sacks … Had tackles in five of the 12 games with multiple tackles three times … Recorded a pair of stops in the season-opener at NC State (Aug. 29), adding a quarterback hurry … Finished with a pair of stops at nationally-ranked Montana (Sept. 21) … Posted a career-high three tackles with one for loss on a sack in the road win at Furman (Oct. 19) … Tallied his second sack in the win over VMI (Nov. 16) … Named to the Fall 2024 Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Selected to the 2024 College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team.

2023 (Freshman): Played in two games as a defensive reserve and on special teams, remaining eligible for a redshirt … Credited with one tackle on the year … Made his collegiate debut in the home win over Charleston Southern (Sept. 23), recording his first career tackle on an assist … Also played in the home rivalry win over ETSU (Nov. 11) ... Named to the 2023-24 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Played both outside linebacker and tight end as a prep … Named the Region 5-2A Defensive Player of the Year … Over his final two seasons, recorded 53 receiving yards with a pair of scores as a tight end … Defensively, amassed 111 total tackles including 79 solo stops with 38 tackles for loss with 22.5 sacks, according to MaxPreps … Was a three-time Player of the Game, earning two honors in 2021 and one as a senior in 2022.