Western Carolina

Western Carolina was founded in 1889 to bring higher education and career opportunities to the western region of North Carolina. A member of the University of North Carolina system, WCU now provides an education to more than 9,000 students from 46 states and 39 countries.

The university’s mission is focused on quality education and preparation for responsible citizenship in a changing world. Since its founding, WCU has grown in size to become a major cultural, scientific, and educational force in the region and the state—and we’re still growing.

Academics:
Exemplifying a commitment to academic excellence, WCU student-athletes have posted a 3.00 cumulative GPA twice since 2000. During the 2004-05 year, 112 WCU student athletes qualified for the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll, which honors student-athletes who have participated in at least one sport and have earned a 3.0 or better grade point average during the past academic year. In academic school year 2006-07, between the three seasons in which academic accolades are handed out by the Southern Conference office – fall, winter and spring – Western Carolina boasted a league-high 72 Academic All-Conference team selections including 21 in the fall, 20 in the winter and 31 in the spring.

Over the past five years, Western produced three Academic All-Americas. They are Ryan Schade (baseball in 2002), Jason Whaley (football in 2003) and Yoneko Allen (women’s basketball in 2004). During the past three years, three Catamounts (Yoneko Allen, Emre Atsur, and Rans Brempong) were receipients of the Southern Conference’s Mike Wood Postgraduate Scholarship and track athlete Tonya Edmunds was one of 32 NCAA student-athletes to be awarded a postgraduate scholarship through its its Ethnic Minority and Women’s Enhancement Postgraduate Scholarship Programs for 2005-06.

Off the field for the 2005-06 academic year, Catamount student-athletes posted a cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) of 3.01 for their careers. Bolstering that GPA were a combined 21, 4.0 GPA’s in the Fall of 2005 and Spring of 2006 semesters and a combined total of 130 Dean’s List honors between the two semesters.

During the 2007-08 season, Western Carolina University had 25 student-athletes named to the Southern Conference Fall Academic team; a league-leading 22 student-athletes named to the Southern Conference Winter Academic team; and a league-leading 34 student-athletes named to the Spring Academic Team. Combined, WCU had 81 student-athletes honored on the three All-Academic teams, the most in the SoCon.

Athletics:
As a member of the Southern Conference, Western Carolina University participates in NCAA Division I athletics. Intercollegiate athletics include men's football, men and women's basketball, baseball, softball, women's soccer, men and women's golf, men and women's track and field, cross country running, women's volleyball and tennis. Catamount football is a member of Division I FCS and plays at Whitmire Stadium. The Ramsey Center is home to men's and women's basketball, and women's volleyball. Baseball is played at Hennon Stadium, softball is played at the Catamount Softball Complex, and the Catamount Athletic Complex is home to women's soccer, tennis, and track and field.
Rivalries:
Old Mountain Jug with Appalachian State