The Western Carolina Catamounts football program represents Western Carolina University. The team competes in the NCAA Division I Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) and are members of the Southern Conference. Since the school's first football team was fielded in 1931, the Catamounts have a record of 364–540–23, have made two postseason appearances, and have played in one national championship game.

Western Carolina plays its home games at the 13,742 seat Bob Waters Field at E. J. Whitmire Stadium located on the campus in Cullowhee, North Carolina.

History

Head coaching history

Western Carolina has had 14 head coaches since the first team was organized in 1931. Kerwin Bell, the current head coach, was hired on April 27, 2021. Bob Waters (1969–1988) holds the record for most wins (116), longest tenure (20 seasons), and highest winning percentage (.550) among all former Western Carolina coaches.

C.C. Poindexter, often called the "Father of Western Carolina Athletics", was instrumental in organizing the first football team in 1931. Then the Western Carolina Teacher's College, Poindexter was the first person hired by the college to work exclusively in athletics and became the first athletic director and football coach. He would later lead the baseball and basketball programs as well.

1931–1934 C. C. Poindexter 10–26–2 .290 1935–1938 Ralph James 4–30–3 .149 1939–1941 Jim Whatley 6–15–1 .295 1945 Marion McDonald 1–3 .250 1946–1955 Tom Young 39–55–4 .418 1956–1968 Dan Robinson 51–67–6 .435 1969–1988 Bob Waters 116–94–6 .550 1989 Dale Strahm 3–7–1 .318 1990–1996 Steve Hodgin 31–45 .408 1997–2001 Bill Bleil 23–32 .418 2002–2007 Kent Briggs 22–43 .388 2008–2011 Dennis Wagner 8–36 .182 2012–2021 Mark Speir 33–68 2021– Kerwin Bell 24–21 .533

Postseason 1949 - The 1949 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Tom Young, completed their regular season 8–2, winning the North State Conference championship. Western Carolina was then invited to play West Liberty State in the Smokey Mountain Bowl in Bristol, Tennessee. The Catamounts fell short 20–0. 1974 - The 1974 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 9–1, earning a berth to the 1974 NCAA Division II playoff. The Catamounts had wins over ranked opponents Indiana State and Western Kentucky during the season. They then traveled to No.1 ranked Louisiana Tech where they were defeated 10–7. 1983 - The 1983 Western Carolina Catamounts, coached by Bob Waters, completed their regular season 8-2-1, earning a berth to the 1983 NCAA Division I-AA playoffs. The Catamounts then hosted their first ever playoff game against Colgate, winning 24–23. Western Carolina then traveled to No.2 seed Holy Cross, where they upset the Crusaders 28–21. In the semifinals, they beat No.3 seed, and Southern Conference rival, Furman 14–7. In the 1983 Division I-AA National Championship Game at Hagood Stadium in Charleston, South Carolina, the Catamounts fell to No.1 seed Southern Illinois 43–7.

Classifications 1973–1976: NCAA Division II 1977: NCAA Division I 1978–1981: NCAA Division I–A 1982–present: NCAA Division I–AA

Conference memberships 1931–1932: Independent 1933–1960: North State Conference 1961–1967: Conference Carolinas 1968–1972: Independent 1973–1976: NCAA Division II Independent 1977–present: Southern Conference Also members of the Smoky Mountain Conference starting in 1934.

Playoff appearances NCAA Division I-AA/FCS The Catamounts have appeared in the I-AA/FCS playoffs one time, making it to the national championship game, with an overall record of 3–1. 1983 First RoundQuarterfinalsSemifinalsChampionship Colgate(2) Holy Cross(3) Furman(1) Southern Illinois W, 24–23W, 28–21W, 14–7L, 7–43

NCAA Division II The Catamounts made one appearance in the Division II playoffs, with a combined record of 0–1. 1974 First Round Louisiana Tech L, 7–10

Yearly results +YearCoachWinLossTie1931C.C. Poindexter4401932C.C. Poindexter2901933C.C. Poindexter1621934C.C. Poindexter3701935Ralph James11001936Ralph James2701937Ralph James1621938Ralph James0711939James Whatley1611940James Whatley2401941James Whatley3501945Marion McDonald1301946Tom Young6311947Tom Young3511948Tom Young7301949Tom Young8301950Tom Young3601951Tom Young3601952Tom Young2801953Tom Young1901954Tom Young4511955Tom Young2711956Dan Robinson1901957Dan Robinson2511958Dan Robinson1811959Dan Robinson7211960Dan Robinson6501961Dan Robinson4601962Dan Robinson3511963Dan Robinson2611964Dan Robinson5401965Dan Robinson7201966Dan Robinson5501967Dan Robinson4511968Dan Robinson4501969Bob Waters9101970Bob Waters6301971Bob Waters4601972Bob Waters7211973Bob Waters6311974Bob Waters9201975Bob Waters3701976Bob Waters6401977Bob Waters6411978Bob Waters6501979Bob Waters6501980Bob Waters3711981Bob Waters4701982Bob Waters6501983Bob Waters11311984Bob Waters8301985Bob Waters4611986Bob Waters6501987Bob Waters4701988Bob Waters2901989Dale Strahm3711990Steve Hodgin3801991Steve Hodgin2901992Steve Hodgin7401993Steve Hodgin6501994Steve Hodgin6501995Steve Hodgin3701996Steve Hodgin4701997Bill Bleil3801998Bill Bleil6501999Bill Bleil3802000Bill Bleil4702001Bill Bleil7402002Kent Briggs5602003Kent Briggs5702004Kent Briggs4702005Kent Briggs5402006Kent Briggs2902007Kent Briggs11002008Dennis Wagner3902009Dennis Wagner2902010Dennis Wagner2902011Dennis Wagner11002012Mark Speir11002013Mark Speir21002014Mark Speir7502015Mark Speir7402016Mark Speir2902017Mark Speir7502018Mark Speir3802019Mark Speir3902020*Mark Speir1802021Kerwin Bell4702022Kerwin Bell6502023Kerwin Bell740Total36454023 *2020 fall season was played in the spring of 2021 due to Covid-19

Rivalries Appalachian State - Battle for the Old Mountain Jug

The main rivalry of the Catamounts was against their in-state rival Appalachian State. Western Carolina and Appalachian State played annually for the Old Mountain Jug. The two rivals first faced off in 1932, with Appalachian State winning 20–0. The Old Mountain Jug trophy was first introduced in 1976. After Appalachian State moved to the Football Bowl Subdivision in 2014, the two have not met since. Appalachian State leads the series 58–19–1. Appalachian State's biggest win is 54–7 in 1939 and Western Carolina's biggest win is 44–14 in 1977.

East Tennessee State - Blue Ridge Border Battle While Western Carolina and ETSU have played each other since 1932, the Blue Ridge Border Battle was started in 2018, which introduced a traveling trophy known as 'the Rock' which features a rock from the Appalachian Trail. The first Blue Ridge Border Battle game was in 2018, with ETSU winning in triple overtime 45–43. The two schools played annually from 1975–2003 as members of the Southern Conference until ETSU discontinued its football program after the 2003 season. The series resumed in 2016 when ETSU restarted its program and rejoined the Southern Conference with the game being played at Bristol Motor Speedway, which was won by ETSU 34–31. Western Carolina leads the series 26–25–1. Western Carolina's biggest win is 58–7 in 2023 and ETSU's biggest win is 49–10 in 1996.

Catamounts in the NFL

Steve Williams DE 1974 Eddie McGill TE 1982–1983 Dean Biasucci K 1984–1995 Tiger Greene DB 1985–1990 Louis Cooper LB 1985–1993 Clyde Simmons DE 1986–2000 Leonard Williams RB 1987 Fred Davis DB 1987Kirk Roach K 1988–1989 Tony Jones OL 1988–2000 Willie J. Williams DB 1993–2005 Andrew Jordan TE 1994–2001 David Patten WR 1997–2008 Brad Hoover FB 2000–2009 Detrez Newsome RB 2018–2018 Keion Crossen DB 2018–2022

Future non-conference opponents Announced schedules as of July 14, 2026.

Eastern Kentucky at Eastern Kentucky at Appalachian State at Elon at Charlotte at Georgia at Campbell at East Carolina North Carolina Central Elon at Cincinnati Campbell Presbyterian at North Carolina Central

See also Western Carolina Catamounts

References

External links