After finishing 2023 among the national rankings at No. 23 in the final media poll, Western Carolina football enters 2024 ranked 20th in the Stats Perform FCS Preseason Top 25 poll announced Monday morning.
The last time Western Carolina carried a preseason national ranking into its season opener was in 1994 when the 17th-ranked Catamounts hosted Lenoir-Rhyne in the season opener. Earlier this summer, WCU was ranked 16th in the HERO Sports poll while Craig Haley of Stats Perform slated the Catamounts at No. 23 in his early-summer balloting.
Western Carolina is among three Southern Conference schools to earn a preseason Top 25 ranking from Stats Perform, which includes Chattanooga (9th) and Furman (12th). The SoCon has the fourth-most teams in the preseason Top 25. Mercer and Samford also appeared in the “others receiving votes” category which included schools listed on two or more preseason ballots giving the conference five schools appearing on the list.
Additionally, a pair of WCU’s seasonal nonconference opponents were also ranked in the preseason including Montana (3rd) and Elon (26th), the first team just outside the Top 25 receiving votes. Season-opening opponent NC State has also appeared in the NCAA FBS national rankings including No. 22 in the Coaches Poll also unveiled on Monday.
Reigning champion South Dakota State opens the year atop the poll, earning 52 of a possible 56 first-place votes. North Dakota State edged out Montana to round out the podium in the preseason poll. Montana State and South Dakota complete the top five giving the media tabulation a strong Missouri Valley Football Conference and Big Sky Conference look.
Western Carolina continued its preseason practice on Monday with its first session in full pads, working out for right at two hours on the turf at E.J. Whitmire Stadium / Bob Waters Field. Practice continues Tuesday with the squad slated to work in uppers – or helmets and shoulder pads – before another fully padded practice on Wednesday. WCU is scheduled for its first preseason scrimmage on Saturday (Aug. 10) at 9 a.m.
Both season and single-game tickets for the five home dates in #CatamountCountry remain on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office, located on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or by phone at (828) 227-2401. Fans can also purchase tickets and game day parking in advance online at CatamountSports.com/BuyTickets.
2024 Catamount Football Preseason Practice Schedule:
Tues., Aug. 6 – Practice #7 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Wed., Aug. 7 – Practice #8 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Thurs., Aug. 8 – No Practice (Off Day)
Thurs., Aug. 8 – Catamount Football "Ladies Night" – 5:30 pm
Fri., Aug. 9 – Practice #9 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Sun., Aug. 11 – Team Photo Day, 2 pm; Practice #11 – 3:00 pm – 5:30 pm (helmets)
Mon., Aug. 12 – Practice #12 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Tues., Aug. 13 – Practice #13 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (uppers)
Wed., Aug. 14 – Practice #14 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (full pads)
Thurs., Aug. 15 – No Practice (Off Day)
Fri., Aug. 16 – Practice #15 – 8:30 am – 11:00 am (helmets)
Sun., Aug. 18 – No Practice – Team Building
Mon., Aug. 19 – First Day of Fall Classes at WCU
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