By: Daniel Hooker, Associate Athletics Director for Media Relations
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Western Carolina junior quarterback Cole Gonzales was dubbed the Southern Conference Preseason Offensive Player of the Year to highlight 10 Catamounts selected to the preseason All-SoCon teams on Tuesday as part of 2024 SoCon Football Media Day festivities at the Hotel Hartness.
Gonzales was a first-team offense selection, joined by fifth-year senior offensive lineman Blake Whitmore and junior wide receiver AJ Colombo. WCU had a fourth first-team selection in senior long-snapper Colby Cross.
Six Catamounts landed on the preseason second-team All-SoCon including junior running back Branson Adams and senior offensive lineman Derek Simmons. On defense, redshirt senior defensive lineman Curtis Fann Jr., along with three defensive backs in senior Ed Jones IV, senior CJ Williams, and junior Samaurie Dukes rounded out the Catamount honorees.
Western Carolina was picked third in the official preseason coaches’ poll, its highest predicted finish since a third-place nod back in 2015. It’s also the sixth time since 1983 that WCU was picked third in the SoCon preseason poll by the head coaches. The Catamounts received one of the possible nine first-place votes.
—> READ THE REST OF THE STORY FROM CATAMOUNTSPORTS.COM
—> FCS SPOTLIGHT: Blake Whitmore anchors Western Carolina’s O-line
