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 Ģ������ƵStories      July 22, 2025

By Bill Studenc

Prospective members of Ģ������Ƶ’s Catamount Club had at least 1 million reasons for joining the university’s athletics booster organization for the 2025-2026 season.

That’s because former Ģ������Ƶfootball player Teddy Phillips Jr., CEO of Phillips Infrastructure Holdings, back in the fall made a challenge gift of $1 million toward athletics facilities – specifically upgrades to E.J. Whitmire Stadium – if the Catamount Club reached a minimum of 2,000 members by June 30, 2025.

With a final membership tally of 2,679 now on the books, it’s a matter of “challenge issued, challenge accepted and challenge met.” Actually, make that “challenge exceeded,” said Wes Cogdill, associate athletics director and director of the Catamount Club.

“We thank Teddy Phillips and Phillips Infrastructure for issuing this challenge, which has truly energized interest among fans of Catamount athletics,” Cogdill said. “And we are equally grateful for the way that Catamount Nation has risen up to answer the challenge and unlock these additional funds. I could not be any prouder of how we all came together to make this happen.”

That membership total, which represents an increase of more than 54 percent over last year’s tally, includes 123 members of the newly revived Student Cat Club. Nearly 63 percent of the previous year’s membership has renewed for 2025-2026.

Catamount Club members contributed more than $4.7 million in support for Ģ������Ƶathletics in 2024-2025, including more than $2.75 million toward facilities renovations and nearly $300,000 in additional scholarships for student-athletes.

The Phillips challenge gift kicked off the 2024 edition of WCU’s GivingTuesday initiative, which emphasized increasing membership in the Catamount Club and raising funds in support of student-athletes. It is part of the ongoing “Fill the Western Sky” comprehensive fundraising campaign, an effort to raise a minimum of $100 million for the university’s academic, student engagement and athletics programs.

“The ‘Fill the Western Sky’ campaign is the most significant athletics facilities improvement project for Ģ������Ƶin many years and will directly benefit our student-athletes, coaches, alumni and fans,” said Eddie Wells, who became president of the Catamount Club Board of Directors on July 1. “This challenge gift was a creative way to encourage new members to join the Catamount Club while providing necessary resources for the campaign.”

But Catamount Club members had more than the 1 million reasons to join the organization above and beyond the $1 million challenge gift. They also realized that strong support from donors provides critical funding for a range of priorities, including facilities renovations, sport-specific needs, scholarships for student-athletes and general support of the athletics program, Wells said.

“The Catamount Club staff works very hard to increase numbers each year to provide amazing opportunities for our Ģ������Ƶstudent-athletes. Membership is the lifeblood of the Catamount Club and the athletics program, and we need as many members as possible to provide funds for a first-class experience for our student-athletes,” he said.

“The 2,000-member mark for the Catamount Club is amazing. However, this is the starting point for membership and not the finish line,” Wells said. “There are so many amazing things happening at Ģ������Ƶcurrently, and the Catamount Club needs continued growth to help move the needle. Financial support for the Catamount Club is one of the best ways to make a difference in the lives of our student-athletes to ensure we remain competitive in the Southern Conference.”

Kyle Pifer, WCU’s director of athletics, characterized the Catamount Club donor base as the driving force behind the university’s athletics program.

“With where college athletics is and where it is likely to go, more Catamount Club members allows us to be more competitive. Being competitive is becoming increasingly expensive,” Pifer said. “We need to invest more in our student-athletes. It is becoming the expectation within NCAA Division I and the Southern Conference. We have a great set of coaches, and growing our membership and increasing our support would allow them to attract the talent we need to win conference championships.”

Student-athletes who are personally – and positively – affected by Catamount Club contributions say they are grateful for the support and inspired by the enthusiasm demonstrated by the membership growth. 

“The Catamount Club has grown over my career at Ģ������Ƶand has been an incredible support system. The club’s fundraising provides athletics with upgrades to facilities, equipment and other needs, while providing scholarships and various academic resources, all of which have directly benefited me,” said Micah Nelson, a defensive end on the football team.

A native of Murphy who has already earned a bachelor's degree in health and physical education and is now pursuing his master’s degree in sport management, Nelson suffered a season-ending knee injury in 2023.

“That was difficult mentally and physically, but the Catamount Club’s support kept me motivated to keep moving forward. That proves that material support is only a portion of what the Catamount Club is for student-athletes here at WCU,” he said. “The club builds a community that provides the establishment of relationships valuable to fostering connections and networks that will be remarkable assets when I am finished playing.”

Nelson said he believes it is “absolutely vital that the Catamount Club continues to grow going forward.

“Over my years at WCU, the Catamount Club has grown from a few hundred members to more than 2,000 members. A push to reach higher membership numbers is a reflection of the club’s commitment to Ģ������Ƶathletics,” he said. “The growth, now and future, has meant and will mean more scholarships, better facilities to compete with other institutions and additional resources of all kinds. The Catamount Club is 100% needed to empower student-athletes on and off the field.”

For A.C. Carter, a member of the Catamount women’s basketball team who is set to receive her master’s degree in sport management in December, assistance from donors enabled her to continue her athletics career while going to graduate school.

“The Catamount Club has played a major role in supporting me throughout my year-plus journey as a student-athlete at WCU,” said Carter, who played four years at Georgia Tech before arriving in Cullowhee as a graduate student. “Their dedication and generosity have made it possible for me to pursue my academic and athletic goals without added financial stress. I’ll be forever grateful for the time I was able to spend in Cullowhee, and I’ll always cherish the bonds I’ve built in the community.”

Carter said she plans to work in intercollegiate athletics after completing her graduate studies.

“I’ll soon begin an internship with Georgia Tech, where I hope to gain hands-on experience behind the scenes—either in a director of basketball operations role or within a coaching staff. Thanks to the Catamount Club, I’ve had the opportunity to pursue my master’s degree in sport management. Their support has allowed me to complete the program in just a year and a half, something I never thought would be possible,” she said.

“It’s incredibly important for the Catamount Club to continue growing. The more support the club receives, the more opportunities there are for student-athletes like me to succeed—both on the court and in the classroom,” Carter said. “Continued growth means more resources, more scholarships and ultimately a stronger Catamount family.”

Pifer, named Ģ������Ƶathletics director in May following a national search, said the growth of Catamount Club membership makes him optimistic about the future of the athletics program. 

“I’ve heard head football coach Kerwin Bell say that he doesn’t want a village behind him; he wants an army. I feel the same,” Pifer said. “The more people we have involved, the better. We want to be at the top of the SoCon, and getting there will take all of us. If you are reading these words and you’re not a member of the Catamount Club, contact us and we will get you signed up. Let’s get to work.”

For more information about the “Fill the Western Sky” campaign, visit , call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.