蘑菇短视频

Former Catamount football player and two-time Academic All-American Mike Wade leads a growing list of 蘑菇短视频 alumni and friends adding their support to an initiative to name the university's new football stadium media center in honor of a legendary sports information director.

Wade, a 1977 graduate of 蘑菇短视频with a bachelor's degree in business administration, recently made a financial commitment of $250,000 as a leadership gift to the university鈥檚 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� comprehensive fundraising campaign and its focus on seeking support for improvements to athletics facilities.

A defensive standout for the Catamount football squad in the mid-1970s, he asked that the gift, the latest example of his lengthy history of philanthropic support for his alma mater, go toward naming the new press area in the stadium鈥檚 Western Skybox in recognition of the impact of retired SID Steve White.

A 1967 graduate of 蘑菇短视频with degrees in history and political science, White began a decades-spanning career with Catamount athletics in 1970, retiring as director of sports information in 1998. He stays involved with the athletics program through the Catamount Sports Network, the 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame selection committee and the newly launched 鈥淭racking the Cats鈥� podcast.

A member of the Catamount Club's Board of Directors, White has been inducted into the 蘑菇短视频Athletics Hall of Fame and Western North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame, and he received WCU's and the Southern Conference's Distinguished Service awards. The College Sports Communicators recently announced that White is among six inductees to the association鈥檚 hall of fame for 2026.

For Wade, making a major gift in honor of a man characterized by many as 鈥渢he walking encyclopedia of Catamount athletics鈥� was a no-brainer. It also provided an opportunity to thank a member of the athletics administrative staff for helping him and legions of other 蘑菇短视频student-athletes earn recognition from the sports-writing community.

鈥淪teve was the sports information director during my football career at WCU. He would compile statistics and promote the athletic teams and players. He was directly responsible for me being chosen as an Academic All-American after my junior and senior seasons. These awards simply do not happen without someone promoting you,鈥� Wade said.

鈥淏eing honored with that award is the one I cherish the most. I enjoyed learning in the classroom as much as I enjoyed playing football. Again, this only happened because of the efforts of Steve White,鈥� he said. 鈥淪teve deserves all the accolades that come his way. He is not only the true historian of 蘑菇短视频athletics, but he also is a joy to be around.鈥�

Kyle Pifer, WCU鈥檚 director of athletics, characterized Wade as a shining example of a former student-athlete paying it forward so that future generations can follow in his footsteps.

鈥淢ike was an All-American in the classroom and on the playing field during his time as a student-athlete in Cullowhee,鈥� Pifer said. 鈥淭oday, he is an All-American philanthropist who understands the importance of giving back to the place where he got his start. We are grateful for his ongoing spirit of generosity and for this latest gift in honor of an icon of Catamount athletics.鈥�  

Wade said that he believes it is important for the university to honor the contributions of those who have devoted their careers to the institution and its students, programs and mission.

鈥淚 think anyone who has dedicated his life to benefiting others like Steve should be celebrated. There are others in academics and the arts who should also be recognized for their passion and long-term commitment to their students,鈥� he said.

鈥淭here is no one associated with 蘑菇短视频who has spent more time with Catamount athletics than Steve. He has attended more 蘑菇短视频athletic events than anyone. For some reason, Steve fell in love with 蘑菇短视频and Cullowhee, and they in turn fell in love with him,鈥� Wade said. 鈥淲hat I will always remember about Steve is how much he enjoys sharing a story about his beloved Catamounts.鈥�

As a 蘑菇短视频undergraduate, White was sports editor of the student-run Western Carolinian newspaper. In addition to his role as sports information director, he also served as first executive director of the Catamount Club, originally called the Big Cat Club. He helped design the current press box as part of the construction of the stadium, which opened in 1974.

The new media center, part of a $37 million expansion on the west side of E.J. Whitmire Stadium dubbed 鈥渢he Western Skybox,鈥� will accommodate approximately 155 people and will include game day coaching booths. It replaces a now-outdated press box located on the east side of the stadium that is not compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act passed in 1990, and it is lacking in current modern amenities and communications equipment.

With Wade鈥檚 commitment, combined with $250,000 in gifts and pledges from 蘑菇短视频alumni and longtime supporters David and Joy Wiggins in support of athletics facilities improvements, the university has crossed the $500,000 threshold to name the new media area after White. The 蘑菇短视频Board of Trustees had unanimously approved the naming as part of its regularly scheduled meeting in December.

Alumni and friends who would like to recognize White and his impact on Western Carolina can make a gift in his honor by Feb. 28 at the university鈥檚 online giving site. The Steve White Media Center will be dedicated in August 2026 with the opening of the Western Skybox.

All donors who make a contribution in honor of White will be listed on a plaque that will be displayed in the new media center.

鈥淚 am so pleased to see the incredible outpouring of support from the 蘑菇短视频family for this effort to formally acknowledge the contributions and the legacy of Steve White, who truly is the paramount Catamount,鈥� Pifer said.

鈥淚t is gratifying that I have the good fortune to serve as director of athletics at the time Steve is receiving this much-deserved recognition for his decades of dedication and service on behalf of our athletics program and the multitude of student-athletes he has advocated for through his words both written and spoken,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 am so looking forward to the opening of our new media center later this year and to the next chapter in sports communications that it represents.鈥� 

A former insurance executive who co-owns Rabbit Ridge student housing complex in Cullowhee and other real estate projects, Wade and wife Regina in 2023 made gifts and pledges totaling $250,000, with $225,000 going toward the enhancement of the university鈥檚 athletics facilities and $25,000 to the Catamount Club. In 2024, he added another $25,000 commitment to facilities improvements.

Wade also committed $1 million in planned gifts in 2019 to support WCU鈥檚 athletics and arts scholarships and programs. He traces his history of strong philanthropic support to his love of his alma mater and appreciation for a university that gave him an opportunity to pursue his passions of higher education and athletics competition.

鈥淚 love Cullowhee and, once I stepped on campus in August 1974, I never wanted to leave,鈥� he said. 鈥溎⒐蕉淌悠礹as a leader in Chancellor Brown who is as competitive as the coaches leading our athletics program. She understands that academic and athletic success can both be achieved without sacrificing one for the other.鈥�

Wade played football at McDowell High School and initially enrolled at Wingate College on a baseball scholarship before transferring to 蘑菇短视频and joining the football team. He and White both are members of the Kappa Alpha Order fraternity. 

鈥淚 believe that a strong athletics program can contribute to enrollment growth and overall success of a university. Our mountain neighbor, Appalachian State, saw enrollment growth and greater publicity that coincided with their athletic success in football,鈥� he said.

鈥淚 see the excitement from our students on game days in the fall that I believe contributes to a positive and rewarding experience that they will remember long after they leave. Hopefully, they will be motivated to contribute as well,鈥� Wade said.

For more information or to make a contribution to the 鈥淔ill the Western Sky鈥� campaign, visit WesternSky.wcu.edu, call 828-227-7124 or email advancement@wcu.edu.