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Aug. 4, 2010
Cullowhee, N.C. - With the start of fall camp for the Western Carolina football team rapidly approaching report date this Friday, third-year head coach Dennis Wagner has announced three new additions as well as new job responsibilities for two members of his staff this year.
The two intern assistants from the past two seasons - offensive assistant Ty Davis and defensive assistant Dan Gibson - have been promoted to full-time positions within the athletic department staff at WCU.
Davis has assumed the role of video coordinator and will work with all the sports, especially football, in meeting the growing needs of video scout and game footage exchange. Gibson, a two-time graduate of Western Carolina for both undergraduate and graduate degrees, has been named the Director of Football Operations where he will oversee the day-to-day affairs of the team including travel accommodations for road trips. Gibson will also serve as the team's academic liaison.
The Catamount football program has also welcomed three new coaches this year. Jeremiah Ross will serve as an offensive assistant working with the offensive line; Michael Mayers joined as a defensive assistant, with Pat Arthurs the most recent to join the staff as an offensive assistant where he will work with the WCU tight ends.
Ross comes to Cullowhee after serving at Crespi Carmelite High in Encino, Calif., the past seven years - five of which were as the head football coach as well as program's offensive coordinator and offensive line coach. As the head coach, Ross compiled an overall record of 39-21, making two CIF championship game appearances with one title. He garnered CIF Coach of the Year plaudits in 2005 and was named the Daily News Coach of the Year in '07.
While at CCHS, Ross sent 20 players overall to NCAA Division I programs including having developed seven linemen and mentored three NCAA Division I quarterbacks.
A four-year letter winner and three-year starter along the offensive line at Fresno State, Ross was both coached by and worked with Wagner while at his alma mater. During his sophomore season, Ross garnered the team's most improved offensive player award from his coaches. Ross earned a Bachelor's degree in physical education in 1999.
Read Full Ross Bio
Arthurs is entering his 32nd year of coaching football that includes 24 years coaching in the high school ranks in the Chicago Suburban public and private school systems. He worked as an offensive coordinator five of those years with seven seasons spent patrolling the sidelines as a head coach.
Most recently, Arthurs served as the tight ends and wide receivers coach at the College of DuPage, a junior college just outside of Chicago. He was also the program's recruiting coordinator and director of football operations. Arthurs helped bring about three consecutive winning seasons, three playoff berths and one bowl bid after a decade of struggles. Players he coached at both the tight end and receiver positions ranked nationally in the top 15 in each of his three seasons.
In addition to the College of DuPage, Arthurs spent three seasons coaching at the NCAA Division III level at both North Central College and Elmhurst College, both in the state of Illinois.
Read Full Arthurs Bio
A former standout wide receiver and return specialist at Elon University, Mayers was an All-Southern Conference selection by the media and coaches both in 2006 and '07. He concluded his four-year playing career with 2,872 receiving yards and 13 touchdowns through the air, adding a rushing and one kickoff return for a score during his career. He concluded his career as Elon's all-time career leader in all-purpose yards with 4,697 which now ranks second behind former teammate Terrell Hudgins. He also ranks inside the top five in career receptions in SoCon history with 223.
Along with Hudgins, Mayers set a NCAA Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) record for the most combined receptions in a single-season in 2007. Hudgins caught 117 passes while Mayers hauled in a career-best 90 for 1,064 yards to establish the NCAA benchmark at 207.
Read Full Mayers Bio
Western Carolina will open its 2010 fall camp on Friday, August 6 as the players report with the first of two non-padded workouts beginning the following day. WCU will work through three practice days in half pads before its first fully-padded session on Thursday, August 19. The squad will have four, two-a-day practices before classes start in Cullowhee on August 23.
The Catamounts will open the 2010 season on Saturday, Sept. 4 as they visit Carter-Finley Stadium in Raleigh to face the North Carolina State Wolfpack.
GO CATAMOUNTS!!!
