Cullowhee, N.C. – Western Carolina junior quarterback Cole Gonzales was today named to the Preseason FCS All-American second-team by FCS Football Central, a partnership between The Bluebloods, Sports Illustrated, and Fan Nation as the organization released its awards.
 
The Southern Conference’s Roy M. “Legs” Hawley Offensive Player of the Year as selected by the voting media a season ago, Gonzales was a first-team All-SoCon selection in 2023 after guiding the nation’s top yardage-producing offense in the NCAA FCS. The Catamounts finished the year as the only team to average over 500 yards per game last fall, leading the country with 504.1 yards per contest. He finished the year 204-of-310 for 2,803 yards and a school-record 28 touchdown passes, tied for the fourth-most in the NCAA last season, against just eight interceptions. Gonzales ranked third nationally in passer efficiency (166.40) and was tied for 14th in passing yards per game (254.8).
 
A product of Ocala, Fla., Gonzales passed for 200 or more yards in nine of the team’s 11 games last season, eclipsing the 300-yard threshold three times including a career-best 388 passing yards against Mercer. He also completed 20 or more passes four times. Gonzales established and matched a career-high with five touchdown passes on three occasions, setting the benchmark with five scores through the air in the first half against Charleston Southern in late September. He also threw for five scores against Mercer and in the “Blue Ridge Border Battle” win over ETSU in mid-November.
 
Gonzales secured WCU’s highest finish in the national voting for the Walter Payton Award, presented by FedEx Ground and given annually to the nation’s top offensive player. The fourth Catamount to advance to the final vote, he was among the 30 finalists in 2023 for the FCS award and finished 17th in the national vote. He was the highest finisher among three offensive players from the SoCon that made the final ballot.
 
The FCS Football Central 2024 Preseason All-America team consists of 78 NCAA FCS players representing 44 teams and players from all 13 NCAA FCS Conferences. South Dakota State led the nation with eight selections, led by last season’s Walter Payton Award winner QB Mark Gronowski. North Dakota State had the second-most selections with seven, including three first-team honorees.
 
Among WCU’s 2024 seasonal opponents, teams had a combined 11 players named preseason All-America by FCS Football Central including seven from the Southern Conference. Chattanooga had three honorees with WR Javin Whatley (1st), DL Marlon Taylor (1st), and OL Reid Williams (2nd) recognized. Samford LB Noah Martin (1st) was the SoCon’s third first-team selection. Rounding out those league players named to the second team were WCU’s Gonzales, Mercer LB Ken Standley (2nd), and ETSU LB William McRainey (2nd).
 
Opening the season on the Thursday before Labor Day weekend on the road at North Carolina State, Western Carolina’s football student-athletes officially report for the 2024 preseason fall camp on Monday, July 29, with the first helmet-only practice set for Tuesday, July 30.
 
With the Catamounts ranked among the preseason NCAA FCS Top 25 in a pair of polls, season tickets for Western Carolina’s 2024 five-game home schedule are on sale now through the WCU Athletics Ticket Office by phone at (828) 227-2401 and in person through the box office on the first floor of the Ramsey Center, or online at CatamountSports.com. Ticket options include general admission, reserved bleacher bench, and chairback seats, with a Family Zone four-pack in Section FF. A $10 transaction fee will be charged for all season ticket orders including credit card, cash, and check.
 
Single-game ticket sales for the home-opening “White Out Whitmire” game against instate foe Campbell on Sat., Sept. 7, begin on July 25. Individual game ticket sales for the remaining four home dates begin on Aug. 1.
 
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