Aug. 6, 2009

Cullowhee, N.C. - Five Western Carolina Catamount football games will be broadcast across a combined three stations this fall, beginning with the season-opener and culminating with the Family Weekend home date with Wofford.

In addition, all 11 start times have officially been released, although they are still subject to change.

Comcast/Charter Sports Southeast (CSS) will carry the 2009 season-opener as the Catamounts make their first-ever visit to Nashville to face the Vanderbilt Commodores on Saturday, Sept. 5. (Check local listings for availability). Under the direction of former Furman head coach, Bobby Johnson, the Commodores are coming off a 7-6 season in which they opened with five-straight wins, moved into the national Top 25 and won the Music City Bowl over Boston College.

The game is scheduled for a 6:30 pm CT kickoff, 7:30 pm on the East Coast.

As released through the Southern Conference office in early July, SportSouth will carry the Catamounts' conference opener on the road at Georgia Southern in the first "SoCon Saturday" game of the season. Kickoff is set for 7:00 pm on Saturday, Sept. 19 from Paulson Stadium in Statesboro, Ga.

Three WCU home games are set for broadcast by the Asheville-based station My40 Sports, WMYA. The trio of home dates will begin with the Mountain Heritage Day battle with Furman at 6:00 pm Saturday, Sept. 26, followed by the Homecoming showdown pitting Western Carolina against the Citadel at 4:00 pm Saturday, Oct. 17.

Also on the WMYA fall programming schedule is the Catamounts' Saturday, Oct. 24, contest against Wofford, when the Pride of the Mountains Marching Band will receive the Sudler Trophy, the Heisman Trophy of collegiate marching bands. Kickoff is again set for 4:00 pm.

WMYA and sister-station, WLOS, carried two Catamount football games a season ago, and also partnered with Western to broadcast three men's basketball games as well, including the opening round of the Great Alaska Shootout.

My40, WMYA is scheduled to broadcast six games involving WCU, Furman, The Citadel, Presbyterian, Wofford and Appalachian State including an inter-conference match-up of highly ranked teams when ASU plays host to McNeese State. The station will also debut a 10-week schedule of high school football games called "Thursday Night Lights" on August 27, with all of the high school games and all but one of the college contests on My40.

2009 Catamount Football Kickoff Times Released:
Sept. 5 - at Vanderbilt, 7:30 pm ET, 6:30 pm CT - Live on CSS
Sept. 12 - vs. Gardner-Webb (Kids' Day), 6:00 pm
Sept. 19 - at Georgia Southern, 7:00 pm - Live on SportSouth
Sept. 26 - vs. Furman (Mountain Heritage Day), 6:00 pm - Live on WLOS/WMYA
Oct. 3 - at Samford, 3:00 pm ET, 2:00 pm CT
Oct. 17 - vs. The Citadel (Homecoming) - 4:00 pm - Live on WLOS/WMYA
Oct. 24 - vs. Wofford (Family Weekend) - 4:00 pm - Live on WLOS/ WMYA
Oct. 31 - at Chattanooga - 2:00 pm
Nov. 7 - vs. Elon (Hall of Fame Day) - 1:00 pm
Nov. 14 - at Eastern Kentucky - 1:00 pm
Nov. 21 - at Appalachian State (Battle for the Old Mountain Jug) - 3:30 pm

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