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 Former Catamount Gorham Bradley Named WCU Head Men's Golf Coach |
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Dec. 23, 2004
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina University athletics director Chip Smith announced today the appointment of Gorham Bradley as head men's golf coach. Bradley, a Spring Hope, N.C., native who was serving as the program's assistant coach, replaces longtime WCU head coach Johnny Wike, who retired this past month.
"We are pleased to have Gorham join our staff," Smith said. "He has a strong knowledge of golf and his enthusiasm and desire to help Catamount Golf become champions are contagious. I'm sure he will build on the foundation put in place by (former) Coach Wike as he moves the program forward."
Bradley, an assistant golf professional at the Country Club of Sapphire Valley in Cashiers since 2003, was a member of the Catamount golf team from 2000-04. In addition to his playing responsibilities, Bradley started his current career path during his undergraduate career, handling administrative duties such as transportation of the team and playing significant roles in the organization and execution of the Cats' home tournaments and the 2003 Southern Conference Women's Golf Championship. Bradley additionally demonstrated his leadership by serving on the WCU Student-Athlete Advisory Committee for four years, one year on the committee's leadership team which set policies and executed initiatives.
"I am real excited to continue being a part of the Catamount family and taking over this program at a crucial time," Bradley said. "We are peeking athletically and the mindset has changed from the past. Teams in the past would go into tournaments hoping for a top five or 10 finish. Now, the guys on this team go into every event with the expectation of winning. We have great talent and should be a force this spring."
A three-time Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll honoree (2001, `02 and `03), Bradley graduated Cum Laude (3.5 grade point average) from Western Carolina this past August with a degree in sport management with concentrations in athletic administration and professional sport management. The 23-year-old was additionally a three-time Dean's List honoree.
"In the years he has been with our program, Gorham has shown great leadership," Wike said. "He has the mental and technical aspects of the game down and, being a former athlete, he can say things in a manner to the guys to make them understand his experiences. His ability has been verified by the fact he was hired as an assistant pro at one of the most pretigious golf courses in the nation (Country Club of Sapphire Valley)."
Prior to his Catamount career, Bradley was a four-time all-area and Big Eight All-Conference pick at Southern Nash High School. He helped Southern Nash place seventh in the region as a sophomore, fourth as a junior and runner-up as a senior. He was his school's first four-time all-conference selection and just the second in the Big Eight Conference's history to accomplish the feat.
Bradley continues a recent trend of former Catamounts coming back to their alma mater. In addition to Bradley, there are currently eight former Catamounts on the coaching staff, including baseball head coach Todd Raleigh, baseball assistant coach Paul Menhart, men's basketball assistant coach Anquell McCollum, head track/cross country coach Danny Williamson, head volleyball coach Angell Benson, head cheerleading coach Kim Cherry, head football coach Kent Briggs and assistant football coach Geoff Collins.
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