Meet the 2024 CSC Academic All-District: Eight Stellar Catamounts Shine Bright!

Cullowhee, N.C. – A program-record eight student-athletes from Western Carolina have been recognized by the College Sports Communicators (CSC) as members of the Academic All-District NCAA Division I football team, announced today by the organization.
 
The Catamounts’ senior offensive linemen Blake Whitmore and Xavier Graham, senior defensive lineman Micah Nelson, senior long-snapper Colby Cross, junior wide receiver AJ Colombo, redshirt sophomore tight end Jake Young, sophomore punter Stephen Brantley, and redshirt freshman defensive end Kenyon Partridge all received accolades.
 
This year signifies the third under the revised selection criteria where all eligible nominees submitted receive the all-district recognition. WCU had previously attained a program-high of five all-district distinctions in both the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
 
Two Catamounts – Colby Cross (2023, 2024) and Micah Nelson (2022, 2024) – received the second honors of their collegiate journeys while the remaining six student-athletes from WCU garnered their inaugural selection. Since 1975, twelve distinct Catamounts have been honored as Academic All-District, with offensive lineman Jason Whaley chosen a program-best three times.
 
Moreover, Blake Whitmore and Jake Young were acknowledged as CSC Academic All-America® finalists and will progress to the national ballot for votes from CSC members. WCU has seen four student-athletes earn All-America recognition over the years: Mike Wade (1975, 1976); Eddie Maddox (1984, 1985); Jason Whaley (2003); and Darius Ramsey (2014).
 
The two upperclassmen offensive linemen from WCU contributed significantly to the Catamounts’ achievement of over 5,000 yards of total offense for the fourth consecutive season, culminating in a record-breaking 5,665 yards in 2024. Hailing from Niceville, Fla., Xavier Graham participated in 11 games with 10 starts last season for the Catamounts, holding a cumulative undergraduate GPA of 3.50 and a graduate GPA of 3.67 while working towards his Master of Business Administration.
 
Whitmore, a graduate of WCU twice over, started every game for the Catamounts on the offensive line across the past three seasons – from 2022 to 2024 – totaling 39 starts in 45 career appearances. The Raleigh local holds degrees in Integrated Health Science and Psychology from WCU, achieving a 3.55 grade point average.
 
Redshirt senior Micah Nelson, nominated for the National Football Foundation (NFF) William V. Campbell Trophy, awarded to the top football student-athlete nationwide, returned to the Catamount squad after being sidelined for the 2023 season due to an injury. He played in 11 games last season, making 26 tackles which included 10 solo stops and 6.5 for losses, two of which were sacks. The Murphy, N.C., native maintains a 3.75 GPA while majoring in Health and Physical Education.
 
With one year of eligibility left, Nelson is anticipated to rejoin the Catamounts for the 2025 football season.
 
Long-snapper Colby Cross participated in 12 of his 34 career contests for the Catamounts in 2024, recording a couple of tackles and forcing a fumble against Campbell. A native of Mooresville, N.C., he held a cumulative GPA of 3.59 while studying Natural Resource and Conservation Management. Cross has been honored on the Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll four times and was inducted into the NFF Hampshire Honor Society in 2023.
 
The leading receiver for WCU last autumn, AJ Colombo made a team-high 61 receptions in his 11 games during 2024 with 10 starts. The Waxhaw, N.C., local finished with 590 receiving yards, surpassing the career 1,000-yard milestone, and matched his single-season career best with five touchdown catches, totaling ten for his career. A junior finance student, Colombo boasts a 3.95 cumulative GPA and has been recognized on the SoCon Academic Honor Roll twice, earning a commissioner’s medal in 2022 during his freshman year.
 
Also from Waxhaw, N.C., redshirt sophomore tight end Jake Young was a starter for all 12 games for the Catamounts last season. He concluded the season with 28 receptions for 321 yards and recorded his first two collegiate touchdowns. Academically, he possesses a 3.67 cumulative GPA as a finance major. Young, who has transferred to Charlotte through the portal, was listed on the 2023-24 SoCon Academic Honor Roll in 2023.
 
In his second season, punter Stephen Brantley, hailing from Pilot Mountain, N.C., participated in all 12 games, executing 47 punts with an average of 41.9 yards in 2024. He achieved a career-long 65-yard punt during the rivalry game against ETSU. Majoring in construction management, Brantley possessed a cumulative GPA of 3.72 at the time of his nomination and was a SoCon academic honor roll recipient in the previous year.
 
Kenyon Partridge, a redshirt freshman defensive lineman from Decatur, Ga., took part in all 12 games last season as a defensive backup. He recorded nine total tackles, including two for loss, counting sacks at Furman and against VMI. Additionally, he forced a fumble during WCU’s home victory over the Keydets. In his second year at WCU, he maintains a GPA of 3.76 while majoring in sport management. As a true freshman in 2023, Partridge was also included in the SoCon Academic Honor Roll.
 
For more details about the CSC Academic All-District® and Academic All-America® Teams program, please visit AcademicAllAmerica.com.
 
Stay updated on all developments concerning Catamount football and WCU Athletics via its social media platforms on Facebook (FB.com/CatamountSports, FB.com/WesternCarolinaFootball), Twitter (@catamounts, @CatamountsFB), and Instagram (wcu_catamounts, catamountsfb).
 
Western Carolina’s All-Time Academic All-District Selections:
1975: Mike Wade, LB
1976: Mike Wade, LB
1984: Eddie Maddox, RB
1985: Eddie Maddox, RB
1992: Thomas Jackson, OL
1993: Thomas Jackson, OL
1994: Chad Greene, QB
1995: Chad Greene, QB
2000: Caesar Campana, WR
2001: Pablo Abraham, DE; Jason Whaley, OL
2002: Jason Whaley, OL
2003: Jason Whaley, OL
2012: Conner Orr, TE; Clark Sechrest, P; Rock Williams, LB
2014: Darius Ramsey, RB; Richard Sigmon, PK
2015: Derrick Davis, DT; Darius Ramsey, RB; Daniel Riddle, LB
2016: Andrew Mayton, DE; A.J. Newman, LB
2017: A.J. Newman, LB
2022: Marlon Alexander, DL; Clayton Bardall, TE; Brandon Dickerson, P; Richard McCollum, PK; Micah Nelson, DE
2023: Marlon Alexander, DL; Clayton Bardall, TE; Colby Cross, LS; Richard McCollum, PK; Giovanni Ricciardi, LB
2024: Stephen Brantley, P; AJ Colombo, WR; Colby Cross, LS; Xavier Graham, OL; Micah Nelson, DE; Kenyon Partridge, DB; Blake Whitmore, OL; Jake Young, TE