CWU Wildcat Nation

Led by one of the best running games and offensive lines in the nation, as well as a stout defense led by All-American Tanner Volk, Central once again saw a successful season in 2024 by winning 8 games and returning to the playoffs for the second consecutive season. Going into 2025, the Wildcats will have to reload several positions including running back, wide receiver, defensive line, and defensive back. A strong recruiting class featuring FIVE 3-star recruits will help build for a strong future. Quarterback: Kennedy McGill led the Wildcats to a pair of playoff wins as a freshman in 2023, then showed a lot of growth to lead the team back to the playoffs in 2024. His passing game improved throughout the season and he continued to tear through defenses on the ground: the former 3-star recruit amassed over 1700 passing yards and 1200 rushing yards with 27 total touchdowns. Sky's the limit over the next two seasons as he continues to improve as a passer and playmaker. But in 2025, h...

Signed/Transfer Commits: 3-star recruits: 6 Connor Aney, Glacier Peak HS OL, 6'3" 290 lb WSFCA 4A All-State 1st Team https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16103594/673149f1ee297d02d41d5638 Other offers: Western Oregon (DII), Eastern Oregon (NAIA), Montana Western (NAIA), Pacific Northwest Christian (JUCO) Charlie Bennett, Ellensburg HS OL, 6'5" 310 lb Other offers: Washington State (FBS, PWO ) Ryder Bumgarner, Stanwood HS/Washington RB, 5'9" 195 lb SHS 2022: 2486 rush yards, 25 TD 2022 News Tribune All-State , Everett Herald Boys Athlete of the Year, Everett Herald All-Area 1st Team, All-Wesco 3A North 1st Team https://www.heraldnet.com/sports/the-heralds-2022-23-boys-high-school-athlete-of-the-year-ryder-bumgarner/ https://www.heraldnet.com/sports/prep-notebook-bumgarner-uw-williams-wsu-commit-as-pwos/ https://247sports.com/high-school/washington/article/2023-stanwood-spartans-ath-ryder-bumgarner-looking-to-breakout-washington-state-cougars-utah-utes-weber-state-wild...

Quarterback: The 2023 season saw the emergence of  former 3-star recruit  Kennedy McGill , who became the starter in Week 8. A dual-threat with great rushing abilities, McGill added a spark to the offense and won his first 2 starts to help lock in a playoff berth. The young McGill then faced the tall task of leading the team through the playoffs, and lived up to the challenge by knocking out 2 nationally-ranked foes on the road in the first 2 rounds before Central bowed out to the #1 ranked team and eventual national runners-up in the quarterfinals.  The redshirt sophomore McGill will go into 2024 as the frontrunner for the starting job. R edshirt sophomore  Justin Brennan and redshirt freshman  Mitchell Johnson are returning, while CWU added a former 3-star recruit in transfer  Caleb Christiansen from Whitworth. Additionally, the Wildcats signed Luke Gale  (Eastmont HS) and Bo Gionet (West Seattle HS) out of high school who will both serve the...

SIGNED/COMMITTED: 35 QB: 3 RB: 2 WR: 2 TE: 0 OL: 7 DE: 5 DT: 1 LB: 3 DB: 10 K/P: 2 Cooper Britton, Mt. Si HS K/P, 5'10" 155 lb MSHS 2021, 2023: 12/16 FG, 51/57 PAT, 36.6 yds/punt All-KingCo 4A 2nd Team https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14585444/656517ee38639c0c4451d379 Caleb Christensen, Royal HS/Whitworth QB, 6'3" 200 lb Whitworth 2021: 628 passing yards, 3 TD 3-star, #40 class of 2021 recruit in WA by 247 Sports https://247sports.com/player/caleb-christensen-46086082/ Coen Cronk, Olympia HS DB, 6'3" 180 lb OHS 2023: 394 receiving yards, 5 TD; 138 tackles, 7 TFL, 1 INT, 1 FF, 1 FR News Tribune All-Area 2nd Team, All-SPSL 4A 1st Team https://www.hudl.com/video/3/14610487/65283b150c5445030c382a50 Other offers: Portland State (FCS, PWO), Linfield (DIII) Isaiah Cuellar, Glacier Peak HS DB, 6'0" 175 lb GPHS 2023: 92 tackles, 4 INT, 4 TD WSFCA All-State 4A 1st Team , HeraldNet All-Area 1st Team, All-Wesco 4A 1st Team https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16537358/65408...

CWU finished in 2nd place in their inaugural season in the Lone Star Conference, proving that they can compete and win in a competitive full-sized conference. CWU owed most of their success to their deep rushing attack, physical lines on both sides of the ball, and dominant defense from front to back. Here is an outlook for what we can expect going into the season in 2023. Quarterback : With continuing injuries to the 2022 season's starter Quincy Glasper, 2021's season starter JJ Lemming saw the majority of snaps last season, mainly coming in the second half of the season. CWU struggled to find consistency, completing less than 50% of passes with 10 interceptions. Glasper was the GNAC Offensive Player of the Year in 2021 but continued to be hampered by injuries in 2022 and has since made a surprise move to NAIA Eastern Oregon. With no QB added from the transfer portal, team captain Lemming will look to step into a larger leadership role and find that consistency this year in w...

SIGNED/COMMITTED: QB: 1 RB: 2 WR: 7 TE: 4 OL: 7 DL: 11 LB: 3 DB: 6 LS: 1 K: 2 Malachi Ajayi, Del Campo HS (CA)/American River College DT, 6'2" 265 lb https://www.hudl.com/video/3/7698663/6361f8d14df60c16a4873552 Other offers: West Texas A&M (DII) Ryan Atterberry, Curtis HS WR, 5'10" 160 lb Cooper Beltz, Clackamas HS (OR) WR, 6'3" 185 lb CHS 2022: 615 receiving yards, 8 TD All-State 6A Honorable Mention, All-Mt. Hood 1st Team https://www.hudl.com/video/3/16113482/638ef88f4ba888084c0c20a8 Other offers: Lewis & Clark (DIII), Linfield (DIII), Puget Sound (DIII), Willamette (DIII) Jesse Benge, Naches Valley HS TE, 6'3" 250 lb NVHS 2022: 74 tackles, 27 TFL, 22 sacks, 2 forced fumbles, 1 fumble recovery, 2 blocked punts SCAC West Lineman of the Year, All-SCAC 1st Team https://www.yakimaherald.com/sports/college_sports/cwu_sports/naches-valleys-benge-signs-to-play-tight-end-as-one-of-29-new-central-washington/article_27c1dbce-a28a-11ed-80e4-0ffd75575...