2022 (Redshirt Junior): Played in all 11 of the team’s games with five starts at tight end … Caught 11 passes for 163 yards … Posted a season-high eight receptions for a season-best 89 receiving yards at Mercer (Oct. 8) … Credited with one tackle coming at Charleston Southern (Sept. 3) ... Named to the 2022 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Selected to the College Sports Communicators (CSC) Academic All-District team ... Named to the 2023 NFF Hampshire Honor Society.

2021 (Redshirt Sophomore*): Played in eight of the team’s 11 games on the season with five starts to open the season at tight end … Caught four passes for 27 yards on the season … Recorded a catch in the first three games of the season with a season-long 15-yard reception against EKU (Sept. 4) in the opener … Named to the 2021 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference team ... Named to the 2021-22 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll ... Changed his number to No. 18 after the opening weekend to allow Daquan Patten to wear No. 86 to honor the memory of his father, David Patten, who wore No. 86 in the NFL with the New England Patriots and New Orleans Saints.

2020-21 (Redshirt Sophomore): Played in all nine of the team’s games with four starts on offense at tight end … Led WCU’s tight ends with 10 receptions and finished second on the team with 156 receiving yards … Paced the team with three receiving touchdowns on the season … Caught a nine-yard touchdown reception at Liberty (Nov. 14) … Was a team captain at Eastern Kentucky (Nov. 21) where he met his older brother at midfield for the pregame coin toss … Made a then career-long 40-yard reception at EKU … Matched a career-high with four receptions for 42 yards and a TD at Samford (Feb. 27) … Hauled in a career-long 44-yard touchdown catch for a score at ETSU (March 27) ... Named to the 2020-21 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll and was named Academic All-Southern Conference.

2019 (Redshirt Freshman): Played in all 12 games on the season with three starts at tight end … Recorded eight receptions for 119 yards and his first career touchdown … Caught his first pass as a collegiate tight end in the home win over North Greenville (Sept. 14) in a six-yard TD reception … Caught a career-high four passes for 74 yards against Samford (Nov. 16) … Recorded a career-long reception of 28 yards against Samford, matching it a week later at nationally-ranked Alabama (Nov. 23) … Named 2019 Fall Academic All-Southern Conference and to the 2019-20 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

2018 (Freshman): Played in two games as a true freshman on special teams … Made his collegiate debut at Mercer (Oct. 20), recording a tackle assist … Also saw game action in the regular season finale at North Carolina (Nov. 17) … Expected to take a redshirt ... Named to the 2018-19 Southern Conference Academic Honor Roll.

Prior to Western Carolina: Was a four-year varsity letter winner and starter … Caught two passes for 61 yards and a touchdown before an injury cut his senior season short … Had 15 catches for 172 yards and two touchdowns as a junior, earning honorable mention All-Region accolades … Two-time Offensive Player of the Week … Received the Jack Snook Memorial Award at North Forsyth High for coach was Robert Craft… Finished his career with 34 tackles including 24 solo stops with two sacks and a pair of interceptions … Took part in the Blue-Grey All-American Combine prior to his senior season … Also plays baseball as a prep where he was the team leader in home runs.

Personal: Is the son of Rachael and Brad Bardall … Has an older brother, Jackson, who played football as an offensive lineman at Eastern Kentucky - the two met as opposing team captains before the November 2020 meeting (Opportunity Bowl), Jackson's Senior Day.

Clayton Bardall