2022 (Freshman): Played in 10 games as a true freshman with one start at running back … Paced the Catamounts on the ground this year with 826 yards on 119 carries over 10 games of WCU's 11 games, averaging 82.6 rushing yards per contest – fourth-best in the SoCon – and scored four touchdowns … Eclipsed the 100 rushing yard mark three times including a career-best 175 yards and two touchdowns in the home-opening win over Presbyterian (Sept. 17) … Also went over the 100-yard rushing mark with 129 yards against The Citadel (Oct. 22) and 112 yards in the home win over Wofford (Nov. 5), collecting honorable mention for the FedEx Ground FCS National Freshman of the Week award from Stats Perform … Added 21 receptions for 212 yards and a score in the upset win over nationally-ranked Chattanooga (Nov. 19) … Amassed a team-best 1,038 all-purpose yards – one of just five players in the league to finish the season with a seasonal average of over 100 all-purpose yards per game … All told, accumulated over 100 all-purpose yards six times on the season for the SoCon-leading Catamount offense … Selected as the consensus 2022 SoCon Freshman of the Year from both the league's head coaches and the voting members of the SoCon Sports Media Association (SCSMA) … Selected second-team All-Southern Conference by the league’s head coaches … Named to the HERO Sports Freshman All-America team and the 2022 Stats Perform FCS Freshman All-America squad … Finished sixth in the national voting for the Stats Perform FCS Jerry Rice Award.

Prior to Western Carolina: Three-year varsity letter winner … Rushed for 1,536 yards and 22 touchdowns a season ago in guiding his high school to the second round of Florida's 7-A playoffs … Caught 13 passes for 243 yards and three scores … Added a pair of kickoff returns for touchdowns … Listed as a three-star athlete by 247Sports and a two-star athlete by Rivals.com … Also runs track as a prep competing in both the 100 and 200-meter dash events.

Personal: Goes by the nickname, "Dez" ... Is the son of Tamesa Willis-Reid and Donovan Reid ... Is one of four children - Edward, CaRon, and Tyler.

Desmond Reid