Catamounts grieve

over death

of defensive back
From staff reports

CULLOWHEE — Western Carolina’s football team met Thursday as it continued to cope with the sudden loss of Ja’Quayvin Smalls. The junior defensive back collapsed during a voluntary workout session last Wednesday and died at the Harris Regional Hospital in Sylva.

The incident occurred during what was the first workout for the incoming players who joined the squad at Tuesday's opening of Western Carolina's second session of summer school. Western Carolina canceled all voluntary workout sessions Thursday and Friday, and plans to resume this week.

“Our hearts, thoughts and prayers go out to the Smalls family as they suffer the loss of a loved one,” Western Carolina head coach Dennis Wagner said in a statement released Thursday night. “It is certainly a sad day in Catamount athletics. Although the time we were able to spend with Ja’Quayvin here on campus was far too brief, we had already built a relationship with him and his family through the recruiting process. We got to know what a wonderful young man that he was. We are going to miss him dearly.”

University Chancellor John W. Bardo, the coaching staff, and members of the university student support and counseling centers met with the team for slightly more than an hour Thursday night in the first of a series of planned gatherings.