Wildcats off to playoffs

by CONTRIBUTED REPORT/CWU ATHLETICS
| November 14, 2023 3:19 PM

INDIANAPOLIS — The Central Washington Wildcat football team was selected to the 28-team NCAA Division II Football Playoffs announced Sunday afternoon.

The Wildcats (7-3) will head to the Rocky Mountains for a matchup against the Western Colorado Mountaineers (10-1) in the first round of the playoffs. The first round of the playoffs will happen this Saturday, November 18 with details to be announced.

"I'm really proud of the kid's effort this season," CWU head football coach Chris Fisk said. "The type of season they've put together has been rewarded by division two. We're excited for our second season to get started tomorrow."

The Wildcats have been a part of all three regional rankings since being announced, reaching third in the region last week.

Joining the Wildcats in super region four is top-seeded Colorado School of Mines, third seed UTPB and their opponent Bemidji State, and fourth seed Augustana (S.D.) and their opponent Minnesota State-Mankato.
This will be the first postseason appearance for both teams since the 2021 playoffs in which the Wildcats fell in the first round by a 50-21 score at Northwest Missouri State. This will be the seventh-ever NCAA postseason appearance for the crimson and black. CWU is coming off a second-place finish in their second season as a part of the Lone Star Conference.

The Wildcats have been led by Tyler Flanagan who's rushed for 1,013 yards and 12 touchdowns this season. Explosive redshirt freshman Kennedy McGill has taken over the starting role for the Wildcats accumulating 530 passing yards with four passing touchdowns to pair with his 500 rushing yards and three rushing touchdowns over the span of the season.

Defensive captains Tanner Volk and Brett McCalla have been guiding the Wildcat defense this year. Volk currently leads the crimson and black with 100 tackles on the season and has added on 6.5 tackles for loss. He currently leads the entirety of the NCAA with 11 interceptions and has added four pass breakups and a forced fumble to his already stellar season. McCalla is second on the Wildcats with 74 tackles including a CWU-leading eight tackles for loss with one coming as a sack. He's added on one pass breakup and two quarterback hurries.