UNCP Athletics

AS A REDSHIRT JUNIOR AT UNCP (2023): Football Gazette All-American ... D2CCA All-Region ... Mountain East Conference Co Defensive Player of the Year ... 1st team All-MEC ... Played in all 10 games ... Tallied 30 solo tackles and 19 tackle assists ... Broke up six passes, forced three fumbles and recovered three fumbles ... Set the school record for sacks with 12.5, tackles for loss with 21.5, tackles for loss yards in a season ... Matched the school record for most fumbles forced in a season.

AS A REDSHIRT SOPHOMORE AT CHOWAN (2022): Played in all 11 games … Finished second on team with 64 tackles (28 solo), including 15-1/2 tackles for loss (-41 yards) … Tallied three sacks (-10 yards), while also turning in seven quarterback hurries and a forced fumble … Registered eight or more tackles in four outings, including a season-best 11 stops (3 solo) against Johnson C. Smith … Also logged a 2-1/2 tackles for loss against the Golden Bulls … Logged at least 1-1/2 tackles for loss in seven games, including a season-best three stops behind the line of scrimmage against Virginia State.
 
AS A REDSHIRT FRESHMAN AT CHOWAN (2021): Played in seven games … Logged seven tackles, including two tackles for loss (-16 yards) … Also turned in 1-1/2 sacks (-15 yards) … Tallied three tackles (2 solo) in collegiate debut against Erskine … Logged four tackles (2 solo) against St. Augustine’s, including two tackles for loss (1-1/2 sacks).
 
AS A FRESHMAN AT CHOWAN (2020): Team did not compete due to COVID-19 pandemic.
 
HIGH SCHOOL: Prepped at Southern Durham High School for coach Darius Robinson … Earned second-straight all-conference laurels as a senior after registering a state-best 26-1/2 sacks for a loss of 178 yards … Tallied 126 tackles (52 solo), including 43 tackles for loss, while also adding six forced fumbles, one fumble recovery and a pair of pass break-ups … Recorded 56 tackles (35 solo) during junior campaign, while also turning in six sacks and a fumble recovery … Was also an all-conference standout in wrestling and lacrosse for the Spartans … Earned three team most valuable player awards as a member of the lacrosse team, and two coaches awards with the wrestling program.
 
PERSONAL: The son of Rebecca and Patrick Cates … Has two brothers, Dayston and Jah, and three sisters – K’lynn, Jhyra and Veighus … Maintained a 3.2 cumulative grade point average at Southern Durham High School … Hobbies include gaming and working out … Favorite movie is Interstellar and his favorite sports team is the Buffalo Bills … Favorite foods are cookies and brownies … An exercise & sports science major at UNCP.