Feb. 13, 2003
Cullowhee, N.C. - Western Carolina head football coach Kent Briggs announced the addition of David Napert (pronounced NAY-pair) to the Catamount coaching staff. The 1982 Troy State graduate will serve as the offensive line coach.
"I am extremely excited to have David join our staff," Briggs said. "He brings a tremendous amount of experience and knowledge to our program. His background in the Southern Conference will truly benefit our program. His personality and coaching style will really fit well with the direction with which we want to take our offensive line."
Napert spent the past four seasons at Chattanooga, serving the final three seasons as assistant head coach. In 2002, he worked with the Moc's defensive line, while coaching the linebackers in 2001 and the offensive line in 1999 and 2000. Napert helped former Chattanooga linebacker Josh Cain become a two-time All-SoCon and All-American performer. He joined the UTC athletics staff in January 1999 as the strength and conditioning coach for all student-athletes.
Prior to his arrival in Chattanooga, Napert served as the head football coach at Rhea County High School in Evensville, Tenn., in 1998. He led his squad to a 6-5 record and the first round of the state playoffs.
Before taking over the football program at Rhea County, Napert served for one year as the strength coach and football defensive line coach at Southern Methodist University. He worked for five years at East Tennessee State as the strength coach and football offensive line coach and was the strength coordinator and defensive line coach at Valdosta State for six years. Each of his stints at Valdosta State, East Tennessee State and SMU was under current SMU head coach Mike Caven.
A native of Rockledge, Fla., Napert graduated from Troy State in 1982 with a degree in Physical Education and Biology. He earned a master's degree from Valdosta State in 1986.
Napert's wife, Jennifer, played basketball and was an assistant basketball coach at ETSU. The couple has three children, a daughter, Claire, 12, and two sons, Nicholas, 5, and Joseph, 4.
