Clear your calendars from late July to mid August because the cats are back in town. The Carolina Panthers will continue to hold their training camps during the muggy summer months at Wofford until 2019. The announcement came in a conference led by Spartanburg Area Chamber of Commerce CEO, Allen Smith, Wofford President Nayef Samhat and Panthers’ President Danny Morrison, Wofford class of 1975.

The key factor in this extension is not only the significant bond Wofford has with both Morrison and Panthers owner and founder Jerry Richardson, Wofford Clas of 1959, but is also the goal of the team to serve both Carolinas.

“This relationship – between Spartanburg and Wofford – has been terrific,” says Morrison. “To play our games in North Carolina and then have training camp in South Carolina fits the overall philosophy of the Panthers as a two state team. On behalf of Mr. Richardson and the Panthers, I want to thank the Spartanburg community and Wofford for making it a great relationship, and one we whole-heartedly extend.”

It is also exciting for students who are fans of the team and who have grown up coming to Panthers’ training camps.

“I’m pretty excited they’re sticking around,” says junior Walker Kennedy. “I used to go a lot when I was a kid growing up in Spartanburg and I’ve tried to make it to at least one practice each summer since I’ve been in college.”

Wofford has been the Panthers’ training camp home since their first season in 1995. The team has dug their roots on campus with signs labeling Wofford as Carolina’s training camp home and even a permanent banner behind the Gibbs Stadium scoreboard. These are roots Samhat has come to understand during his first two years in Spartanburg.

“It is a privilege and honor for Wof- ford College to be able to continue to be the host site for the Carolina Panthers’ summer training camp,” said Samhat at the press conference in February. “The strong relationship with the Panthers, owner Jerry Richardson and president Danny Morrison is one that benefits not only our campus, but also the entire community. We are the conduit, the location, but the Spartanburg community makes summer training camp a success, and we are honored to play a part in that.”

Samhat further elaborated on how instrumental the Panthers have been in the evolution of Wofford athletics.

“Bringing the training camp to Spartanburg had a rippling effect as the college was transitioning from NAIA to NCAA Division II, with NFL-caliber facilities helping the program enter the Southern Conference. Getting the Panthers to campus was critical to Wofford’s current athletics success and profile.”