Gamecock Central Staff

To email a Gamecock Central staffer, add @gamecockcentral.com to the appropriate email name.

Brian Shoemaker (Founder/Publisher)
@BrianShoemaker, email: shoe
Shoe founded the site in 1998 and is currently the publisher. He graduated from the University of South Carolina (’94) with a B.S. in Accounting (a couple of classes short of a double-major in Finance). When not working (and sometimes while working), he enjoys eating honeybuns and cracklins and drinking watery beer.

Chris Clark (Football/Recruiting Insider)
@GCChrisClark, email: clark
An Anderson, S.C., native and 2008 graduate of the University of South Carolina, Chris has served at Gamecock Central since May of 2009 covering Gamecock football and recruiting. He thought about becoming a lawyer but decided working in sports was his path when Shoe offered him a dream job. Chris also co-hosts GC Live. He lives in Columbia with his wife and two daughters.

Wes Mitchell (Football/Recruiting Insider)
@WesMitchellGC, email: wes
A native of Hickory Grove, S.C., and University of South Carolina graduate, Wes has covered South Carolina football since 2007 when he got into the business as an intern while at USC. Wes joined Gamecock Central full-time in 2014 and provides insight, news, and analysis on both the football team and football recruiting, while also helping with the site’s marketing and social media efforts. Wes is also the co-host of GC Live, a YouTube Live show, and podcast. Wes’ favorite part of the job is connecting with and meeting GC fans around Columbia.

Collyn Taylor (Staff Writer)
@CollynTaylor, email: collyn
Collyn is going on his ninth year covering South Carolina football, basketball, and baseball for Gamecock Central while specializing in basketball, baseball, and recruiting. When he’s not covering Gamecock sports he can be found maintaining his new yard, binging Marvel movies, or taking his dog Wrigley for walks. Collyn is a University of South Carolina graduate.

Mike Uva (Director of Digital Content)
@Mike_Uva, email: uva
Mike began covering the SEC in Mississippi in 2015 as a weekend sports anchor. He arrived in Columbia in 2016 and spent his first five years reporting on all things South Carolina as a sports anchor at WACH FOX, where he won multiple awards, including the first Emmy Award in the history of the station. Aside from covering the Gamecocks, Mike’s also known in town for having a biscuit named after him at Bojangles called “The Uva.”

Chris Wellbaum (Staff Writer)
@ChrisWellbaum, email: wellbaum
Chris grew up in Football City USA and graduated from the University of South Carolina. He has covered Gamecocks athletics for more than 15 years and has been with Gamecock Central since 2010. His specialty is women’s basketball. Chris holds the distinction of being yelled at by every basketball coach since Dave Odom, and his claim to fame is that Champ Staley once tried to leave CLA with him instead of Dawn.