Gates is Guilford's #1 Basketball Supporter

                  It’s fairly common for Division I schools to have fans that do not attend the institution, yet attend every game and follow the team closely. This phenomenon rarely exists at Guilford, except in the case of basketball super fan Andrew Gates.

                  Gate’s affection for the Quakers dates back to 2001 when his older sister, Sarah Gates Keel ’04, attended Guilford.

                   “My sister is 10 years ahead of me and we couldn’t do anything outside of the family except go to Guilford games, ” Gates said.

                  “Andrew wanted to go to Burger King and play in the ball pit, and Sarah wanted to go shopping or something. Basketball is something everybody could be happy with,” said Lynn Gates, Andrew’s mother.

                  Former Guilford associate head coach Matt Parke met Gates, asked him to come to games, and Gates has been coming ever since. Now Gates is on his way to a Guilford diploma as he will be a full time student at Guilford next school year.

                  “To me this is the way basketball should be,” he Gates “These kids aren’t getting full rides to come here. They come to play here because they love the game. It’s more pure basketball to me than Division I.”

                  In the 10 years Gates has been following the Quakers, he’s seen some of the best players in school history as Guilford grew into a national power.

                  “My three favorite players I’ve seen here is a tie between Ben Strong ‘08, Tyler Sanborn ‘10, and Josh Pittman ‘13,” said Gates, who appreciates players that score the ball. “My favorite graduating class would have to be (Caleb) Kimbrough’s class ‘07.”

                  “My favorite game would have to be the Sweet 16 game (against Lincoln Pa.) at Virginia Wesleyan when Jordan Snipes banked in about a 20-foot leaner to send the game into overtime and Ben Strong scored 59.”

                  Gates hopes to be remembered as a positive supporter. “I just encourage. If somebody has a down game, I just go congratulate them anyway. I just want to be there encouraging and supporting.”

                  Lynn Gates agreed saying, “We’re with you through thick and thin and it’s so gratifying to see you grow up and come together as a team.”

King's Journey Leads from Archdale, to App, to Guilford, to the U.S. Army

The road for receiver Ben King from his home in Archdale, N.C. to Appalachian State, to Guilford College, to his eventual spot in the U.S. Army’s Basic Training is one of twists and turns.

It starts at Trinity High School where King was a standout on the gridiron and won a state championship in basketball. King’s efforts in football earned him a spot on Division I Football Championship Subdivision powerhouse Appalachian State’s roster. After redshirting his first year at State, and dealing with debilitating injuries the other two, King transferred to Guilford in August of 2010.

King came to Guilford for two simple reasons. “I came to Guilford because it was close to home and I wanted to play football,” said King.

King’s transfer to Guilford did not lead the Quakers to any wins in 2010 as Guilford went 0-10, but in 2011 King helped the Quakers to two wins including a victory over cross-town rival Greensboro College. He was named Guilford’s game MVP after catching 10 passes for 187 yards and two touchdowns.

King garnered First Team All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC) honors in 2011 and Second-Team All-ODAC the previous year.  He was named Third Team All-South region in 2011. He also led the Quakers in all receiving categories in 2010 and 2011 and set a new record for receiving yards in a single game with 251 yards in 2010.

“I think Ben’s success came because he had a lot of talent,” said head football coach Chris Rusiewicz. “He has great speed, quickness, ability to break away on a burst, and his desire to catch the football. When the ball’s up in the air he’s determined to go get it.  For a lot of great receivers that (want to) makes all the difference.”

King left a team that won three Division I FCS National Titles from 2005-07 to join the Quakers. “It was hard for me to go from winning to losing, but that’s part of life. You have to deal with losing, but I learned from it and I feel like it made me a better person overall,” said King.

 After the 2010 former head coach Kevin Keisel was let go. The coaching staff got a complete overhaul for what would be King’s final season and there were new players at quarterback, running back, and receiver. The result was a young and enthusiastic group, but one that still could not compete with the top teams in the ODAC. Factor in Add injuries to starting quarterback Zac Halbert and starting center Faris El-Ali and the Quakers were in for another challenging season.

“I would definitely have loved to win more games, if that had meant not experiencing so much personal success but winning more games I would have traded that in a heartbeat,” said King.

Despite the struggles on the field, King still enjoyed his time at Guilford. “I really had a bond with my teammates from last year. This year I was kind of the old guy on the team, but last year was really special,” said King.

King’s athletic pursuits are not completely done at Guilford as he will compete with Guilford’s  track and field team this spring. He hopes the running will prepare him for his next challenge, the U.S. Army.

After graduating in May King plans on going through basic training in the Army, followed by Officer's Candidate School. He wants to complete his time in the military, travel, and use his training to enter the field of federal law enforcement, which has always been a field of interest for him. If that does not work out King will try o use the business management degree he earned at Guilford.

King says he’ll miss Guilford, but treasures of the past two years. “I will definitely remember being on and off the field with my teammates, having a good time and competing.”

Smith Finds Success on the Track and in the Art Design World

Smith '14

            Speed is a passion of people. We love fast cars, we love fast boats, but most of all, we love fast people. Guilford sophomore Johnathan Smith has speed, and lots of it. In his rookie year he became Guilford’s first track & field athlete to reach the NCAA Championships. He went on to win All-America honors in both the 100- and 200-meter dashes. During the upcoming indoor season, he will also run the 55- and the 60-meter races.

            “My favorite is the 200,” said Smith. “Towards the end guys start to get tired and that’s when I start to speed up.” Smith made his aptitude for the 200-meter obvious at the 2010 Old Dominion Athletic Conference Outdoor Championships when he won the event and helped Guilford to a fourth-place finish.

            Smith then placed second in the event at the 2010 NCAA Division III National Championships by a mere half second. He also set the school record in a qualifying heat with a time of 21.15 seconds. Smith also earned All-America status in the 100 by finishing sixth with a time of 10.98 seconds. He holds Guilford records in both events

            With such lofty times some might wonder why Smith didn’t try to ply his trade at a Division I school. Smith made it clear his unaccomplished goals at Guilford were the reason for his return.

            “Winning a championship was a big incentive,” said Smith. “We’re building a team from the ground up and I want to help put Guilford on the map.”

            For his sophomore season Smith’s goals are equally lofty. “I want to go to nationals again and try to win a national championship,” said Smith. To this end Guilford sprint coach Marcus Bell has a goal for Smith’s improvement.

            “We want him to get down to 10.5 in the 100,” said Bell.

            Smith, a West Coast transplant by way of Conyers, Ga. came to Guilford to get his art degree and because of the scenic campus. Art was Smith’s first passion as he only picked up track his senior year in high school. As for his interest in art, Smith enjoys web site design and plans on making that his career.

            “I want to work in web design and design websites for companies,” said Smith. Smith worked with the Kaiji Foundation out of Mclean, Va., on building their website design. Smith has also crafted flyers, posters, and made CD covers for various music artists and events. Smith is currently working with fellow Guilford students Travis Robinson and CJ Green on a T-shirt designing project called Unique Critique.

            “This is serious for me for the future,” said Smith. “Right now it’s getting off the ground, but if it gets big, it will be a job for me after college.”

            Though his graduation date is far removed, Smith still has an eye on his future as a runner. “I’m interested in running professionally,” said Smith. “It’s just all about making the times.”

            This is not going to be an easy step for Smith according to Guilford head Track & Field Coach Bill Cason.

            “Right now there’s a level of training out there he doesn’t even know about,” said Cason. “He has all the physical tools. He’s got the DNA, but he’s got to work much, much harder.”

Story By Will Cloyd