Conference Big South Conference Athletic director Chuck Burch | NCAA Division I FCS Varsity teams 23 | |
University Gardner–Webb University Location Boiling Springs, North Carolina | ||
The Gardner–Webb Runnin' Bulldogs are the athletic teams of Gardner–Webb University located in Boiling Springs, North Carolina, United States. Gardner–Webb participates in 23 varsity sports at the NCAA Division I level. The school's programs are a part of the Big South Conference.
Contents
- Teams
- Baseball
- Mens basketball
- Womens basketball
- Cross country and track and field
- Football
- Golf
- Lacrosse
- Mens soccer
- Womens soccer
- Softball
- Swimming
- Tennis
- Volleyball
- Wrestling
- References
Gardner–Webb has also produced many notable athletes and coaches, including: Artis Gilmore, Gerry Vaillancourt, John Drew, Woody Fish, Eddie Lee Wilkins, Jim Washburn, Blake Lalli, Jim Maxwell, Gabe Wilkins, Cara Saunders, and Brian Johnston.
Teams
A member of the Big South Conference, Gardner-Webb sponsors teams in eleven men's and eleven women's NCAA sanctioned sports:
Baseball
Head Coach: Rusty Stroupe has been coaching the Runnin' Bulldogs for 12 years. He graduated from Appalachian State University in 1986. Stroupe has accumulated nearly 700 wins as a college coach and is the all-time winningest baseball coach in Gardner–Webb history. Stroupe was awarded the prestigious Jerry Kindall Character in Coaching Award for 2012 by the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. He received the award at the FCA Breakfast at the ABCA Convention in January, 2013.
Assistant Coaches: Ross Steedley has been the hitting coach for the Runnin' Bulldogs since 2014. Conner Scarborough has been the pitching coach for the Runnin' Bulldogs since 2016.
Notable players to come from the Diamond Dawgs
Men's basketball
Head Coach: East Carolina assistant coach Tim Craft was hired in July 2013 to take over the Gardner-Webb program.
Assistant Coaches: Jeremy Luther, Paul Hemrick, and DeAntoine Beasley
The Gardner–Webb men's basketball team has had some notable success against some of the best teams in college basketball. Gardner-Webb has been featured on ESPN because of their games against teams like Duke, UNC, Virginia Tech, and Oklahoma in the final minutes and defeating Kentucky in their 2007–2008 campaign in the Coaches vs. Cancer Classic.
In their 2014–2015 season, the Runnin' Bulldogs set history, beating both Clemson and Purdue on their way to a 20 win season. Their 12-2 home record was the best in the state of North Carolina, beating out perennial powerhouses Duke, NC State, and UNC.
Women's basketball
Head coach: Rick Reeves
Assistant Coaches: Ralph Patin, Cierra Harris, and Cetera DeGraffenreid
Rick Reeves has served as head coach for nine seasons. During this time he has turned the program around from only five wins in the year previous to his arrival to two championship appearances in the Big South Tournament including their first year in the Big South Conference. Reeves, who had previously coached at Liberty and Southern Mississippi, faced Liberty in the championship losing by one point to the defending champions in 2008–2009 and losing by two in 2009–2010 before finally defeating them by one in 2010–2011, earning a bid to the NCAA tournament. The program also had their first ever winning season since moving to Division I, finishing 17–15 in 2008–2009. Gardner–Webb was also able to post a nine-game home winning streak in 2008–2009.
In 2009–2010, the program set school records in wins (28) and also tied a Big South Conference Record in wins. The team won its first conference title in the 35-year history of the program and made its first postseason appearance ever in the WNIT. The team also picked up a huge non-conference win at Purdue in 2009–2010.
Reeves coached with both his daughters at Gardner–Webb, Kim Clark and Krystal Reeves-Evans before the start of the 2010–2011 season, when Clark left to be an assistant at Middle Tennessee State.
Cross country and track and field
Head Coach: Brian Baker
Assistant Coaches: Robert Golabek, Evan Brusich
The Track and Field team won the A-Sun conference championship in their 2005–2006 season.
Football
Head Coach: Carroll McCray, hired in February, 2013
Assistant Coaches: Kenny Ray (Assistant Head Coach), Travis Cunningham (DC), Brett Nichols (QB), La'Donte Harris (WR), Isaac Mooring (DL), Brett Hickman (RB/TE), Trey McCray (OLB), Chris Grimes (Secondary)
Golf
Head Coach: Tee Burton
Assistant Coach:
Lacrosse
Head Coach: Jillian Krick
Assistant Coach: Lexi Cross, Sam Struss
Men's soccer
Head Coach: Tony Setzer
Assistant Coaches: Tyler Kettering
Women's soccer
Head Coach: Mike Varga
Assistant Coaches: Samantha Huecker
In the fall of 2006, the Gardner–Webb soccer team won its conference and made it to the NCAA second round.
In 2001 the Runnin' Bulldogs were the National Christian College Athletic Association Champions, following that tournament Mounce was named NCCAA National Women's Soccer Coach of the Year. In 2002 the Runnin' Bulldogs became a Division I program participating in the Atlantic Sun Conference. At the conclusion of their season, the team was ranked second in the nation for first-year division I programs by Soccer Buzz. In 2003 the Runnin' Bulldogs saw their first ever appearance in the Atlantic Sun Championship, finishing 5th in the league. For this accomplishment, former head coach Kevin Mounce was named A-Sun coach of the year. In 2004, GWU had a forward, Leeanna Woodworth who led the nation in scoring. She became A-Sun player of the year and broke many school records. In 2008 the team transferred to the Big South Conference. In their first year competing in the Big South they finished 4-12-2.
Softball
Head Coach: Tom Cole
Assistant Coaches: Angel Bunner
Swimming
Head Coach: Mike Simpson
Assistant Coaches: Josh Stanfield, Tanya Hobbs
Gardner–Webb's swimming team competes in the CCSA since the Big South does not sponsor swimming.
The Men's Swim Team placed second at the Coastal Collegiate Swimming Association conference meet. Placing first was Davidson, second place went to Gardner–Webb, and in third was College of Charleston.
The Women's Team Placed Third overall, after Florida Gulf Coast and Davidson respectively, and earned six NCAA "B" cuts. The Women earned these NCAA qualifying standards in the 100 and 200 Breaststoke, 50 Free, 100 Backstroke, and the 200 and 400 Medley Relays.
In 2016, Nathan Lile became the first men's swimmer in program history to qualify for the NCAA Men's Division I Swimming and Diving Championships, earning a spot in the 50 Free and 100 Free.
Program history was made again in the summer of 2016. Gardner-Webb men, Nathan Lile and Connor Bos, made history by being the first GWU male swimmers to make the United States Olympic Time Trials in Omaha , NE. Both Connor and Nathan qualified in the 100M Backstroke, as Nathan also had qualifying cuts in the 50M Freestyle and 100M Butterfly.
Tennis
Head Coaches: Mike Griffith (M) and Jim Corn (W)
Volleyball
Head Coach: Leo Sayles
Assistant Coaches:
Wrestling
Head Coach: Daniel Elliott
Assistant Coaches: Cody Walters, Brendan Couture, Mack McGuire
Gardner–Webb's wrestling team competes in the Southern Conference since the Big South is a non-wrestling Conference.