George Adams is arguably the greatest athlete ever to wear a Gardner-Webb uniform.  Adams was a two-time first team NAIA All-American basketball player and is the College’s all-time leading scorer and rebounder. Adams scored 2404 points in three years of senior college competition and pulled down 1113 rebounds in the same time period.  His scoring average during this period was an amazing 31.2 points per game and his career rebound average was a whopping 14.4 per game.  If his junior college statistics are included in his totals, Adams scored 2965 points for a 26.95 per game average and had over 1500 rebounds.  Adams still holds many Gardner-Webb records in other categories.  He holds single game records for points scored (57 vs. Voorhees), field goals made (24 vs. Voorhees) and most rebounds (26 vs. Warren Wilson).  He holds single season records for scoring average (34.3, 1971-72), best field goal percentage (64.2, 1971-72), most rebounds (407, 1971-72) and best rebound average (15.0, 1971-72).  Adams still holds career records, other than total points and rebounds, for scoring average (31.2), field goals attempted (1638), field goals made (987) best field goal percentage (60.3) and rebounds average (14.4).

Dr. Garland Allen coached the golf team at Gardner-Webb from 1962 until 1989 and guided the Bulldog linksters to NAIA National Championships in 1976 and 1977.  The school’s first golf coach, Allen built the program into a national power and guided nine of his teams to appearances in the NAIA National Tournament between 1971 and 1989.  Included in that stretch were a second, a third, a fourth, a sixth, an eighth, and two twelfth place finishes.  Nine of his players earned All-American recognition.  His teams competed in the Western Carolina Junior College Conference from 1962 until 1970, winning five conference titles and finishing second the other four years.  Dr. Allen also taught History and Religion at Gardner-Webb until his retirement in 1989.  A graduate of Ouachita College in Arkansas, he earned a Masters Degree in History from Memphis State University and a PH. D. from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky.  He has been an active member of the Bulldog Club since 1961.

A two-sport star during Gardner-Webb's junior college era, Jerry Beane proved to be one of the Gardner-Webb basketball program's most prolific scorers during his time on the hardwood. A native of Lenoir, N.C., Beane averaged an impressive 19.5 points during his 44 career games at Gardner-Webb, starring under the direction of head coach Bob Blackburn. As a freshman in 1959-60, Beane helped Gardner-Webb to a 12-10 record and averaged 19.0 points, 11.3 rebounds and 2.9 assists per game – amazing averages for that era. As a sophomore in 1960-61, Beane was even more effective in putting points on the board for the Bulldogs, averaging a career-best 20.0 points per outing and led the team in rebounding again. Beane earned All-Conference and All-State honors both seasons and was recognized as one of the team's best defenders in addition to his offensive prowess. Beane, who also played baseball at Gardner-Webb, is one of only five known players to average 20.0 points per game during the junior college era. He graduated from Gardner-Webb in 1961.  In the October of 2008 Beane will be inducted in the Caldwell County Athletic Hall of Fame.

Former Gardner-Webb offensive lineman Bob Bolick made quite a name for himself as a standout blocker in the 1970s, becoming the first offensive All-America selection in the program’s history as a senior college.  A total of 20 offensive players have earned All-America honors for Gardner-Webb since Bolick’s historic selection.  Bolick was a second-team NAIA All-America choice in 1975 under first-year head coach Oval Jaynes – clearing a path for standout backs Frank Taylor, Johnny Walker, and Po Rogers, and helping the Runnin’ Bulldogs post an impressive average of 220.3 yards per game on the ground.  That average still rates as the second-best for a single season in school history.  A testament to his prowess as a blocker, Bolick remains one of only three offensive lineman to earn All-America honors in Gardner-Webb’s 36 seasons of senior college football.  Presently he is retired after working 31 years in education.

Dave Bormann of Gastonia, NC made his mark on the Gardner-Webb basketball annals in a brief but spectacular two-year career spanning 1975-76 and 1976-77.  The Bulldogs posted a 57-7 mark during his stay as Bormann posted impressive numbers.  For his career, he totaled 1,703 points, good for a 26.6 points per game average.  Bormann was named an NAIA All-American Third Team following the 1975-76 season in which he averaged 23.2 ppg and 6.4 rebounds.  In 1976-77 the Bulldogs finished 30-3 and Bormann averaged 29.8 ppg and 7.1 rebounds.  Following the season he was named to the NAIA All-American First Team.  An outstanding shooter, Bormann boasted a career .555 field goal percentages and a career .792 free throw percentage mark.  Seventeen years later he still holds school records for a single season in Field Goal Attempts (692), Free Throws Made (225), and Free Throws Attempted (288) and single game records for Field Goals Made (24 of 30 vs. Pfeiffer March 1, 1977).  

Eric Brewton of Boiling Springs, NC is Gardner-Webb’s only three-time All-American, earning the award in football as a defensive back in 1985, 1987, and 1988.  A four-time All-South Atlantic Conference honoree, Brewton still holds the school record for longest interception return with a 94 yard score versus Elon in 1988 and most interceptions in a game with four versus Davidson in 1985.  He finished with 25 career interceptions, also a school record, and eight fumble recoveries.  Brewton was named NAIA National “Player of the Week” twice (1985, 1988) during his career and was also named ESPN National “Player of the Week” as a freshman in 1985.  He scored nine career touchdowns despite never playing a down on offense.  An outstanding athlete, Brewton also earned varsity letters in tennis and track while at Gardner-Webb.  In 1989, he was named the recipient of the prestigious president’s Athletic Program Achievement Award and has worked as a volunteer assistant football coach at Gardner-Webb for the past eight years.

Eugene Drew Bridges of Wake Forest, NC was a stellar basketball and track and field athlete for Gardner-Webb Junior College from 1965-67.  Bridges was named Honorable Mention All-American in basketball following a sophomore season in which he led the team in scoring.  He was also named team co-captain, All-State and All-Region.  As a freshman, Bridges was named to the Western Carolinas Conference Tournament All-Tournament team.  While at Gardner-Webb, Bridges also lettered in track and field, earning team Most Valuable Player honors in 1966-67.  An outstanding student, Bridges was named to the Dean’s List twice, was a member of the Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society and served as sophomore class vice president.  Following graduation, he embarked upon a distinguished career as a physician and psychiatrist.

Gardner-Webb women’s basketball standout Susan Bolt Briggs starred for the Lady Bulldogs from 1977 until 1981, establishing herself as one of the pioneers for the sport in Boiling Springs.  Briggs finished her career with 1,236 points and 625 rebounds in four seasons, and remains in the career top-10 in both categories, ranking ninth in career points and seventh in career rebounds.  As a freshman, Briggs helped the Lady Bulldogs to an impressive 17-4 record, setting a single-season record for winning percentage (.809) that still stands.  Gardner-Webb also set a school record for most consecutive wins that season, winning 11 in a row – also still a team record.  Briggs remains one of only seven women in Gardner-Webb basketball history to record at least 1,000 points and 625 rebounds during a career.  In 2007 she participated on the USTA-Adult 4.5 Nationals tream.  Currently Briggs works as a city executive of BB&T (banker).

Cameron Brooks of Gaffney, SC is recognized as one of the greatest wide receivers in Gardner-Webb and South Atlantic Conference history.  The two-time All-South Atlantic Conference wide receiver earned NAIA All-American honors in 1982 and 1983.  He finished as the SAC’s second all-time leading receiver with 176 catches for 2,132 yards and 19 touchdowns.  Brooks hauled in 71 passes for 938 yards and eight touchdowns as a junior and 45 catches for 542 yards and five scores as a senior.  He set a conference record and still holds the school mark for receptions in a game with 14 versus Newberry in 1982.  Brooks has earned a reputation as a respected football coach and educator at the high school level at Smoky Mountain (NC) High School and Byrnes (SC) High School.

Joseph Brown of Kernersville, NC was a four-year starter in baseball for Gardner-Webb, earning National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) first-team All-American honors in 1969.  He was the school’s first and only first-team junior college All-American.  Brown was also named first team All-Region in 1969 and received a Topps first team All-American Award.  For his Gardner-Webb career that spanned two years as a junior college participant and two years at the four year level, Brown boasted a cumulative .333 batting average and averaged over 10 home runs per year.  In 1969 he batted .390, led the team in RBIs and committed on one error.  After graduating in 1971, Brown went on to an outstanding softball career, playing on three national championship teams.  He was voted to All-Softball National Tournament teams five times.  He is currently a Senior Field Representative for Aetna Life and Casualty.

Bush was an extraordinarily versatile athlete who earned all-conference honors in football, basketball, and baseball as a freshman at Gardner-Webb during the 1950-51 school year.  As a sophomore he helped lead the Bulldogs football squad to an undefeated regular season and the Carolina Junior College championship.  The team also appeared in the Golden Isle Bowl in Brunswick, GA.  Bush also served as assistant football coach in 1952 and 1953.  After graduation from Appalachian State University, where he played basketball, and a stint in the United States Army, Bush went on to a legendary career as a teacher, principal, and coach at Clover (SC) High School and Chase (NC) High School.  In 1962 he was selected South Carolina High School Football Coach of the Year while at Clover.  In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Bush is a renowned songwriter.  He retired from school administration in 1985.

Bush was an extraordinarily versatile athlete who earned all-conference honors in football, basketball, and baseball as a freshman at Gardner-Webb during the 1950-51 school year.  As a sophomore he helped lead the Bulldogs football squad to an undefeated regular season and the Carolina Junior College championship.  The team also appeared in the Golden Isle Bowl in Brunswick, GA.  Bush also served as assistant football coach in 1952 and 1953.  After graduation from Appalachian State University, where he played basketball, and a stint in the United States Army, Bush went on to a legendary career as a teacher, principal, and coach at Clover (SC) High School and Chase (NC) High School.  In 1962 he was selected South Carolina High School Football Coach of the Year while at Clover.  In addition to his athletic accomplishments, Bush is a renowned songwriter.  He retired from school administation in 1985.  He wrote a tribute song for Coach Harris and put it in the time capsule that commemorated the100th year anniversary of GWU.  Bush has also become an author, writting a biography "Simply Great" about his brother-in-law, Ralph Country Brown.  He was also inducted into the Gallery of Distinguished Alumni in 2004.  On 10/17/08 Bush will be inducted into the inaugral Hall of Fame at Chase High School.