Men's Basketball 30th Anniversary Celebration: Jerry White The First Four-Year Varsity Player At Goucher

MEN'S BASKETBALL 30TH ANNIVERSARY TEAM VOTE

Jerry White was one of the members of the first Goucher men's basketball team that took the court for the first time 30 years ago. White is also the only player that helped the Gophers rise into a conference champion after winning only three games in his first season.

White's journey as a "Founding Father" of the Gophers men's basketball team almost didn't happen.  He decided to attend Florida State University after looking at several small colleges where he could play basketball. Goucher's appeal to White was due in part to his interest in a political career and the proximity of Washington, D.C., to the campus, and the chance to continue his basketball career.

"I also loved Baltimore when I visited during my senior year of high school and was welcomed by other students and athletes and knew right away Goucher was the place for me," said White.

The history of the men's basketball program started with a trip to Western Maryland (now McDaniel College) on Friday, November 16, 1990. The squad lost its first game in the varsity's inaugural season and lost the next four contests to start 0-5.

"The biggest thing I remember is how outmatched physically we were in those early days," said White. "We had some very talented players on that first team but we're playing against opponents who generally were bigger, stronger, and faster than we were. There were some games we lost in which we executed very well but simply couldn't overcome the disparity in physical ability."  

Gwynedd Mercy came to town to end a three-game homestand and that night marked the first win in program history with a 77-71 decision. That win helped the Blue and Gold win three of its next four games including a 100-98 double-overtime win against Capital.

"We were growing as a team and playing better and better as the season progressed," said White.  We were becoming much more competitive. We competed through the entire season, and even though we lost some games by wide margins, left everything we had on the court and could be proud of our effort." 

White finished as the team's top scorer in six of the final 13 games including a career-best 31-point effort against Mary Washington. He averaged 14.4 points per game with 303 points in 21 games as a freshman.

White would play three more seasons on the hardwood and ended his career as a Capital Athletic Conference Men's Basketball champion. Goucher won eight games in 1991-92 and nine games in 1992-93 before notching its first winning season in program history with a 17-9 mark and 8-4 in league play.

"I'm not sure any of us realized that first season how successful the team would become so soon after the program's inception," said White. "I think the primary reasons for that success were that the team got more athletic and could compete with bigger and stronger teams and we got used to playing with each other and complimenting each other's strengths within the system we were playing."

The Gophers defeated Gallaudet 91-81 in the CAC Semifinals for the first postseason win in program history and then downed York 86-72 in the CAC Championship Game for the first conference championship in team history. There was no automatic bid to the NCAA Tournament until the following season so White's career ended with that win in the championship game.  

"I think once we expected success we demanded more from ourselves, especially during practice and in the offseason," said White. "That early success then helped in recruiting talented players who would lead the program on a remarkable run over the next decade."

In the final six seasons in the decade, the Blue and Gold won at least 15 games in every season with three 20-win campaigns and four CAC Tournament titles, three trips to the NCAA Tournaments and two NCAA Tournament wins.

"I'm extraordinarily proud to have played a small role in helping grow the program from its start to winning a conference championship in just four years," said White. "I enjoyed cheering for the team in the years after my graduation and felt like their success was built in part on the foundation those early teams established. One of my good friends at Goucher, Rob Zmarzly, played nearly all four years as well and deserves just as much credit for his contributions to the program's success as me." 

White was a student-athlete at the start of one of the most successful times in the school's athletic history. Women's volleyball won the first conference championship in school history in 1993 and then the men's basketball first title happened in White's senior year. Along with three more men's basketball titles, the field hockey team won the CAC title in 1994, and women's lacrosse won back-to-back titles in 1995 and 1996 including a "Final Four" run in 1996.

"It was exciting both playing basketball and cheering on other men's and women's programs during those early days," said White. "I worked in the Sports Information Department, so I covered women's field hockey and lacrosse and regularly went to women's volleyball and men's soccer and lacrosse games to support my friends on those teams.  I remember there was a camaraderie among athletes at Goucher then because we were part of a close-knit community who knew what each other was going through, so we supported each other through the ups and downs."

White graduated from Goucher and fulfilled his dream of working in the nation's capital and one of the reasons he decided to attend Goucher. He worked as a congressional staffer for more than two decades for different members of Congress, committees, and leadership in the U.S. House of Representatives. He now works as a lobbyist for a non-profit association that represents audiologists and speech-language pathologists. White lives in Great Falls, Virginia with his wife of almost 15 years, Erin, and two children Zachary (10) and Reagan (3).

"The most important lesson I learned at Goucher athletically was the importance of working hard and competing to accomplish my goals," said White. "I firmly believe that sports teach lessons that extend beyond the boundaries of the court or field and apply generally to life, such as learning to get the most out of your talents and persevering against adversity, which those early teams certainly did. Off the court, Goucher helped teach me about the value of friendships and the importance of learning about and embracing cultural diversity and differing views and political perspectives."

White learned plenty of lessons in his time at Goucher and there is a piece of him that leaves his lasting legacy. As the first player to play four years on the Gophers men's basketball team, White had his jersey retired and is hanging in the rafters of the Decker Sports and Recreation Center.

"It was a very nice gesture by the athletic department leadership to recognize my contributions to the program," said White. "But I view it more as a testament to the many players, coaches, and staff who built the program in those days and who made Goucher basketball what it was than to anything specific that I accomplished on or off the court. I hope those who learn about the early days of Goucher basketball recognize that it truly was a team effort."

Maya Angelou says "you can't know where you are going until you know where you have been." White was one of 10 players that started the varsity men's basketball program 30 years ago and he helped build the foundation to #GopherGreatness and we are #GoucherProud of his contributions.