Wingate, N.C.----Playing lacrosse is a family tradition for Wingate University preseason senior All-American midfielder Conor Gronbach (Cary, N.C.). "I had a stick in my hands in the second grade," Gronbach says. His dad (Tyler) played lacrosse, while his uncle (Spencer Gill) played two years of professional indoor lacrosse with the Charlotte Cobras.
 
"I followed my family's athletic foot print," Gronbach says. "I didn't have a choice."
 
The results speak for themselves, as Gronbach was named to the USILA/Nike NCAA Division II All-American third team as a junior. He led the Wingate offense in goals (29), points (43) and man-up goals (six) in 2018. Gronbach and his Bulldog teammates have won back-to-back SAC tournament championship titles.
 
Academics, then athletics
 
A graduate of Athens Drive High School, Gronbach was seeking a school with a strong business program. On his first Wingate visit, he met Dr. Debbi Brock from the WU School of Business. "I found out about what the school had to offer," Gronbach says. "The beautiful campus and the class sizes were very appealing to me."
 
Gronbach met with the previous Wingate coaching staff during the winter of his senior year. They were very interested in him joining the team. The rest is history.
 
Brotherhood
 
For the beginning, Gronbach and his classmates forged a bond. "When I arrived at Wingate as a freshman, my classmates and I formed a tight nucleus," Gronbach says. "Alex Llerandi, Sean Moran, RJ Neal, Ryan Ormerod, Wyatt Weiseman, Robbie Williams, Daniel Godwin and I became close…very fast."
 
The summer following his freshman season, current head coach Tim Boyle joined the Bulldog family. "Coach Boyle's regime…fit perfectly," Gronbach says. "He brought discipline and direction to our program. Many things were already in place, they just needed fine tuning. Coach Boyle brought our program to a whole different level."
 
Legacy
 
Gronbach hopes he and his teammates are leaving a legacy at Wingate. "We want to be remembered as part of a culture change for men's lacrosse at Wingate," Gronbach says. "When our class arrived, men's lacrosse was not always viewed favorably by the campus community. The mentality on campus was not always positive."
 
"Coach Boyle and his staff helped us make big changes," Gronbach says. "The entire demeanor of the program changed. Through hard work, we brought South Atlantic Conference hardware to Wingate. We also try to support the other sports teams on campus by attending their sporting events. It is very important to us to be remembered for these things."
 
WHAT THEY ARE SAYING
 
Wingate head men's lacrosse coach Tim Boyle:
 
"Conor has been a big part of the program and offense since he arrived as a freshman. He has been in the starting rotation on midfield since his first year and he has always contributed. When he arrived back on campus last fall, you could see a big change in him. He was more mature, more focused and he was stronger and brought his overall fitness level up a notch as well."
 
"You could tell he put in a lot of time during the summer…advancing his skill level. It showed itself immediately in the fall. We were excited to see what would happen come spring and it did not disappoint. Conor did a great job last season picking us up and carrying the offense on his shoulders at times. We are looking forward to his senior season and to see where that will take us."
 
7 QUESTIONS…with Wingate's Conor Gronbach:
 
What has been your favorite class at Wingate to date (and why)?
 
"Business 405 (Globalization of Business)…I mainly enjoyed this class because of the professor, Mr. Sergio Castello. He kept the class very entertaining and I actually got a lot of real-world examples from which to learn."
 
What one word would you use to describe your personality?
 
"Passionate…about the lacrosse program I play for, the university I represent and the family that I have."
 
What would you most like people to know about you?
 
"I've learned that anything worth having in life requires hard work and dedication. I realized that over the last few years. My teammates and I have enjoyed great success when we have accepted great challenges. This is something that I will carry on as I leave Wingate University to enter the business world because I understand those who work the hardest have the greatest potential to achieve success."
 
If you could be a fictional character from any movie, television show, book, etc., for a day…who would it be and why?
 
"I would have to go with Ferris Bueller from 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off.' The reason why I would like to be him for a day is because he knows how to live life to fullest and he can make everyone else around (him) be inspired to take control of their own lives.  He also is very witty, creative and entertaining with how he spends his day off from school." 
 
What was the first pair of shoes you wore when you first started playing your sport?
 
"I wore Nike Huarache football cleats…which I customized to match my team colors (Gold and Royal Blue)."
 
Why would you recommend Wingate University to others?
 
"Success isn't about how many lucky breaks you get in life, it requires that you put yourself into situations where you can learn from your successes, and more importantly, your failures…so you can apply them throughout your life. When a student comes to Wingate, they have an opportunity to get involved and engaged with a wide variety of opportunities. As a student-athlete, I learned a lot about myself and have grown over the last four years, I couldn't have picked a better school to attend."
 
Describe your Wingate experience to date in one word?
 
"Enlightening…I came to Wingate University as a boy with an interest in business and playing lacrosse…now I am leaving Wingate University as a collegiate student-athlete with a B.S. degree in marketing and striving to enhance marketing strategy for a pharma services company upon graduation."
 
WINGATE UNIVERSITY

A comprehensive, independent and growing university, Wingate serves more than 3,600 students in North Carolina. Founded in 1896, the University offers 37 undergraduate majors as well as graduate and professional programs. Wingate is home to the Cannon College of Arts and Sciences, the Levine College of Health Sciences, the Byrum School of Business, the Thayer School of Education and the School of Sport Sciences. Wingate blends in-class exploration with out-of-class application to deliver an uncommon and life-changing educational experience.
 
In addition to a robust intramural athletics program, Wingate student athletes compete in 22 NCAA Division II sports. The University has won the South Atlantic Conference Echols Athletic Excellence Award for the past 12 years. Wingate is first in the 2000s among NCAA Division II and North Carolina's colleges and universities with 106 CoSIDA Academic All-America® selections. Wingate is tops among all SAC schools with 115 lifetime Academic All-America® honorees. For more information on WU athletics, go to www.wingatebulldogs.com. Current news and videos can be found at www.wingate.edu.