Four Students Announce Intention to Attend Guilford College

GUILFORD FOOTBALL ADDS FOUR STUDENTS FOR 2008 SEASON

Greensboro, N.C. — Guilford College head football coach Kevin Kiesel announced the intention of four incoming students to play football for the Quakers Wednesday. All four students have made their deposit to the college and will enroll for classes beginning in August.

Kyle Ennis (Youngsville, N.C.) lettered three seasons at Franklinton High School for coach Chris Miller. The 6-2, 225-pound linebacker/fullback/tight end earned all-conference recognition and the Red Ram Award. He finished 31st among the state’s tackles leaders as a senior and also lettered two seasons with the track and field team. A three-year member of the National Honor Society, Ennis considered Elon University, Wofford College and East Carolina University before choosing Guilford.

Tyler Gilkerson (Huntersville, N.C.) lettered two seasons with the football team at Southlake Christian Academy for coach Rich Landis. A 5-10, 215-pound linebacker, he garnered All-North Carolina Independent Schools Athletic Association (NCISAA) recognition and played in the 2007 Oasis Shrine Bowl. He registered a team-high 93 tackles and helped his squad to a share of the 2007 Carolina Piedmont Football Conference (CPFC) title. Also an all-conference baseball performer, Gilkerson is one of two Southlake students to participate in the Wendy’s Heisman Awards program. He considered Davidson College, Brown University, Washington and Lee University and Elon before choosing to follow his father’s footsteps. Ron, a 1984 Guilford graduate, also played football for the Quakers.

Gilkerson’s teammate, Zack Groshon (Huntersville, N.C.), lettered three seasons with Landis’ Southlake Christian Academy football squad. The 6-foot, 175-pound receiver was an All-NCSIAA pick and earned Second Team All-Mecklenburg County recognition. Groshon set school and conference records with 1,174 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions last fall. He also set the school standard with 56 catches on the year. Also a four-time baseball letter winner, he has made three all-conference teams and won the baseball squad’s Most Valuable Player Award. Groshon considered Davidson, Washington and Lee and Bridgewater College before choosing Guilford. His uncle, Mike Eppley, played quarterback and point guard for Clemson University in the early 1980s and was inducted into the school’s Hall of Fame in 1990.

Nick Wood (Chesnee, S.C.) lettered four seasons at Landrum High School for coach Russell Mahaffey. The 5-9, 205-pounder played three years at linebacker and four seasons on the offensive line. The three-time winner of the team’s Coaches’ Award had 200 career tackles and helped Landrum to a 2005 regional title. Wood also participated in the school’s weightlifting program as a junior and senior. He considered Methodist University and Davidson before choosing Guilford.

The Quakers concluded the 2007 season with a 6-4 overall record, 2-4 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference, and posted their first back-to-back winning campaigns since 1990-91. Guilford lost nine seniors from the 2007 team, and expect as many as 82 letter winners back in 2008. The Quakers set or tied at least 26 team and individual school records in 2007 and led NCAA Division III in passing yards per game for the second straight season with 376.9 yards per game. Guilford opens the 2008 campaign at home Sept. 6 under the lights of Armfield Athletic Center versus crosstown-rival Greensboro College.