Introduction of Bill Gehling, presented by Martha Whiting, Women's Soccer Head Coach and former Standout Goalkeeper at Tufts

Our next inductee is a lifelong Jumbo who has done so much for Tufts that it is simply impossible to do justice to it all here tonight. 

And since there were so many chapters in the story of Bill Gehling’s contributions to Tufts Athletics, what we will provide for you tonight is what we’ll call…. 

“The Abridged Biography of a True Jumbo”

Chapter 1: Bill Gehling The Student-Athlete 

When Bill first visited Tufts, he was attracted to its feeling of warmth and its sense of family. Perhaps that was because nearly his entire family went to Tufts. His mother and father, John and Madge, met at Tufts and graduated together in 1943. His sister, brother, and several other family members are also Jumbos.

Bill was very excited to play soccer for the Jumbos, but when he arrived on campus in the fall of 1970, his soccer career didn’t get off to the smoothest of starts. When Bill’s freshman coach announced at a pre-season meeting that all of the players were required to cut their hair, Bill would have none of that. It was the 1970’s, and believing strongly in his right to free expression, Bill decided not to play. A few days later, the coach realized the error of his ways and rescinded his hair-grooming edict, and Bill quickly returned to the team. 

That turned out to be a positive for all involved. In an era when Tufts teams were not yet able to compete for NESCAC or NCAA championships, Bill helped lead his team to four straight Greater Boston League Championships. Twice an All-New England selection and four times a Greater Boston League all-star, Bill was Co-Captain his senior year and helped lead the Jumbos to a 10-2 record.  

Over his four seasons, Bill scored 39 goals and served up 23 assists for a total of 101 points. He graduated in 1974 as the program’s all-time leading scorer. And even today, some 40 years later, Bill remains 2nd on the all-time scoring list for the Jumbos.

That concludes Chapter 1 of the book on Bill. Interestingly, this first chapter – all by itself - would qualify Bill for induction into the Hall of Fame, but this was truly only the beginning of the story.

Let’s turn the page to… Chapter 2: Bill Gehling - The Coach & Mentor

After getting a Masters degree from Tufts, Bill happened to cross paths one day on Powderhouse Blvd with Head Men’s Basketball Coach John White. During their quick conversation, Coach White mentioned that Tufts was starting a varsity women’s soccer team and encouraged Bill to consider coaching.

Well...we are all so grateful for that serendipitous encounter on Powderhouse, as it was the spark for one of the all-time great athletics careers in Tufts history.

Bill was hired by AD Rocky Carzo as the Tufts women's soccer coach in 1981, and although he wasn’t sure at the time that coaching would be his long-term career plan, he quickly caught the coaching bug and found his passion for making a positive impact on the lives of students in a sport he loved. 

Women's sports were in an exciting stage of development following the passage of Title IX. As former player Cecilia Wilcox Magargee once said, "Bill changed my life. He stood up for women's sports and showed us that playing soccer was not gender-challenged."

And just as Bill won as a student-athlete, he also won as a coach. In his 20 seasons leading the Jumbos, the team posted a 165-90-36 overall record. They won four regional championships, including the 1998 NCAA New England Region title in his final season, and he helped build the 2000 team that would become the first Jumbo squad to advance to an NCAA championship game – a team that was inducted into the Hall of Fame just last year.

And now we can turn to…Chapter 3: Bill Gehling - The Department Leader

While coaching the Jumbos, Bill gradually began taking on an increased administrative role in the department. In 1989, Rocky Carzo promoted Bill to Associate Director of Athletics, and Bill served as both coach and senior administrator for 10 years. When Rocky retired in 1999, Bill was the obvious choice to take over as the Director of Athletics.

Remarkably, this third chapter of Bill’s career at Tufts would feature more incredible achievements. He had an uncanny ability to identify talented young coaches, and together they led the Jumbos into a new era of unprecedented success on the national level. Under Bill’s guidance, the Jumbos won their first eight NCAA team national championships. He created the vision for significant facility upgrades, and he partnered with University Advancement and others to raise the money to get transformational projects built, including the Steve Tisch Sports & Fitness Center, the Shoemaker Boathouse, and the Bacow Sailing Pavilion. 

Upon his retirement as AD after 16 years leading the Jumbos, the University presented Bill with the Hosea Ballou Medal, a rare honor given only to members of the Tufts community who have rendered exceptional service for the institution.

OK…we’re nearing the end…we have made it to…

Chapter 4: Bill Gehling – The Fundraiser and Connector

After four years as a student-athlete, 20 years of coaching, and 16 years leading the department, that had to be it, right?! Wrong! Like Tom Brady, Bill just wasn’t ready to hang it up. After moving on from Athletics – and instantly looking 10 years younger – Bill continued to serve Tufts University. He worked as Senior Advisor for Advancement for several years before taking over as the Executive Director of Alumni Engagement. He excelled in both of those roles, and though he recently announced his retirement from Tufts, we’re really not sure he means it.

Regardless of whether this “Book of Gehling” is complete or not, the Brown and Blue thread that runs through the entire plot line is a boundless love for Tufts and passion for the student experience. 

His Tufts career has been a Jumbo masterpiece worthy of a Pulitzer prize. Instead, he’ll have to settle for induction into the Hall of Fame,

Please help me welcome Bill Gehling into the Tufts Athletics Hall of Fame….