DC Trio Adapts, Finds New Home at Fayette

December 13, 2011

UNIONTOWN, Pa. - When you hail from Washington, DC, or any major metropolitan area for that matter, Fayette County can take some getting used to. Juniors David Winns and Will Gaines, and freshman Darius Mack, are doing just that, adapting to new surroundings everyday and getting used to fewer people, less traffic and a slightly slower pace.

But the three Penn State Fayette men's basketball players all have something in common: they came to southwestern Pennsylvania to pursue their educational and athletic endeavors, and they want to be a part of a winning program.

"I have seen this program turn fully around," says Gaines, a business major who transferred to Fayette for the fall semester. "I want to see us go even higher and continue to get better."

Gaines, a Capitol Heights, Md. native, has waited three years to don the Penn State Fayette blue and white. He was finally admitted in fall 2011 after working his way back from academic struggles at a previous institution.

"The people here never gave up on me, especially (former director of student and enrollment services) Brian Fernandes," says Gaines, who heads into the heart of conference play averaging 4.2 points per game and sits second on the team with 10 steals. "Throughout the whole process of becoming eligible, Brian and (athletic director) Vince Capozzi did everything they could to keep me around and feel like I was a part of this place."

Despite the adjustments to the area that each has been forced to make, there is one thing all of them consider significant in their decision to attend Fayette--the people.

"I liked Penn State Fayette because it was a smaller school so I felt I would get better instruction from teachers," says Winns, also a business major. "But I also fell in love with the people at the school."

"Coach (Mark) John, Dave and Will told me how good of a school this is," concurs Mack, a kinesiology major. "I felt like Will and Dave were family even before my first day here."

Maybe they all felt like family because Gaines, Mack and Winns all hail from the same area of the nation's capital. Both Winns and Mack come from southeastern Washington, DC, while Gaines grew up just outside the district's borders in Capitol Heights on the eastern side of the city, only a few miles from his two teammates.

The adjustments they've made have all been similar, including how they dress, talk and act, and even getting used to the weather.

"The area is much smaller than the city, which took some time getting used to, as well as the weather," says Mack. "One day it's 60 or 70 degrees and the next it's 30 and snowing."

"(Fayette County) was hard to get used," says Winns. "It was harder to get around to places since there's less public transportation. I also had to adapt the way I talk and dress because of the different styles compared to DC."

Not only did the three have to adapt to new surroundings, but also to the difficult task of being a college student-athlete, where they're expected to be leaders and perform on and off the court. But each has made the necessary adjustments.

"Being here and living on my own I have learned the responsibility of saving money and staying on top of my school work," Winns says, who leads the Roaring Lions with 19.6 points per game and is second on the team in rebounding.

Besides earning a Penn State degree, each of the DC trio wants to take the Penn State Fayette men's basketball program to new heights. That journey began over the summer, when Gaines and Winns spent a lot of afternoons in the gym working on their game and hitting the weights.

"Dave sharpened his skills and improved his conditioning tremendously over the last nine months," says head coach Mark John. "He has the potential to average a double-double each time he takes the court."

The improvement has shown, as Winns scored a career-high 36 points on Dec. 8 at Penn State New Kensington while leading the Roaring Lions to a 99-84 win.

Gaines spent much of the summer working on strengthening his legs and his shooting skills. The hard work paid dividends quickly, as evidenced over the past weekend. Tied with Penn State Schuylkill at 69, Fayette entrusted Gaines with the basketball, and he didn't disappoint, hitting a mid-range jumper with four seconds left to lead Fayette to a dramatic 71-69 victory.

"Will, he's an extremely hard worker, and has a great attitude. Over the summer, he and David commited themselves to working tirelessly on their conditioning and fundamentals."

Mack faces his own journey, fighting for playing time after missing the first six games with an ankle injury. As he progresses, coach John looks for the talented freshman to make a difference.

"Darius is a step away from really contributing to the team on the court," says John. "With his injury, Darius has just recently gotten himself back into practice and he takes steps every day to working his way into our playing rotation."

"I'm excited to see him on the floor--I feel he can really make an impact on the PSUAC."

The trio has been part of a Roaring Lions team that has made some history already during the young season, notching the program's first ever win over an NCAA Division III opponent (Franciscan) and winning their first conference opener in the past five seasons, both as part of a four-game winning streak that followed a five-game skid to begin the season.

Those accomplishments, however, pale in comparison to what all three want to bring to Fayette--a championship.

"We want to prove to anyone who doubts us that we can win," says Mack. "We want to prove them wrong."

"I came here to help change this program around," adds Winns. "I want to make teams respect Fayette and make them realize we can be a force in this conference."

Even with a championship on their minds, the DC trio still understands the importance of their education.

"I want our team to have the highest GPA in the conference," says Gaines. "I want to personally have the highest GPA on this team, and I want to make the Dean's List."

"I want to make the Dean's List," says Mack. "I'm a student first and then an athlete."

Sometimes easier said than done, but they don't lack motivation.

"I want to prove to people that I can make it and be successful as a student," says Winns. "I want to get my degree and make my family proud of me, especially my grandmother."

It's a refreshing sentiment, especially considering the current college sports climate, but the goals of these three don't come as a surprise to their coach.

"It's a pleasure to have such fine young men representing the university's student-athletes," says John. "The triple threat coming from the DC metro area makes up an integral part of this basketball team that represents all corners of the country."

The DC trio has made Fayette County their corner of the country, albeit a much smaller one than they're used to.