Gage E. Daye ’12, MBA, Alumnus

Coming from one of the toughest neighborhoods in inner city Newark, Gage Daye ’12, is grateful for a lifetime of opportunities that he has been given the chance to engage in. He credits Bloomfield College for establishing the foundation on which his successes have continued to build.

“I have lost friends and family from my neighborhood, some who passed away and some who are incarcerated,” said Daye. “I was truly no different than many of them, but I was able to use my athletic ability to springboard me onto a different path for my life. Throughout most of high school, for example, college was not on my radar. I did not have many role models or friends who were planning to pursue a college degree. It wasn’t until senior year that I began to think about an athletic scholarship as a possibility, and I sent in a number of applications. I received athletic scholarship offers from Bloomfield as well as from a few others.”

When considering the college admission offers, Daye states that Bloomfield stood out to him because of its location. “I come from a close-knit family, and I saw that its location would allow me to be close to home. I was especially excited that my family could come out to see me play,” he said. “When I visited the campus, I met with Coach Holmes and Sheila Wooten. I felt drawn to the warm campus atmosphere. Small and intimate, and everyone seemed to know each other. I knew I wouldn’t just be a number at Bloomfield.”

Arguably the best Men’s Basketball player in Bloomfield College history, the former guard became the school's conference and East region’s all-time leading scorer during his senior season. A first team All-American selection by Daktronics, Basketball Time Magazine and the Division II Bulletin as a senior, the two-time CACC Player of the Year led Bloomfield to its first CACC Tournament Championship since 2006 during his senior campaign in 2010-2011, and to the first Elite Eight in the program and conference history. His extraordinary play in the postseason saw the 6'2" sharp-shooter earn CACC Tournament, and East Regional Tournament MVP honors. He also earned Daktronics East Region Player of the year honors, as well as an All-Met Player of the year selection. He served as captain of his team for two years, and today stands as the most decorated athlete the College has ever had, including earning a total of five Player of the Year awards.

Daye entered the professional ranks during the 2011-2012 season, playing with the NBA Gatorade League (formerly known as the NBA Development League) during his rookie season. He signed with the Indiana Pacers affiliate, Fort Wayne Mad Ants. He went on to play for the Sheffield Sharks of the British Basketball League for the 2012-2013 season.

“It was in my second season that I traveled to Europe, and then I played the next three years in Australia. Australia will always be like a second home to me. Some of my fondest memories are my mom traveling to Aussie to see me play professionally as well as having the president of my club and his family travel to America and tour the Bloomfield College campus. Our Australian team had good success and I was fortunate enough to win two MVP Awards while there,” said Daye. “Once I came back home to the U.S., I started the entrepreneurial work that currently allows me to provide for myself and my family.”

The career entrepreneur founded the Youth Basketball Training Program (Lab Development) which offers skill and player development for both male and female basketball players throughout New Jersey. He also started a non-profit, Academic Athletic Advancement (A3), a team of professionals who extend resources and opportunities to students and athletes throughout the state to help the next generation in moving forward with their academic and athletic endeavors. Daye is also the owner of Kleos Ventures, a real estate development company based in New Jersey.

Daye has always been interested in giving back to his alma mater that gave him such a strong start. He has participated in fundraising, public relations activities and alumni events, and has cultivated and maintained effective relationships with Bloomfield College faculty, staff and supporters. In 2017, he established the Gage Daye Scholarship Fund to help students from his hometown of Newark, NJ with retention funding while they attend Bloomfield College. He also volunteers as Assistant Men’s Basketball Coach at the College where he identifies, evaluates and coordinates the recruitment of academically qualified student-athletes and directs on-court player development and instruction.

Daye holds a B.A. in Business with a concentration in Human Resources Management and Services from Bloomfield College and an MBA in Athletic Administration from Southern New Hampshire University. He was recently voted into the Bloomfield College Alumni Association (BCAA) Board role of Vice President. As a member of the BCAA’s new Alumni Board leadership, Daye is working with his fellow alumni to further establish mentorship opportunities for alumni and Bloomfield College students.

“My days at Bloomfield are extremely memorable and important to me. The College provides tremendous opportunities to many students who come from life experiences similar to mine, and they are redirected to strive for something they may have never imagined,” added the new and proud dad of two. “I know that Bloomfield changes so many lives, but I also believe it saves many lives. The College took me away from being in situations that discontinued the lives of my friends. I was blessed with the opportunity I was given at Bloomfield, and I truly feel as though I have an obligation to pass that forward. I love being on the campus and supporting students, and I will continue to do my part.”