William B. and Joy Davis Cate

William Boyd “Buddy” Cate was born May 23, 1926, in Ringgold, Georgia. After graduating high school, Buddy enlisted in the U.S. Army, where he served in the South Pacific in World War II. He then came to WKU, where he was a star forward on the men’s basketball team. He earned All-American Honors as a senior in 1950, and lettered in the sport all four years. He graduated from WKU in 1951, with a Bachelor of Science in physical education. He later returned to WKU to earn a Master of Science degree as well.

A 1950 NBA draft pick, Buddy played professional basketball with the Waterloo Hawks. Following his athletic career, he coached basketball at Warren Central High School in Bowling Green, Kentucky. He later coached on the college level at Tennessee Wesleyan and was inducted into their Hall of Fame in 1988. He was also inducted into WKU’s Athletic Hall of Fame in 2000. He later became a businessman, operating the CDS Drugstore in Bowling Green and owning the Salvage Mart.

Buddy was married to Joy Davis Cate. Like him, Joy also attended WKU, where she graduated with a master’s degree. She had a long career as a teacher and was a member of Greenwood Church of Christ. Buddy and Joy were married for 62 years until his passing on February 7, 2011, and hers on November 20, 2013.

To further give back to the university, Buddy established the William B. and Joy Davis Cate Scholarship Fund through a will bequest. The fund assists deserving WKU students in pursuing their academic goals. Through this fund, Buddy and Joy’s legacies on the Hill live on.