Tennessee’s Major Wingate (1) leaps high to defend the inbound pass by Winthrop’s De’Andre Adams, left, in the second half of their NCAA First Round basketball tournament game at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Thursday, March 16, 2006. Tennessee won 63-61. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) 
Tennessee’s Major Wingate (1) dunks the ball despite the defense of Winthrop’s Michael Jenkins, left, in the first half of their NCAA First Round basketball tournament game at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Thursday, March 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) 
Tennessee’s Major Wingate (1) fights for a loose ball with Winthrop’s Otis Daniels (22) in the first half of their NCAA First Round basketball tournament game at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Thursday, March 16, 2006. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) 
Tennessee’s Major Wingate (1) drives against Kentucky’s Randolf Morris during their basketball game Wednesday, Mar. 1, 2005 in Knoxville, Tenn.(AP Photo/Wade Payne) 
Georgia’s Sundiata Gaines, front, comes up with a loose ball as Tennessee’s Major Wingate closes in during first half NCAA basketball action Saturday, Feb. 11, 2006, in Athens, Ga. Tennessee won, 83-78. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) 
Tennessee center Major Wingate dunks the ball during practice for the NCAA First Round basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Wednesday, March 15, 2006. Tennessee will face Winthrop on Thursday. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome) 
Tennessee center Major Wingate dunks the ball during practice for the NCAA First Round basketball tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum in Greensboro, N.C. Wednesday, March 15, 2006. Tennessee will face Winthrop on Thursday. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton) 
Tennessee’s Major Wingate watches from the bench in the final moments of a 79-71 loss to South Carolina at the 2006 Southeastern Conference basketball tournament, Friday, March 10, 2006, at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/John Bazemore) 
Kentucky’s Randolph Morrris draws a charging foul on Tennessee’s Major Wingate during Tennessee’s 75-67 basketball victory at Rupp Arena in Lexington, Ky., on Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2006. Looking on in the background is Kentucky’s Joe Crawford. (AP Photo/James Crisp) 
Tennessee’s Major Wingate (1) puts up a shot past Eastern Kentucky’s Darnell Dialls, right, and Michael Brock (15) during the first half Friday, Nov. 25, 2005, in Knoxville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Wade Payne)
KNOXVILLE, Tenn. (WATE) — Former Tennessee center Major Wingate, a team captain and big contributor during coach Bruce Pearls first year with the Vols, has died. He was 37.
Wingate and the 2005-06 Vols went 22-8, won the SEC Eastern Division regular season title and earned a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament, the highest seed in school history. Wingate averaged 10.6 points and 4 rebounds per game that season. He also shot 55.6% from the floor that season and led the team in blocks with 34.
In the Vols NCAA Tournament game against Wichita State Wingate set school tournament records with 5 blocked shots and 5 offensive rebounds.
During his three-year career at Tennessee Wingate shot 50.9% and averaged 6.4 points and 3.2 rebounds. He also blocked 70 shots during his UT career, good enough for 13th all-time when his time at UT came to an end.
Wingate, originally from Florence, South Carolina, graduated from North Gwinnet (Ga.) High School after transferring his senior year. He was a 2003 McDonald’s All-America finalist his senior year.
The school offered its condolences Saturday.
Wingate was kicked off the team in 2006 after violating the team’s substance abuse policy. He went on to play professionally overseas and returned to the states in 2009 after being drafted by the Springfield Armor in the NBA Development League draft.
