Brett Gaynor keeps the dream going at Concord University

Owen senior to continue football career in the Mountain State

Fred McCormick
The Valley Echo
June 3, 2022

Owen senior Brett Gaynor is joined by his Warhorse teammates, moments after signing a letter of intent to play football at Concord University. Photo by Fred McCormick

Growing up in the Swannanoa Valley, beneath the towering peaks around him, Brett Gaynor knew there was something he wanted to do after high school. 

“I love football,” said the Owen senior, as family, friends, coaches and teammates buzzed around him in the gym, June 3. “I want to keep playing for as long as possible.” 

He won’t have to leave the Appalachian Mountains to do it. 

Gaynor, who played offensive and defensive line for the Warhorses during his three-year varsity career, is heading to West Virginia, where he will join the Mountain Lions program at Concord University. 

“Oh man, it’s like a dream come true,” he said, signing a letter of intent to play football for the college. “I’ve been dreaming of this since I was a kid.”

The interior lineman was a mainstay on both sides of the ball and a vocal leader on the sideline last season for Owen, when the team qualified for the playoffs. He tallied a pair of sacks and 34 tackles, including 9 for losses, in 2021. 

Gaynor finished his football career as a Warhorse with 61 tackles in 19 games, and was eager to play at the collegiate level. His interest in Concord University was piqued the moment he saw the campus in Athens, W.V. 

Senior Brett Gaynor signs to play football at Concord University. Photo by Fred McCormick

“I have family up there, and I really like that area,” he said. “As soon as I saw (Concord), I knew I wanted to learn more about it, and I also knew I was willing to do whatever it takes to help their team.”

The Mountain Lions are members of the NCAA Division II Mountain East Conference, where they finished the 2021 season with a 4-6 mark under third-year head coach Dave Walker. The team will open its 2022 season on the road against Emory & Henry College

“I spent time with the head coach, and I felt a connection with him and the players,” Gaynor said of his visit to Concord University. “The atmosphere there is great and it seems like the kind of place I could call home, just like Owen.”

Long before he set his sights on the college game, Gaynor’s goal as a local youth football player was to play under the Friday night lights at Warhorse Stadium. 

“My brother went here, and I used to look up to the guys who played for Owen when I was little,” he said. “I knew I could do it, but I really wanted to be a leader on the team. That was something I worked hard to do.”

As he looks ahead to the next chapter in his football career, Gaynor has similar goals. 

“I just want to work hard, be a part of the team, and keep this dream going,” he said. “I’m really excited about it.”