High School: Standout at Gwynn Park High School for coach Danny Hayes...also competed for basketball team as a freshman...played defensive back and defensive end in football...led football teams to three county titles and a berth in the regional playoffs as a senior in 2003...three-year letterwinner and two-year starter...two-time all-county and two-time all-area selection...had 249 tackles, four interceptions, and 23 sacks in three seasons...honor student.

At Delaware: Talented third-year sophomore with good size and quickness...one of team’s hardest hitters...made the move to outside linebacker from safety during spring drills and will be looked to add depth to a unit that lost two starters from last year’s squad...opens season projected as the No. 2 outside linebacker behind sophomore Erik Johnson...could also play a key role on Blue Hen special teams unit...2005: Earned first varsity letter as a backup safety...appeared in five games with one start before missing the final five games with a recurring shoulder injury suffered vs. Richmond...posted 12 tackles on the season, including 11 solo stops...also intercepted a pass vs. Holy Cross in the final quarter to help clinch that victory...recorded a season and career-high five tackles vs. Towson and also added four vs. Holy Cross and three vs. Lehigh...did not see action in spring drills due to a left shoulder injury...2004: Did not see game action and retained freshman eligibility...team went 9-4, won the Atlantic 10 title, and advanced to the NCAA I-AA quarterfinals.

Personal: Rafiq ("ruh-feek") Alexander Gunthorpe...born Apr. 30, 1986 in Berkeley, CA...guardians are Larry and Margaret Patterson...twin brother, Jahiri, is a sophomore defensive back for the Blue Hens...has one younger sister...criminal justice major at Delaware...mother, Jasmine Gunthorpe, played basketball and volleyball at Stanford...has worked with the Prince George’s County School District during the summer.