Tim McManus '11 will return as the other co-captain for another season.
"I was interested in playing all my life but my parents didn't really want me to," Bay said. "They're from Nigeria and they didn't really like the sport. They didn't really know what it's about."
Bay hails from Marietta, Ga., a town famous for its football tradition. The intense football culture at the University of Georgia and Georgia Institute of Technology sparked Bay's interest at an early age, but Bay said he pursued track and baseball instead because of his parents' concerns.
Finally during his senior year of high school, a new coach convinced Bay's parents to let him come out for the team.
"My high school didn't have a really good football team and the new coach talked to my parents about letting me play," Bay said. "I was always interested in it and I figured it was a chance for me to try it out."
Despite his success as a defensive lineman at Dartmouth, in high school, Bay played on the offensive.
"I was on the track team, so I was pretty fast," Bay said. "I thought I could be a wide receiver. They tried me out there and I actually played one game but after that they put me over on defense and it worked pretty well. I liked the idea of hitting people rather than getting hit."
Bay quickly picked up the sport and experienced immediate success.
In 2007, Bay helped his high school earn its first regional title since 1997 and was chosen to the All-Cobb County First Team. Additionally, Bay played in the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association All-Star game and was an Honorable-Mention pick to the Georgia Class 5A All-Star team by both the Associated Press and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution.
When he arrived on campus his freshmen year, Bay immediately made an impact on Dartmouth's squad and led all rookies with 11 tackles on the season.
Since then, the defensive end has significantly improved every year at Dartmouth. As a sophomore he recorded 30 tackles and blocked two extra-point attempts. Bay was rewarded with the Doten Award for the sophomore who made significant contributions on defense.
During his junior season, Bay recorded 49 tackles and three sacks as well as contributing key plays over the course of the season. Against Columbia University, he picked up a fumble and returned it 39 yards for a touchdown to help seal the first Big Green win in two seasons.
Bay said he has enjoyed his Dartmouth experience thus far, but, upon arriving, his academic and extra-curricular activities took time to adjust to.
"My freshmen year it took me a while to get used to it here," he said. "I was almost ready to transfer for a number of reasons, but I've grown to love it. The small college feel is something that I was going for and I've gotten to meet a lot of people because of it. I've definitely gotten the majority of what I wanted out of the academic side, especially with the all the connections it's given me."
Bay also said that football helped him get acclimated with the Dartmouth community.
"As a freshman, there was another defensive end, a senior named Cullen Gilchrist '07 who really helped me," Bay said. "There were a lot of things I didn't understand freshmen year and Cullen helped me with the transition between high school and college."
Off the field, Bay is heavily involved in the Afro-American Society, and last Fall joined Alpha Phi Alpha fraternity.
Bay is also involved with the Dickey Center for International Understanding.
"I'm an Anthropology major modified with global health," Bay said. "Working with the Dickey Center just seems to make sense. I want to become a doctor. It's been one of my goals since I was in middle school, ever since I read this autobiography about a surgeon that really inspired me."
Bay also added that football head coach Buddy Teevens has connected him with football alumni who are doctors.
"It's been a good experience playing under him," Bay said. "I've learned a lot and he's put me into contact with a couple of players. There's one ex-player who's now an cardiothoracic surgeon in Chicago that he put me in touch with that I really appreciate."
Bay said he is now focused on ending his Dartmouth career with a successful senior season. Having only experienced five wins during his time playing for the Big Green, he said he hopes to see more success this Fall.
