As a Shocker, Tate was named Wichita Eagle Most Valuable Player and second-team all-Missouri Valley Conference in 1958-59. Tate, a Shocker basketball player from 1957-60 under Shocker Hall-of-Famer Ralph Miller, currently ranks 22nd all-time in points scored (1,139), 10th in rebounding (774), and eighth in rebounding average with a 9.9 per game average. Tate led the Shockers in scoring in 1958-59 (16.5) and 1959-60 (16.9), as well as rebounding in 1957-58 (9.2) and 1959-60 (10.7). Tate had career highs of 40 points garnered versus Tulsa on March 5, 1960, and 31 rebounds against Bowling Green on Dec. 30, 1959.