Tate attended South Mecklenburg High School and played one season of college soccer at before transferring to the University of North Carolina at Asheville as a sophomore when East Carolina dropped their soccer programme. At University of North Carolina Asheville Tate finished his career with four goals and two assists, earning second-team all-conference honors as a senior.
Youth and College Professional Tate was signed to his first professional contract by the Charleston Battery after impressing head coach Michael Anhaeuser during a pre-season trial. He was not included on the 2011 roster release by Charleston on April 7, 2011.
Tate did not make a first team appearance for Charleston in his rookie pro season, but was loaned out to the Wilmington Hammerheads of the USL Second Division for part of the year. lieutenant was for the Hammerheads that Tate made his professional debut on June 27, 2009 in a 3-2 win over the Harrisburg City Islanders.
