Shepherd Rams

Shepherd Rams
Logo
UniversityShepherd University
ConferencePennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorChauncey Winbush
LocationShepherdstown, West Virginia
Varsity teams15
Football stadiumRam Stadium
Basketball arenaButcher Center
Baseball stadiumFairfax Field
Soccer stadiumShepherd Soccer Complex
MascotJ.C.
NicknameRams
ColorsBlue and Gold
   
Websiteshepherdrams.com

The Shepherd Rams are the athletic teams that represent Shepherd University (formerly Shepherd College), located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in Division II intercollegiate sports of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA). The Rams compete as members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference[1] (PSAC) for all 15 varsity sports since the 2019–20 academic year. They previously competed in the Mountain East Conference (MEC) from 2013–14 to 2018–19, and before that, the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) from 1924–25 to 2012–13.

Varsity teams

List of teams

Individual teams

Baseball

The head coach position is Andrew Kowalo. He comes to Shepherd after serving as an assistant coach at Liberty University since 2022.[2] The former head coach, Matt McCarty, announced his resignation on July 1, 2024, to become the head baseball coach at Francis Marion University.[3]

The Ram baseball team has won the WVIAC/MEC championship in 1983, 1984, 2004, 2009, 2012, 2016. and 2017.

Football

The current head coach is Ernie McCook, a 1992 graduate of Wesley College. McCook was elevated to head coach after the retirement of longtime coach Monte Cater.[4] McCook previously served as offensive line coach at Shepherd from 1999 to 2008 and was also the offensive coordinator starting in 2000. McCook was elevated to assistant head coach in 2007. He spent the 2009 season as running game coordinator/tight ends coach at Liberty University, before returning to Shepherd the next season, where he served as assistant head coach/offensive coordinator for the next seven years.

After the 2021 football season, Junior QB Tyson Bagent won the Harlon Hill Trophy for most outstanding Division II player, the first Shepherd player to win the award.[5][6]

The NAIA Years (pre-1994)

Year Record Rank
1987 4–6 4th
1988 6–4 T-1st
1989 3–7 6th
1990 6-3-1 3rd
1991 8–3 1st
1992 9–3 1st
1993 5–5 2nd
Postseason First Steps

In 1983, Shepherd reached the post-season for the first time in school history, losing to Carson-Newman 42–21 in the first round of the NAIA playoffs.

The Rams again advanced to the playoffs in 1986 and again they lost to Carson-Newman 30–10 in the first round.

In 1991, they advanced and this time they lost to Central State 34–22 in the first round.

Finally in 1992, the Rams earned their first ever post-season win by beating Carson-Newman 6–3. In the next round, however, they lost to Gardner–Webb 22–7.

The NCAA DII Years (1994–present)

Year Record Rank
1994 6–4 T-1st in WVIAC
1995 3–7 5th in WVIAC
1996 7–3 3rd in WVIAC
1997 9–1 T-1st in WVIAC
1998 10–1 1st in WVIAC
1999 9–1 1st in WVIAC
2000 7–3 3rd in WVIAC
2001 8–2 T-2nd in WVIAC
2002 7–3 T-2nd in WVIAC
2003 4–6 T-2nd in WVIAC
2004 7–3 1st in WVIAC
2005 11–0 1st in WVIAC
2006 10–0 1st in WVIAC
2007 9–1 1st in WVIAC
2008 5–5 T-6th in WVIAC
2009 6–4 4th in WVIAC
2010 9–1 1st in WVIAC
2011 9–2 T-2nd in WVIAC
2012 8–2 1st in WVIAC
2013 10–0 1st in MEC
2014 8–2 2nd in MEC
2015 10–0 1st in MEC
2016 10–0 1st in MEC
2017 10–0 1st in MEC
2018 7–3 3rd in MEC
2019 9–2 2nd in PSAC East, T-2nd overall
2020 cancelled due to COVID pandemic
2021 10–1 2nd in PSAC East, T-2nd overall
2022 10–1 1st in PSAC East, T-1st overall
2023 9-2 2nd in PSAC East, T-3rd overall
2024 6-5 5th in PSAC East, 7th overall
= Lost the PSAC Championship game
Postseason success
Year First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals Championship
1998 @ IUP, W 9–6 N/A @ Slippery Rock, L 20–31 N/A N/A
1999 @ Millersville, L 14–21 N/A N/A N/A N/A
2005 N/A vs. LIU Post, L 21–28 N/A N/A
2006 N/A vs. Merrimack, W 31–7 vs. Bloomsburg, L 21–24 N/A N/A
2007 N/A vs. IUP, W 41–34 @ California, L 38–58 N/A N/A
2010 vs. Shaw, W 40–6 @ Kutztown, W 41–34 @ Mercyhurst, W 48–14 @ Delta State, L 17–29 N/A
2012 @ IUP, L 17–27 N/A N/A N/A N/A
2013 N/A vs. Winston-Salem State, W 7–0 vs. West Chester, L 7–28 N/A N/A
2015 N/A vs. IUP, W 17–13 vs. Slippery Rock, W 28–16 vs. Grand Valley State, W 34–32 vs. Northwest Missouri State, L 7–34
2016 vs. Assumption, W 48–31 @ LIU Post, W 40–21 @ California, W 41–30 vs. North Alabama, L 13–23 N/A
2017 vs. Findlay, L 17–29 N/A N/A N/A N/A
2019 @ IUP, W 31–27 @ Slippery Rock, L 30–51 N/A N/A N/A
2021 vs. Findlay, W 38–31 vs. Notre Dame (OH), W 38–34 @ Kutztown W 30–28 @ Ferris State, L 7–55 N/A
2022 vs. New Haven, W 16–13 vs. Slippery Rock, W 37–27 @ IUP, W 48–13 @ Colorado School of Mines, L 13-44 N/A
2023 @ Lenoir-Rhyne, L 17-63 N/A N/A N/A N/A

Note: The NCAA expanded the playoff field from 16 to 24 teams in 2000 and from 24 to 28 teams in 2015.

Volleyball

The current head coach is Alex Hoekstra, a 2010 graduate of University of Mount Olive.[7]

Notable Shepherd Athletes

Baseball

Shepherd has had four baseball players[8] drafted by MLB:

Other notable Shepherd baseball players:

Football

Shepherd has had 3 football players[16] drafted by the NFL:

Other notable Shepherd football players:

References

  1. ^ "Shepherd University to Join PSAC in 2019–20" (Press release). Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference. June 7, 2018. Retrieved June 19, 2018.
  2. ^ "Kowalo Named Shepherd Head Baseball Coach".
  3. ^ "McCarty Resigns to Accept Position with Francis Marion".
  4. ^ "Cater Announces Retirement; McCook Named Head Coach". Shepherd University Athletics. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  5. ^ "Tyson Bagent wins 2021 Harlon Hill Trophy, becomes first Shepherd Ram to win award". December 17, 2021.
  6. ^ "18 Dec 2021, B2 - The Post-Star at Newspapers.com". Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ "Alex Hoekstra – Women's Volleyball Coach". Shepherd University Athletics.
  8. ^ "Shepherd College Baseball Players". Baseball-Reference.com. January 1, 2009. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  9. ^ "Official Athletic Site of Shepherd University". January 5, 2014. Archived from the original on January 5, 2014. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  10. ^ "Nathan Minnich Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  11. ^ "Official Athletic Site of Shepherd University". October 27, 2013. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  12. ^ "Carr Drafted by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 13th Round". Shepherdrams.com.
  13. ^ "Lefty Willis Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  14. ^ "Frank Funk Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  15. ^ "Cecil Perkins Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  16. ^ "Shepherd Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  17. ^ "Wayne Wilson NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. September 4, 1957. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  18. ^ "Ferrum Panthers Mobile – Joel Gordon". Archived from the original on February 1, 2016. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  19. ^ "Shepherd University – Faunteroy Selected for Bill Walsh NFL Minority Fellowship". Shepherdrams.com. December 6, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  20. ^ "Thunder Acquire Division II Standout". Arenafootball.Com. December 4, 2014. Archived from the original on December 22, 2015. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  21. ^ "Steelers Agree To Terms With 9 Rookie Free agents". Steelers.com. May 10, 2014. Retrieved December 14, 2015.
  22. ^ "Eagles sign Billy Brown to UDFA deal, roster now at 90". phi.247sports.com. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  23. ^ "Eagles sign 10 undrafted rookies". philly.com. May 11, 2017. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  24. ^ "Former Shepherd Quarterback Jeff Ziemba signs with Baltimore Lightning". SU Picket. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  25. ^ "Jeff Ziemba, Arizona Rattlers, Offensive Player of the Week". philly.com. Archived from the original on April 6, 2018. Retrieved April 5, 2018.
  26. ^ "QB ZIEMBA NAMED 2018 IFL OFFENSIVE ROOKIE OF THE YEAR – Arizona Rattlers". Azrattlers.com. Archived from the original on July 15, 2018.
  27. ^ "Team Roster | Chicago Bears Official Website". Chicagobears.com.
  28. ^ "Bears announce 53-man roster". Chicagobears.com.
  29. ^ "Players Arrive for Mninicamp". Chicagobears.com.
  30. ^ "9/1: Redskins Make Roster Moves". Washingtonfootball.com. Archived from the original on September 2, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2021.
  31. ^ "Former Ram DeJuan Neal Drafted by the New Jersey Generals". Shepherd University Athletics.
  32. ^ "DB DeJuan Neal has agreed to terms with the Commanders per his agent @seanstellato. Quite a journey for Neal: from Shepherd to the XFL and USFL; now with Washington". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  33. ^ "DB DeJuan Neal out of Shepherd University, who has traveled a windy road from the XFL to the USFL, has now agreed to terms with the Washington #Commanders, per agent @seanstellato". Twitter.com. Retrieved July 18, 2022.
  34. ^ "Phelps Signs with the Arizona Cardinals". Shepherd University Athletics.
  35. ^ "Deonte Glover Drafted by Edmonton Football Team in CFL Draft". Shepherd University Athletics.
  36. ^ "Houston Gamblers Select Shepherd Product OG Joey Fisher in USFL Draft". February 21, 2023.
  37. ^ "Steelers Sign PSAC Star Guard to Practice Squad". August 30, 2023.
  38. ^ "Fisher Signed to the Practice Squad of the Cleveland Browns".
  39. ^ "Winnipeg Blue Bombers sign running back Ronnie Brown". January 6, 2024.
  40. ^ "Ottawa Redblacks sign two, including former Blue Bombers' RB Ronnie Brown - 3DownNation". Archived from the original on May 21, 2024. Retrieved December 31, 2024.
  41. ^ "Brian Walker: Cut by Baltimore". June 13, 2023.