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Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football
Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football
First season	1907; 118 years ago
Head coach	Doug Socha ; 1st season, 10–3 (.769)
Stadium	Moretz Stadium; (capacity: 8,200)
Location	Hickory, North Carolina
NCAA division	Division II
Conference	South Atlantic Conference
All-time record	546–467–34 (.538)
Claimed national titles	NAIA: 1 (1960)
Conference titles	23 (10 SAC, 8 NSC, 5 CC)
Rivalries	Newberry, Wingate, Catawba
Colors	Cardinal and black;
Mascot	Joe and Josie Bear
Marching band	Spirit of Lenoir-Rhyne
Website	LRBears.com

The Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football program is the intercollegiate American football team for Lenoir–Rhyne University located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. The team competes in the NCAA Division II and are members of the South Atlantic Conference. Lenoir–Rhyne's first football team was fielded in 1907. The team plays its home games at the 10,000 seat Moretz Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina.

History

Conference history

1954–1969: NAIA
1970–1992: NAIA Division I
1989–present: NCAA Division II

Conference affiliations

1907–1930: Independent
1931–1960: North State Conference
1961–1974: Carolinas Conference
1975–present: South Atlantic Conference

The Bears had no team from 1912–1920 and 1942–1945.

Postseason appearances

Bowl games

The Bears have participated in five postseason bowl games, compiling a 3–2 record.^[2]

Season	Game	Date	Opponent	Result	Location
1951	Pythian Bowl	December 8, 1951	California (PA)	W 13–7	Salisbury, North Carolina
1952	Cigar Bowl	December 13, 1952	Tampa	L 12–21	Tampa, Florida
1955	Palmetto Shrine	December 10, 1955	Newberry	W 14–13	Columbia, South Carolina
1959	Holiday Bowl (NAIA)	December 19, 1959	Texas A&I	L 20–7	St. Petersburg, Florida
1960	Holiday Bowl (NAIA)	December 10, 1960	Humboldt State	W 15–14	St. Petersburg, Florida

NCAA Division II playoffs

The Bears have made eight appearances in the NCAA Division II playoffs. Their combined record is 12–8, with one appearance in the NCAA Division II championship game (2013).

Year	Round	Opponent	Result
2012	First Round Second Round	Fort Valley State Carson–Newman	W, 21–6 L, 35–38
2013	Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals National Championship	Carson–Newman North Alabama West Chester NW Missouri State	W, 27–20 W, 42–39 W, 42–14 L, 28–43
2014	Second Round	Valdosta State	L, 21–23
2018	First Round Second Round Quarterfinals	Florida Tech Wingate Valdosta State	W, 43–21 W, 21–17 L, 21–61
2019	First Round Second Round Quarterfinals	Miles Carson–Newman West Florida	W, 36–7 W, 49–21 L, 38–43
2021	First Round	Bowie State	L, 10–31
2023	First Round Second Round Quarterfinals Semifinals	Shepherd Benedict Valdosta State Harding	W, 63–17 W, 35–25 W, 35–7 L, 14–55
2024	First Round Second Round	West Alabama Virginia Union	W, 37–34 L, 12–44

Coaches

Clarence Stasavich has the most victories as coach of the Bears.

Tom Warlick (1907–1908)
Burton H. Schoeff (1909)
Daniel M. Williams (1910–1911)
Phil Utley (1921)
Norman Lamotte (1922–1923)
Dick Gurley (1924–1931)
Robert M. Shores (1932–1936)
Albert Spurlock (1937)
Robert M. Shores (1938–1941)
D. M. Williams (1942–1945)
Clarence Stasavich (1946–1961)
Hanley Painter (1962–1972)
Danny Williams (1973)
Jack Huss (1974–1979)
Henry Vansant (1980–1983)
John Perry (1984–1990)
Charles Forbes (1991–1996)
Bill Hart (1997–2001)
Wayne Hicks (2002–2006)
Fred Goldsmith (2007–2010)
Mike Houston (2011–2013)
Ian Shields (2014–2015)
Mike Kellar (2016–2017)
Drew Cronic (2018–2019)
Mike Jacobs (2020–2023)
Doug Socha (2024–present)

Notable former players

Kyle Dugger, drafted 2nd round (37th overall) in the 2020 NFL draft by the New England Patriots
Perry Fewell, former NFL coach
Craig Keith, former tight end for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars (1993–1995)
John Milem, former defensive end for the Carolina Panthers and San Francisco 49ers (2000–2002)
Terence Steward, former wide receiver for the Dallas Cowboys (1987)
Dareke Young, drafted 7th round (233rd overall) in the 2022 NFL draft by the Seattle Seahawks

Year-by-year results

Year W-L-T 1907 (0-3), 1908 (5-2-1), 1909 (3-5), 1910 (1-2), 1911 (3-3), —-NO TEAM 1912-1920—- 1921 (2-3), 1922 (1-5), 1923 (0-5), 1924 (5-4), 1925 (6-3), 1926 (7-2), 1927 (3-6-1), 1928 (2-6-1), 1929 (4-5-1), 1930 (3-6-1),

1939* (6–1–3), 1951 (10–1), 1952 (8–1), 1955 (9–0–1), 1956 (10–0), 1958 (9–1), 1959 (10–1), 1960 (12–0), 1961 (8–1–1), 1962 (11–1), 1965 (7–3), 1966* (6–3), 1967 (8–1), 1975 (7–3–1), 1988* (7–4), 1994* (8–2), 2005 (5–5), 2006 (3–8), 2007 (2–9), 2008 (3–8), 2009 (5–6), 2010 (7–4), 2011* (7–3), 2012 (9–3), 2013* (13–2), 2014* (11–1), 2015 (5–5), 2016 (3–8), 2017 (3–7), 2018* (12–2), 2019* (13–1), Spring 2020 (3-1)

Championship appearances

The Bears made three appearances in the NAIA championship game during their tenure, winning in 1960, and appeared in the NCAA Division II championship game in 2013.

Year	Division	Coach	Opponent	Record	Score
1959	NAIA Playoffs	Clarence Stasavich	Texas A&I Javelinas	10–1	L 7–20
1960	NAIA Playoffs	Clarence Stasavich	Humboldt State	12–0	W 15–14
1962	NAIA Playoffs	Hanley Painter	Central State (OK)	11–1	L 13–28
2013	NCAA Division II Playoffs	Mike Houston	Northwest Missouri State	13–2	L 28–43

Conference championships

1939* (6–1–3), 1951 (10–1), 1952 (8–1), 1955 (9–0–1), 1956 (10–0), 1958 (9–1), 1959 (10–1), 1960 (12–0), 1961 (8–1–1), 1962 (11–1), 1965 (7–3), 1966* (6–3), 1967 (8–1), 1975 (7–3–1), 1988* (7–4), 1994* (8–2), 2011* (7–3), 2012 (9–3), 2013 (13–2), 2014 (11–1), 2018 (12–2), 2019 (13–1)

*denotes co-championship. The Bears won 8 titles in the North State Conference, 5 in the Carolinas Conference, and 9 in the South Atlantic Conference.