Shepherd Rams

The Shepherd Rams are the athletic teams that represent Shepherd University (formerly Shepherd College), located in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports. The Rams compete as members of the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference[1] (PSAC) for all 12 varsity sports. They were previously members of the Mountain East Conference (MEC) and, before that, the now-defunct West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC).

Shepherd Rams
UniversityShepherd University
ConferencePennsylvania State Athletic Conference
NCAADivision II
Athletic directorChauncey Winbush
LocationShepherdstown, West Virginia
Varsity teams12
Football stadiumRam Stadium
Basketball arenaButcher Center
Baseball stadiumFairfax Field
Soccer stadiumShepherd Soccer Complex
NicknameRams
ColorsBlue and Gold
   
Websiteshepherdrams.com

Varsity teams

List of teams

Individual teams

Baseball

The current head coach is Matt McCarty, a 2010 graduate of Shepherd. McCarty was named as the interim head baseball coach in September 2012 and was elevated to head baseball coach in July 2013.[2] He won the MEC and Atlantic Region Baseball Coach of the Year in 2014.[3][4]

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.[5] McCook previously served as offensive line coach at Shepherd from 1999-2008 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 7 years.

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
1995 3–7 5th
1996 7–3 3rd
1997 9–1 T-1st
1998 10–1 1st
1999 9–1 1st
2000 7–3 3rd
2001 8–2 T-2nd
2002 7–3 T-2nd
2003 4–6 T-2nd
2004 7–3 1st
2005 11–0 1st
2006 10–0 1st
2007 9–1 1st
2008 5–5 T-6th
2009 6–4 4th
2010 9–1 1st
2011 9–2 T-2nd
2012 8–2 1st
2013 10–0 1st
2014 8–2 2nd
2015 10–0 1st
2016 10-0 1st
2017 10-0 1st
2018 7-3 3rd
2019 9-2 T-3rd
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

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. Hoekstra enters his second season as head volleyball coach for the Rams.[6]

Rams on the next level

Baseball

Shepherd has had 2 baseball players[7] drafted by MLB:

Other notable Shepherd baseball players:

Football

Shepherd has had 3 football players[15] drafted by the NFL:

  • QB John Shearer was taken with the 6th pick in the 28th round of the 1956 NFL Draft by the Baltimore Colts, and T Bob Hogue was taken with the 11th pick in the 20th round of the 1960 NFL Draft, also by the Colts. Neither played in the NFL.
  • RB Wayne Wilson was taken with the 21st pick in the 12th round of the 1979 NFL Draft by the Houston Oilers. He played for 3 NFL teams from 1979–1987[16] and is currently the WR coach at Shepherd.

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. "Shepherd University – 2014 Baseball Coaching Staff". Shepherdrams.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  3. "Shepherd University – Nine Rams Gain MEC Accolades; Hvozdovic, McCarty Among Top Honorees". Shepherdrams.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  4. "Shepherd University – McCarty Named Regional Coach of the Year; Five Rams Honored". Shepherdrams.com. 2014-05-15. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  5. . Shepherd.edu. Retrieved on 2018-02-23.
  6. http://shepherdrams.com/coaches.aspx?rc=148&path=wvball
  7. "Shepherd College Baseball Players". Baseball-Reference.com. 2009-01-01. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  8. Archived January 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  9. Archived January 5, 2014, at the Wayback Machine
  10. "Nathan Minnich Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  11. https://web.archive.org/web/20131027164448/http://shepherdrams.com/page.cfm?story=33397&cat=exclusives. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved December 20, 2015. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  12. "Lefty Willis Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  13. "Frank Funk Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  14. "Cecil Perkins Register Statistics & History". Baseball-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  15. "Shepherd Drafted Players/Alumni". Pro-Football-Reference.com. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  16. "Wayne Wilson NFL Football Statistics". Pro-Football-Reference.com. 1957-09-04. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  17. http://www.ferrumpanthers.com/mobile/staff.aspx?staff=147. Missing or empty |title= (help)
  18. "Shepherd University – Faunteroy Selected for Bill Walsh NFL Minority Fellowship". Shepherdrams.com. 2014-12-06. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  19. "Thunder Acquire Division II Standout". Arenafootball.Com. 2014-12-04. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  20. "Steelers Agree To Terms With 9 Rookie Free agents". Steelers.com. 2014-05-10. Retrieved 2015-12-14.
  21. "Eagles sign Billy Brown to UDFA deal, roster now at 90". phi.247sports.com. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  22. "Eagles sign 10 undrafted rookies". philly.com. Retrieved 2017-05-12.
  23. "Former Shepherd Quarterback Jeff Ziemba signs with Baltimore Lightning". SU Picket. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  24. "Jeff Ziemba, Arizona Rattlers, Offensive Player of the Week". philly.com. Retrieved 2018-04-05.
  25. https://www.azrattlers.com/qb-ziemba-named-2018-ifl-offensive-rookie-of-the-year/
  26. https://www.chicagobears.com/team/players-roster/elijah-norris/
  27. https://www.chicagobears.com/news/bears-announce-53-man-roster
  28. https://www.redskins.com/news/9-1-redskins-make-roster-moves
  29. https://shepherdrams.com/news/2020/4/27/football-phelps-signs-with-the-arizona-cardinals.aspx
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