Shepherd Rams


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

Varsity teams

List of teams

Men's sports
Women's sports

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. He won the MEC and Atlantic Region Baseball Coach of the Year in 2014.
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. 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)

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)

Postseason success
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.

Rams on the next level

Baseball

Shepherd has had 2 baseball players drafted by MLB:
Other notable Shepherd baseball players:
Shepherd has had 3 football players drafted by the NFL:
Other notable Shepherd football players: