Monte Cater (born July 7, 1949) is a former American football coach. From 1987 to 2017, he was the head football coach at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, West Virginia. From 1981 to 1986, Cater was the head football coach at Lakeland College in Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

Monte Cater
Biographical details
Born (1949-07-07) July 7, 1949 (age 75)
Shelbyville, Illinois, U.S.
Coaching career (HC unless noted)
1981–1986Lakeland
1987–2017Shepherd
Administrative career (AD unless noted)
1993–2004Shepherd
Head coaching record
Overall275–117–2
Tournaments1–2 (NAIA playoffs)
13–10 (NCAA D-II playoffs)
Accomplishments and honors
Championships
3 IBFC (1985–1986)
12 WVIAC (1988, 1991–1992, 1997–1999, 2004–2007, 2010, 2012)
4 MEC (2013, 2015–2017)
Awards
WVIAC Coach of the Year (1991–1992, 1997–1999, 2005–2006)
MEC Coach of the Year (2013, 2015–2017)
AFCA Super Region 1 Coach of the Year (2015)
West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame
College Football Hall of Fame
Inducted in 2023 (profile)

Coaching career

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Cater was made the 12th head coach of the Shepherd University Rams football team on February 9, 1987 and also served as the college's athletic director from 1993 to 2004. He is Shepherd College's and the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference's all-time winningest coach. He has been awarded the WVIAC Coach of the Year Award seven times, The Journal Coach of the Year Award and has won the WVIAC conference title 12 times.

He was named the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year in 2013.[1]

Before coming to Shepherd, Cater was the head coach of Lakeland College from 1980 to 1986 and is credited with reviving the college's football program, winning the Illini-Badger Football Conference title three times. He currently resides in Martinsburg, West Virginia with his wife, Bonnie, and their two children, Taylor and Logan.

On December 5, 2015 with a win over Slippery Rock in the Super 1 Region Final, Cater achieved his 250th victory as a college football coach. [2]

On January 24, 2018 Cater announced his retirement after 31 seasons at Shepherd. He was replaced by longtime assistant Ernie McCook. Cater had been the active wins leader in all levels of college football with 274 career victories.

Head coaching record

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Year Team Overall Conference Standing Bowl/playoffs AFCA Division II#
Lakeland Muskies (Illini–Badger Football Conference) (1981–1986)
1981 Lakeland 1–7–1 0–5 6th
1982 Lakeland 3–6 1–3 4th
1983 Lakeland 6–3 3–1 2nd
1984 Lakeland 4–5 2–2 T–2nd
1985 Lakeland 7–2 4–1 1st
1986 Lakeland 9–1 5–0 1st
Lakeland: 30–24–1 15–12
Shepherd Rams (West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference) (1987–2012)
1987 Shepherd 4–6 3–4 T–4th
1988 Shepherd 6–4 6–1 T–1st
1989 Shepherd 3–7 2–4 T–5th
1990 Shepherd 6–3–1 4–1–1 T–2nd
1991 Shepherd 8–3 7–0 1st L NAIA Division I Quarterfinal
1992 Shepherd 9–3 7–0 1st L NAIA Division I Semifinal
1993 Shepherd 5–5 5–2 T–2nd
1994 Shepherd 6–4 5–1 T–1st 10
1995 Shepherd 3–7 3–4 5th
1996 Shepherd 7–3 5–2 3rd
1997 Shepherd 9–1 6–1 T–1st
1998 Shepherd 10–2 7–0 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal
1999 Shepherd 9–2 6–0 1st L NCAA Division II First Round 15
2000 Shepherd 7–3 5–2 3rd
2001 Shepherd 8–2 5–2 T–2nd
2002 Shepherd 7–3 5–2 T–2nd
2003 Shepherd 4–6 4–3 T–2nd
2004 Shepherd 7–3 7–0 1st
2005 Shepherd 11–1 8–0 1st L NCAA Division II Second Round 20
2006 Shepherd 11–1 7–0 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 8
2007 Shepherd 10–2 7–1 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 13
2008 Shepherd 5–5 3–5 T–6th
2009 Shepherd 6–4 5–3 4th
2010 Shepherd 12–2 7–1 1st L NCAA Division II Semifinal 7
2011 Shepherd 9–2 6–2 T–2nd
2012 Shepherd 8–3 7–1 1st L NCAA Division II First Round 25
Shepherd Rams (Mountain East Conference) (2013–2017)
2013 Shepherd 11–1 9–0 1st L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal 9
2014 Shepherd 8–2 8–2 2nd
2015 Shepherd 13–1 10–0 1st L NCAA Division II Championship 2
2016 Shepherd 13–1 10–0 1st L NCAA Division II Semifinal 3
2017 Shepherd 10–1 10–0 1st L NCAA Division II First Round 14
Shepherd: 245–93–1 189–44–1
Total: 275–117–2
      National championship         Conference title         Conference division title or championship game berth
  • #AFCA Division II.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Several Rams honored by MEC". The Journal. November 20, 2013. Retrieved January 19, 2015.
  2. ^ "Shepherd Football Captures Super Region One Title with 28-16 win over Slippery Rock". December 5, 2015.
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