Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football
| Lenoir–Rhyne Bears | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| |||
 | |||
| First season | 1907 | ||
| Head coach |
Mike Kellar 1st year, 3–8 (.273) | ||
| Stadium | Moretz Stadium | ||
| Seating capacity | 8,500 | ||
| Location | Hickory, NC | ||
| NCAA division | Division II | ||
| Conference | South Atlantic Conference | ||
| Claimed nat'l titles | 1 (NAIA, 1960) | ||
| Conference titles | 20 (8 NSC, 7 SAC, 5 CC) | ||
| Colors |
Red and Black | ||
| Marching band | Sprit of Lenoir-Rhyne | ||
| Website | LRBears.com | ||
- For information on all Lenoir–Rhyne University sports, see Lenoir–Rhyne Bears
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 8,500 seat Moretz Stadium in Hickory, North Carolina. The Bears are coached by Mike Kellar.
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.
Bowl games
The Bears have participated in one notable bowl game, the Cigar Bowl.
| Year | Date | Opponent | Result | Venue |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1952 | December 13 | Tampa | L 12–21 | Phillips Field |
Coaches
Clarence Stasavich has the most victories as coach of the Bears.
- T. M. Warlick (1907–1908)
- B. H. Shoaf (1909)
- D. 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 (2015–Present)
Notable former players
Notable alumni include:
- Perry Fewell, current Defensive Back coach of the Washington Redskins.
- Craig Keith, NFL player (1993–1995)
Year-by-year results
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), 2009 (5–6), 2011* (7–3), 2012 (9–3), 2013 (13–2), 2014 (11–1), 2015 (5–5).
Championship appearances
The Bears made three NAIA championship appearances in their tenure.
| Year | Selector | Coach | Opponent | Record | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | NAIA Playoffs | Clarence Stasavich | Texas A&I Javelinas | 10–1 | L 20–7 |
| 1960 | NAIA Playoffs | Clarence Stasavich | Humboldt State | 12–0 | W 15–14 |
| 1962 | NAIA Playoffs | Hanley Painter | Central Oklahoma | 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).
- denotes co-championship. The Bears won 8 titles in the North State Conference, 5 in the Carolinas Conference, and 7 in the South Atlantic Conference.