Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football

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.

For information on all Lenoir–Rhyne University sports, see Lenoir–Rhyne Bears.
Lenoir–Rhyne Bears football
First season1907
Head coachMike Jacobs
3rd season, 19–7 (.731)
StadiumMoretz Stadium
(capacity: 8,200)
LocationHickory, North Carolina
NCAA divisionDivision II
ConferenceSouth Atlantic Conference
All-time record520–458–34 (.531)
Claimed national titlesNAIA: 1 (1960)
Conference titles23 (10 SAC, 8 NSC, 5 CC)
RivalriesNewberry, Wingate, Catawba
ColorsCardinal and black[1]
   
MascotJoe and Josie Bear
Marching bandSpirit of Lenoir-Rhyne
WebsiteLRBears.com

History

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

Conference affiliations

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

Bowl games

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

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

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 (2016–2017)
  • Drew Cronic (2018–2019)
  • Mike Jacobs (2020–)

Notable former players

Notable alumni include:

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
1959NAIA PlayoffsClarence StasavichTexas A&I Javelinas10–1L 20–7
1960NAIA PlayoffsClarence StasavichHumboldt State12–0W 15–14
1962NAIA PlayoffsHanley PainterCentral State (OK)11–1L 13–28
2013NCAA Division II PlayoffsMike HoustonNorthwest Missouri State13–2L 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.

References
  1. "Brand Style Guide". Retrieved April 3, 2023.
  2. "BOWL/ALL STAR GAME RECORDS" (PDF). NCAA. 2016. Retrieved January 7, 2017.
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