Hall of Fame
Position: Coach
Years: Lakeland [WI] (1981-1986), Shepherd [WV] (1987-2017)
Place of Birth: Shelbyville, IL
Date of Birth: July 7, 1949
Record: 275-117-2 (70.1%)
After 37 years as a head coach, Monte Cater retired following the 2017 season as the nation's winningest active football coach among all NCAA levels, earning wins in more than 70 percent of his games and notching a total of 275 victories. The Shelbyville, Illinois, native now becomes the first person from either Lakeland University (WI) or Shepherd University (WV) to enter the College Football Hall of Fame.
Cater's teams made 13 postseason appearances (NAIA – 2, Division II – 11) during his career, and his teams appeared 16 times in the final national rankings. In 2015, he led Shepherd to the Division II championship game, finishing as the national runner-up. His teams claimed three Super Region One titles, and Shepherd led the nation in rush defense from 2011-2014. He coached 24 First Team All-America players, including 2007 Division II Rimington Award winner Ryan Pope, and he was named the Vince Lombardi Foundation Coach of the Year in 2015.
Named conference coach of the year 13 times during his career, he won at least a share of 17 conference titles (13 WVIAC and 4 MEC), giving him the most victories and coaching titles in West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WVIAC) history. His teams went undefeated in conference play 11 times, and he coached 182 First Team All-Conference players.
Cater had only four losing seasons in his 31 years at Shepherd, and he posted winning records during each of his final 14 years with the Rams. He posted six undefeated regular seasons, including his last three from 2015-17, and his 245-93-1 (.724) record in 31 seasons at Shepherd makes him the winningest coach in school history.
Prior to coming to Shepherd, Cater was the primary architect in reviving the Lakeland College program in Plymouth, Wisconsin. He led the Muskies to a 30-24-1 record in six seasons, winning three conference titles in his last four seasons while garnering Coach of the Year honors twice.
Cater began his collegiate coaching career as an offensive line coach at his alma mater, Millikin University (IL), where he would also serve as co-offensive coordinator. During his coaching stint at Millikin, the Big Blue posted a record of 28-8.
Cater has been inducted to the West Virginia Sports Hall of Fame (2020), Shepherd Hall of Fame (2007) and the Millikin Athletics Hall of Fame (1999). He served as Shepherd's athletics director from 1993-2004, and he served as a member of the NCAA Division II Football Committee and the AFCA Board of Coaches. In addition to graduating with a degree in physical education from Millikin in 1971, Cater earned his Master's in physical education from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale.
