After leading the Shepherd football team to a record-setting 13-1 overall record and a place in the NCAA Division II national championship game in Kansas City, coach Monte Cater began receiving local, area, state and national recognition.

Cater was selected as the Mountain East Conference Coach of the Year in an award that included every coach in every sport the league offers.

The American Football Coaches Association named him the Region II Coach of the Year. That award covered not only the Mountain East Conference but also the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference, the Northeast-10 Conference and the Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association.

The state of West Virginia recognized Cater with the Mickey Furfari Award for the being the top collegiate coach for all men’s and women’s sports in the state — including WVU and Marshall.

The Journal newspaper in Martinsburg also selected Coach Cater as the Coach of the Year in this area. That award also was made against a field of both college and high school coaches, some of which had won a state championship or conference championships.

Shepherd will open defense of its 2015 Mountain East Conference championship as well as Region II title on Saturday, Sept. 3, at Ram Stadium against conference rival West Virginia Wesleyan.