Former Lakeland University head football coach Monte Cater was announced as part of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class Monday, the first-ever former Lakeland player or coach to be named to the Hall.

Cater was announced by the College Hall of Fame and National Football Foundation (NFF) as one of 18 players and four coaches making up the 2023 Class, which was announced on ESPN as part of its pre-game coverage of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game to be played Monday night.

Cater spent 37 years as a collegiate head coach, the last 31 of them at Shepherd University in Shepherdstown, W. Va. He won more than 70% of his games as a coach and with 275 career wins was the winningest active head coach among all NCAA levels prior to his retirement following the 2017 season.
 

Cater's teams won 245 games in 31 seasons at Shepherd and made 13 postseason appearances (NAIA – 2, NCAA Division II – 11) in his career, including finishing as the Division II runner-up in 2015. Before leaving for Shepherd in Feb. 1987, though, he spent six seasons at Lakeland from 1981-86, posting a 30-24-1 record.

After his Lakeland teams finished a combined 4-13 in his first two years, the Shelbyville, Ill., native turned around the Muskies program, winning at least a share of the Illini-Badger Football Conference championship in three of his last four seasons. His teams won 16 of 19 games over his last two years, highlighted by a 9-1 record and a 5-0 IBFC mark in 1986.

Cater had just seven losing seasons in his 37-year career seasons and finished his career with winning records his last 14 years, including undefeated regular seasons in his last three years. He was a two-time IBFC Coach of the Year award winner and in all won 13 conference coach of the year honors and at least a share of 19 conference championships.

Cater is the first to enter the College Football Hall of Fame from either Lakeland or Shepherd. The 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class will officially be inducted during the 65th NFF Annual Awards Dinner Presented by Las Vegas on Dec. 5, 2023, at the ARIA Resort & Casino Las Vegas.

The full list of members of the 2023 College Football Hall of Fame Class:
 
PLAYERS: 

• Eric Berry – DB, Tennessee (2007-09)
• Michael Bishop – QB, Kansas State (1997-98)
• Reggie Bush – RB, Southern California (2003-05)
• Dwight Freeney – DE, Syracuse (1998-2001)
• Robert Gallery – OT, Iowa (2000-03)
• LaMichael James – RB, Oregon (2009-11)
• Derrick Johnson – LB, Texas (2001-04)
• Bill Kollar – DT, Montana State (1971-73)
• Luke Kuechly – LB, Boston College (2009-11)
• Jeremy Maclin – WR/KR, Missouri (2007-08)
• Terance Mathis – WR, New Mexico (1985-87, 1989)
• Bryant McKinnie – OT, Miami [Fla.] (2000-01)
• Corey Moore – DL, Virginia Tech (1997-99)
• Michael Stonebreaker – LB, Notre Dame (1986, 1988, 1990)
• Tim Tebow – QB, Florida (2006-09)
• Troy Vincent – DB, Wisconsin (1988-91)
• Brian Westbrook – RB, Villanova (1997-98, 2000-01)
• DeAngelo Williams – RB, Memphis (2002-05)

 
COACHES: 

• Monte Cater – 275-117-2 (70.1%); Lakeland (1981-86), Shepherd [W. Va.] (1987-2017)
• Paul Johnson – 189-99-0 (65.6%); Georgia Southern (1997-2001), Navy (2002-07), Georgia Tech (2008-18)
• Roy Kramer – 83-32-2 (71.8%); Central Michigan (1967-77)
• Mark Richt – 171-64-0 (72.8%); Georgia (2001-15), Miami [Fla.] (2016-18)