Entering his 12th year at Waynesburg in 2016, Rick Shepas has already taken over the top spot in Waynesburg’s all-time wins list (67-47). He owns a .569 winning percentage, the third-highest mark amongst all Yellow Jacket coaches who have held the position at least four seasons.
Shepas tied the record with a 35-10 season-opening win at Muskingum, before grabbing the record on Homecoming 2015. The Yellow Jackets won a thrilling 35-31 victory over Grove City to give the long-time progran leader win number 69.
In 2014, Waynesburg registered an 8-3 record and a third-place finish in the PAC. Following an overtime victory over conference rival Washington & Jefferson in the regular season finale, Waynesburg was invited to an ECAC bowl game for the fourth consecutive season. The Yellow Jackets earned 17 all-conference honors that season, including five first-team selections on offense.
In 2012, Shepas guided Waynesburg to the second 10-win season in school history (10-1), its first ECAC bowl win, a 28-24 triumph over Carnegie Mellon in the ECAC South West Bowl, and a share of the PAC title. Waynesburg received plenty of national praise during the year, rising as high as 13th in the American Football Coaches Association poll and 18th in the D3football.com national top 25. Along with all of its team success, Waynesburg also pulled in its share of individual accolades. A conference-best 17 Jackets were given All-PAC laurels, including eight first-teamers.
Prior to 2012, Shepas enjoyed his most successful season in 2007. On the field, the Yellow Jackets posted an 8-3 overall mark, their best since Shepas took over to that point, and for the second-straight season, Waynesburg went 5-1 in the PAC. His team’s reward for their success was an invitation to the ECAC Southeast championship game against Dickinson College.
Off the field, senior defensive end Mike Czerwien was honored by a handful of prestigious All-American teams while setting leading the nation in tackles for loss and sacks.
In only his second year as head coach of the Yellow Jackets, Rick Shepas guided Waynesburg to just one win shy of winning its second conference championship in four years.
After a slow start to the 2006 season, Shepas rallied Waynesburg to six wins in the final seven games and a second-place finish in the Presidents’ Athletic Conference (PAC). Behind two all-conference running backs, the Yellow Jackets finished second in the league in rushing, while the offensive line ranked among the nation’s best, allowing only six sacks.
During his first four seasons at Waynesburg, Shepas coached a handful of record-setting players. In his first season with the program, he coached Ryan Abels to a then-single-season school record 1,299 rushing yards. Also during that season, receiver Ivan Hawkins set the career receiving yards record at 2,439, while fellow wide receiver Dominick Hunter edged Hawkins for the school record with 179 career receptions.
Shepas was named the 20th head football coach at Waynesburg on May 26, 2005, joining the Yellow Jackets after completing a seven-year tenure as head coach at Massillon Washington High School, where he won two consecutive regional championships.
While with the Tigers, he posted a 53-28 record, including a 12-2 mark in the 2001 season. In that season, Shepas coached a dynamic passing game headlined by quarterback Justin Zwick, who threw for 3,281 yards and 40 touchdowns and later went on to play quarterback at Ohio State.
In addition to coaching at Massillon, Shepas served as athletics director for the Tigers. Massillon is recognized as one of the most prominent high school athletic programs in the country with their tie to the legendary Paul Brown and the Tigers’ bitter rivalry with Canton McKinley.
Shepas began his coaching career in 1989 at Alliance (Ohio) High School as the secondary and receivers coach. In 1990, he moved on to Poland Seminary (Ohio) High School and served as the defensive coordinator for three seasons. In 1993, he assumed the head coaching duties at Poland and guided the Bulldogs to three-straight conference titles and the school’s first playoff appearance and regional championship.
In 1996, Shepas accepted the head coach position at Seneca Valley High School. In his second season, he coached the Raiders to the WPIAL semifinals and won the Quad A North Conference title after defeating North Allegheny, which was ranked No. 1 in the state.
Success has followed at every stop along his coaching journey. He has coached teams to seven playoff appearances and four league titles, while earning seven coach of the year honors. Shepas also served as a coach in the 1996 Big 33 Football Classic.
He boasts a 97-35 career record as high school coach, which translates to a .734 winning percentage.
Shepas attended Youngstown State University, where he was a four-year member of the football team as a receiver for the Penguins. He finished his career second in school history with 150 career receptions and 2,263 career receiving yards. He was a captain and all-conference receiver on the 1986 Youngstown State team under head coach Jim Tressel, the former head coach at Division I Ohio State University.
Following his time with the Penguins, Shepas attended a mini-camp with the Cleveland Browns and a training camp with the Green Bay Packers in 1987. He later played for the Pittsburgh Gladiators, an arena football team, in 1988.
Shepas is a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and earned a bachelor’s degree in sports management from Youngstown State in 1987 and added a master’s degree in education in 1991 from Ashland University.
Shepas is a Hall of Fame member at each of his alma maters, Youngstown State (1996) and Cardinal Mooney High School (1998) in Youngstown, Ohio. He and his wife, Christine, have three daughters, Maria, Katie and Gina.
