McDaniel College Athletics Quarterly Updates

Dear Green Terror Alumni, Parents, and Friends: 

With the 2025 fall sports season wrapped up, I am excited to bring you the first quarterly update from McDaniel College Athletics.  

Life as an NCAA Division III student-athlete is unique, and it’s an experience that’s made extra special here on the Hill thanks to the support of our Green Terror community. As part of the recently launched Reaching New Heights campaign, Green and Gold athletic donors have already significantly impacted our student-athletes and programs in four major ways through Gill Stadium renovations and program support.   

Gill Stadium Upgrades

If you’ve been to the Hill for a football or field hockey game late this fall, you’ve been immediately greeted by vibrant new scoreboard art as you enter Stadium Drive, welcoming visitors to the Home of the Green Terror. This is just one of three upgrades to Gill Stadium this fall. 

Dr. Richard A. Clower ’50 Track

Prior to kickoff of the Homecoming football game against Dickinson on Oct. 25, we celebrated the official dedication and ribbon-cutting of the new donor-funded Dr. Richard A. Clower ’50 Track. Through the generosity of a group of anonymous donors, the track is named in honor of 1950 alum Dick Clower, professor emeritus of Exercise Science and Physical Education (now Kinesiology), who also served as the college’s director of Athletics.  

I was proud to join Dick and his wife, Sherry Albright Clower ’94, M.S. ’99, McDaniel President Julia Jasken, and Board Chair Bruce Preston ’75, along with the Head Track and Field Coach Kendall Luy, and former Head Track and Field Coach Doug Renner ’80, for the ceremony. Members of the men’s and women’s track and field teams celebrated the occasion by running a ceremonial lap around the track.  

Additional donors for the new track and renovated jumping areas include Darrell Guyton ’87, Kris Twiford Guyton ’88, Don Rembert ’61, Judy Ellis Rembert ’60, and Susan C. Stevenson ’85. The new track and jumping areas provide an exceptional training and home meet venue for our track programs, allow community members to exercise on a safe track, and offer high schools and running clubs the opportunity to have meets on campus as part of our recruiting efforts.  

While the track is complete and currently in use by our student-athletes and the wider McDaniel and Westminster communities, donors and friends can still be part of the great legacy of track and field on the Hill. There are still naming opportunities available for those interested in donating to the record board, the finish line, running lanes, the steeplechase pit, starting lines for various races, and the donor wall. Please contact Carolyn Hojnowski at carolyn.hojnowski@mcdaniel.edu to find out more. 

Locker Room Upgrades

The college is excited to pursue upgrades for our NCAA Division III student-athletes at Gill Stadium with the addition of much-needed new lockers in the team rooms underneath the stadium. The teams that use Gill Stadium — football, field hockey, men’s lacrosse, and women’s lacrosse — will soon benefit from team-specific, professional-grade locker rooms that will alleviate overcrowding in the Gill Center locker rooms.  

Production has begun on the lockers, and coaches will soon be able to showcase these new facilities to help recruits envision themselves as valued collegiate athletes. The spring teams will begin using the renovated spaces this year. These kinds of facility improvements are essential to help us attract and retain the most talented student-athletes. We thank donors including Donald Rembert ’61, Judith Ellis Rembert ’60, Joseph Browning ’11, and Caitlin Browning for their support of this project. 

Green and Gold Challenge

The support of our athletic alumni, parents, and friends extends beyond these wonderful renovations. During this year’s Green & Gold Challenge, 1,084 donors contributed $147,276 and we were able to award an additional $1,000 each to the following teams who met criteria for special awards: 

• The Green Award: Men’s lacrosse (the team that raised the most overall dollars for its program) 

• The Leveled-Up Award: Women’s wrestling (greatest increase in total raised from 2024) 

• The Loyal Fan Award: Women’s soccer (highest alumni participation rate) 

• The Golden Donor Award: Men’s wrestling (designated by the 650th donor) 

This support is critical in ensuring our teams have the resources they need to compete at the highest level. Green and Gold funds provide support for new equipment, team trips, and training and weight room needs. Thank you to all of the donors who contributed to this annual event. Your gifts will help make a difference in the student-athletes’ experiences on the Hill as they reach new heights.  

I want to take a moment to thank our Athletics Campaign Committee, led by Splinter Yingling ’68, for their efforts in raising more than $3 million for Athletics since the start of the campaign. 

Future Investments and Projects

As we transition from fall sports and look ahead to winter and spring, we look forward to additional investments in our athletic facilities. This spring, we will debut updates at Preston Field ahead of the baseball season opener. This includes all new padding, pitch clocks, and a new infield. In Gill Gymnasium, new baskets will soon be installed, and over the next three years, we will be seeking donations to renovate the basketball court and bleachers to enhance the men’s and women’s basketball experiences. 

Looking ahead, one of my biggest priorities during the Reaching New Heights campaign will be funding full-time head and assistant coaching positions. The part-time coaching model is dwindling in the NCAA world, and to keep McDaniel Athletics competitive within the Centennial Conference and our region, we must invest in full-time coaching positions to provide a comprehensive and well-rounded experience for all Green Terror student-athletes.  

Assistant coaches are essential far beyond game day with contributions to scouting, recruiting, game planning, academic support, and ultimately, team culture. Because these investments are ongoing, endowed gifts are essential to provide the college with a sustained source of income to attract and retain the nation’s top NCAA Division III coaches. These investments are central to the continued development of our program and our championship aspirations. Investments in full-time head and assistant coaching positions are especially essential to football, baseball, softball, men’s soccer, volleyball, and field hockey. 

Thank you for being part of the tradition that defines Green Terror Athletics. Your support keeps that legacy alive and ensures that today’s student-athletes feel the same pride and purpose that generations before them carried on the Hill.  

I hope to see you at a game soon — Go Green Terror! 

Jeremy Shepherd 

Director of Athletics