Football | 12/20/2019 5:31:00 PM

BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - Bloomsburg University Director of Athletics Dr. Michael McFarland has announced the hiring of Frank Sheptock '86 as head football coach, effective immediately.
 
"The Bloomsburg University football program welcomes a true leader in Frank Sheptock, as the 28th head coach of the program," McFarland said. "With his appointment as head coach, we have secured a leader who believes in BU's athletic and institutional goals, while taking the football program to new heights."
 
"We are thrilled to welcome BU alumnus Frank Sheptock back to campus to lead our football program," said BU President Dr. Bashar Hanna. "Frank distinguished himself among a large and impressive list of coaching candidates, and I am confident that his positive energy and exemplary commitment to winning will resonate with the entire BU family, especially our student-athletes. A proud Husky himself, Coach Sheptock understands the needs of our program, and the importance of our student-athletes succeeding in and out of the classroom. We are excited to welcome Frank and his wife, Lisa, back to the BU family."
 
Sheptock returns to Bloomsburg after a one-year stint at Misericordia University where he served as the defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Prior to that, Sheptock was the head coach, and athletic director, at Berwick High School from 2016-19 and went 27-11 overall after taking over for legendary head coach George Curry. Sheptock's Berwick teams reached the District 2 Class 4A title game in his first two seasons and a trip to the district semifinals in his final year.
 
Prior to spending the 2015 campaign as the defensive line coach at Bloomsburg University, Sheptock was at Division III Wilkes University as the defensive coordinator from 1990-95 and then took over the Colonels' program and served as head coach from 1996-2014. While at Wilkes, Sheptock went 107-81 overall and established the program record for most wins in a season (11) and career (107), while leading the Colonels to nine postseason appearances. His 2005 squad went 8-3 overall and advanced to the NCAA Division III tournament while his 2006 team posted an 11-1 mark with an appearance in the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs.
 
The 2015 Huskies' squad led the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) Eastern Division in scoring defense, rushing defense, and total defense.
 
 "I am both humbled and honored to be the Bloomsburg University head football coach," Sheptock said. "Bloomsburg University significantly impacted my development as an individual, and I take great pride in being allowed to continue that positive impact on our current and prospective student-athletes. I want to extend my gratitude to Dr. (Bashar) Hanna, Dr. (Michael) McFarland, and the search committee for their confidence and trust. I look forward to building relationships with our current student-athletes and continuing the legacy of success of Bloomsburg University Football. Go Huskies!"
 
McFarland added, "I would like to thank our search committee for their diligence over the past month, especially co-chairs, Dr. Heather Feldhaus, Interim Associate Vice Provost for Research and Sponsored Programs and Dean of Graduate Studies, and Mike Collins, Head Baseball Coach. Under their leadership, the search committee brought a great group of potential leaders forward for video interviews and face-to-face discussions in its quest to identify an individual who can return the Huskies to 'Beasts of the East' and challenge for the PSAC title."
 
A member of the NCAA Division II Team of the Quarter Century (1973-97), Sheptock played linebacker for head coach George Landis and holds the school records for tackles in a career (537), single-season (159), and single-game (23), as well as career fumble recoveries (12). Before his arrival, Bloomsburg experienced a winless season and, in his freshman year, only won one contest. But, by his junior year, Sheptock helped lead the team to a tie for the conference crown and then in his senior season, the Huskies posted an undefeated regular season, won the PSAC title after a 31-9 win over IUP, and advanced to the NCAA Division II semifinals. His program record for tackles in a single-game, in fact, occurred during the national semifinal contest at North Alabama.
 
Sheptock was a four-time PSAC First Team selection, a three-time First Team Associated Press All-American, and All-East Region honoree for the Huskies. Sheptock was inducted into the Bloomsburg Athletics Hall of Fame in 1997, the College Football Hall of Fame in 2007, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame in 2010, and was named to the PSAC's 150 Contributors of College Football in 2019 as one of Bloomsburg's ten honorees.
 
Frank, and his wife, Lisa, currently residing in Berwick, have two daughters, Nicole and Kelly. Nicole is the wife of Eddie Tarlecky ('13), and they are the parents of Zachary.