SMITHSBURG, Md. — Layla Smith is getting a fresh start with a brand-new program.
The recent Smithsburg graduate has committed to Newberry (S.C.) College to play flag football beginning next spring.
It will be Newberry’s inaugural season in the sport after the college added the program to its athletic roster in December.
Smith was a strong defensive player in the Leopards’ secondary last season.
Newberry is an NCAA Division II school that competes in the South Atlantic Conference.
Smith, who plans to study nursing, also played softball for the Leopards. She recently received Smithsburg’s True Grit Award for her dedication, leadership and perseverance in school and athletics.
College sports
Shepherd to add four to its school Hall of Fame
SHEPHERDSTOWN, W.Va. — The Shepherd University Athletic Hall of Fame will induct four new members on Sept. 19 during the annual induction ceremony at the Storer Ballroom on the Shepherd campus.
Football player Deante Steele (2011) joins Erin Phelan Ziemba (2016 women’s lacrosse), Chris Pratt (2014 men’s tennis) and Brantley Osborne (2015 men’s basketball) for the 40th induction class, raising the number to 177 members.
The quartet will also be honored at the Shepherd-California (Pa.) football game as part of Hall of Fame Weekend festivities.
Steele was a standout defensive back/return specialist on the football team from 2007-10. Steele, a three-time All-American, helped lead Shepherd to WVIAC titles and playoff appearances in 2007 and 2010. A three-time first team All-WVIAC choice, he led the Rams in punt return average for four years, kickoff return average for three years and all-purpose yards for two years. He was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” in November 2010 after setting an NCAA Division II record with his 11th career kick return touchdown, a 52-yard punt return that sparked a come-from-behind win over West Liberty. He helped Shepherd to its first Super Region One title in 2010. Steele is Shepherd’s career leader in kickoff return average (25.51) and has the program’s top two single-season kickoff return averages with a 29.17 mark in 2009 and a 28.90 average in 2008.
Ziemba was a standout on the women’s lacrosse team from 2013-16. She earned All-Independent Division II All-Freshman Team honors and was a first-team All-Independent Division II selection as a sophomore. A two-time first-team All-MEC selection, Ziemba was the MEC Tournament MVP in 2015 and 2016 as she led the Rams to a pair of MEC titles. A two-time team captain, she led the team in points, goals and draw controls in her junior and senior seasons. She ranks second in career goals (182) and draw controls (203) and third in points (251) on Shepherd’s all-time list. Ziemba holds the team records for most free-position goals in a career (55) and a season (21 in 2016).
Pratt was a standout on the men’s tennis team from 2010-14. He posted more than 100 combined singles and doubles victories during his career and helped lead the Rams to postseason appearances in 2012 and 2013. Pratt is one of only a handful of Shepherd student-athletes to earn first-team All-Conference honors in all four years of his career. He teamed with Taylor Boyle at No. 1 doubles to record the first — and still the only — NCAA Division II regional victory in program history, defeating Bloomsburg in 2012.
Osborne was a standout on the men’s basketball team from 2009-14. He helped lead the Rams to a 20-10 record and a third-place finish in the MEC in 2013-14. A first-team All-MEC selection that season, Osborne also earned second-team Daktronics and NABC Coaches Division II All-Atlantic Region honors. He ranks 10th in scoring (1,816), second in 3-pointers made (315) and 14th in assists (329) on Shepherd’s all-time lists. Osborne nearly finished his career with a 50-40-90 shooting line, posting a .473 field goal percentage, a .481 3-point percentage and a .893 free throw percentage.
The Athletic Hall of Fame breakfast will begin at 9 a.m., followed by the induction ceremony. Tickets are $40 and will go on sale in early August. They can be purchased by contacting Katie Swayne at [email protected] or by calling 304-876-5524, and they also will be available online.
Ten Rams named to PSAC Spring Academic All-Conference Team
LOCK HAVEN, Pa. — Ten Shepherd University student-athletes were named to the 2026 Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Spring Academic All-Conference Team.
The honor was created to increase academic recognition for high-achieving student-athletes, a priority identified by the conference in its most recent strategic plan.
The PSAC recognized 382 student-athletes from its 17 member institutions.
Shepherd’s honorees include:
Softball: Brenna Collis, Madelayne Ruffner, Cate Russian and Payton Weaver
Women’s Lacrosse: Aubrey Harrison, Sierra Rose and Luetta Seipp
Men’s Golf: Morgan Dehoff, a Boonsboro graduate; Joey Leisinger, a South Hagerstown graduate; and Trey Rios.
