Abilene Christian football players, coaches and support staff from the Abilene Christian’s gathered Wednesday, June 17, to celebrate the latest in a string of historic achievements for the program at the Brown Family Club within Wildcat Stadium.
ACU’s coaching staff, support staff and about 45 returning players were joined by about a dozen graduating seniors to recognize Abilene Christian’s United Athletic Conference football championship during the 2025 college football season.
The Wildcats captured their second consecutive UAC football conference title last year after posting a 9-5 overall record, going 7-1 in conference play and punching their ticket to the FCS Playoffs for the second year in a row.
Current and former players, as well as ACU football coaches and staff, were presented with their 2025 UAC football conference championship rings Wednesday evening, which were decorated with distinct features honoring the team’s on-field accomplishments.
Abilene Christian head coach Keith Patterson began the ceremony by addressing his players in a speech about the history and rich tradition of Wildcat football, from ACU’s undefeated ‘Singing Christians’ 1950 squad, the 1973 and 1977 NAIA national champions and the 2008 and 2010 teams that won the NCAA Division II Lone Star Conference.
ACU’s sparkling new UAC conference championship rings were then distributed to players, coaches and support staff by position group.
Across the front, the rings are emblazoned with ‘2025 UAC CHAMPIONS’ with the Wildcats’ logo in the center of a glistening gemstone football.
On one side, the rings are inscribed in gold with ‘BACK2BACK’ to memorialize Abilene Christian’s back-to-back UAC conference titles above the ACU and UAC logos amidst a gold football field in the background.
The detachable ring top pulls away to reveal a mold of Wildcat Stadium that is also inscribed with ‘6-0’ to pay homage to Abilene Christian’s undefeated record at home last year.
Patterson then invited several of ACU’s graduating seniors to speak to the team about what Abilene Christian has meant to them and how it has helped them develop as players:
WHAT ACU’S SENIORS HAD TO SAY:
DL/DE Kaghen Roach (FCS All-American) – “I owe it all to ACU. I love this place. I love the teammates that I’ve had here, the coaches — forever in debt to them. Uh, love you guys. Can’t wait to watch y’all run it back.”
QB Quayde Hawkins – “I went out on a limb and came out here to play for KP (head coach Keith Patterson) three years ago, and it’s the best thing I’ve ever done. It changed my life for the better. It’ll do the same for you if you’re allowed to.”
QB Cade Fennegan – “I wasn’t here for very long, but I can say that I enjoyed every minute of it. I love my brothers, love the friends I made in the short time, and even in the six months that I was here, it changed my life as well. Take whatever time you got and just enjoy it and appreciate it.”
LB Will Shaffer (FCS All-American) – “I came here in summer of 2024 after getting cut at Utah State, and it felt like a time when nobody believed in me, at a time like I felt like I didn’t have a home. I found a home here. The camaraderie really is what stood out to me, just the way guys interact with each other, the way we were able to have each other in the weight room that translated to Saturdays. Just take it all in.”
DB Dorian Plumley (FCS All-American) – “Come in here every day ready to work and build a relationship with the people around you, because these relationships are going to stretch a lot further than just this campus.”
WR Javon Gipson (FCS All-American) – “The biggest thing that I took from this place is it’s not really where you start, it’s really where you finish. When my opportunity arrived, I had the best game of my life, and I never knew that was going to happen. I was given an opportunity here. I stayed the course, and when your opportunity shines, take full advantage of it.”
DB Sam Mason, Jr. – “I was at Oregon State for two years and didn’t play at all. KP gave me an opportunity to play. I am forever grateful: two championships and a degree!”
RB Jordon Vaughn – “I started my first two years in college at Wyoming. ACU found me. It’s been a great three years. The sense of community and pride that coach Person has helped instill in the team and in myself. It gives you a great feeling when you come back to campus and you can relive the moments you spent here.”
This article originally appeared on Abilene Reporter-News: Check out unique features of ACU football’s conference championship rings
Reporting by Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News / Abilene Reporter-News
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Andrew McCulloch, Abilene Reporter-News | USA TODAY Network
