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Steve McShane
Larry Dean

Meet The McShanes

Growing up with nine siblings made Steve McShane the athlete and man that he is today.

Check the stats. Steve McShane is an absolute baller. How many two-sport, collegiate student-athletes garner all-conference recognition in both? And in the same season? 

Steve did. 

Over the last four years, the Western Illinois football and baseball student-athlete has fielded countless interviews that ask "To what do you attribute your success?" No. 5 on the field is also the fifth-born child in the McShane clan, and the answer to that question always involves family.  

"It's 10 of us all together. I have eight brothers and one sister," said Steve. "It's a crazy story but I [wear] No. 5 because I'm the fifth in the family. I took that [number] and ran with it a long time ago. It's a tough house, having eight brothers, but it's a blessing for us. 

"We were all able to be athletic. Playing with all those athletes growing up, it's a competitive house. It's pretty fun." 

From youngest to oldest, there's JahVon, Chadwik, Krystal, Deion, Vance, Steve, Tony, Brandon, Miles, and Robert, and two of Steve's older brothers played collegiate football, which paved the way for him to do the same. The McShane comradery is rooted around athletics, outdoor activity like hunting and fishing, and of course, food.  57797

The Leatherneck Nation received its first introduction of Steve McShane back in 2015. His first career game, a win over then-ranked No. 25 Eastern Illinois, included a team-high 52 yards rushing with 11 yards added through the air. 

Four years later, the Freeport, Ill., native never imagined he would achieve so much. 

"I didn't see that coming. I don't think anyone did, but sports are sports. If you put everything into it, and not honestly just sports, in life too, if you put everything towards a goal, good things come from that.

"Not too many have a family like I do. I'm very close with my family and everything I do, I want them to look at me like 'This man did it for us. He made it happen.' I do everything for my family, and I feel good about everything I've done because they are proud of me. As long as they are proud of me, that's all that matters." 

The 2018 season has seen Steve etch his name alongside Western greats with 'Top 10' career rankings in rushing yards, all-purpose yards, rushing touchdowns and total touchdowns. Last season, he was named Second Team All-Missouri Valley Football Conference and First Team All-Summit League in baseball. 

Steve's play is just as exciting on the diamond where he's coming off of a junior campaign that boasted the sixth-best batting average in the league and the best on the team (.317).

This weekend will mark a colossal matchup in the McShane household, which he noted as the first of its kind, as Steve takes on little brother Deion and the Northern Iowa Panthers. The younger McShane is entering his first season at wideout and is currently second on the team in receiving yards. Both brothers are two-sport student-athletes, with Deion's next slate taking up with the Panthers' track and field program. 53639

"We're always brothers. I told him 'We're even brothers on the field, but I'm not wanting y'all to win.' It's a good thing I don't have to hit him or anything since we're both on offense.

"My mom was like 'Don't you boys be out there hitting each other,'" Steve laughed. 

When asked to describe his family in one word, Steve chose 'ballers.' 

"I don't know. We're just built around that. We're built around making plays in football and baseball, track and field. We just want to win, and you've got to ball to win." 

The McShanes are definitely ballers. Make your way to Hanson Field this Saturday, Oct. 27, to see for yourself. 

 
 
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