The College of the Holy Cross is a private Jesuit liberal arts college in Worcester, Massachusetts. It was founded by educators Benedict Joseph Fenwick and Thomas F. Mulledy in 1843 under the auspices of the Society of Jesus. Holy Cross was the first Catholic college in New England and is among the oldest Catholic institutions of higher education in the United States.
Fitton Field is a football stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts, primarily used for College of the Holy Cross sporting events. The stadium opened in 1908 as the official home for the Holy Cross Crusaders football team. Before that, most games were played on the adjoining baseball field. The stadium has a capacity of 23,500.
Formed in 1845, the Holy Cross Goodtime Marching Band is one of the oldest organizations at The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, USA, and one of the oldest college bands in the United States. The Crusaders Marching Band first began performing at football games in 1910 and the band's role has expanded significantly since to include other athletic appearances, performing at all home football games, selected away games, in exhibition at high school band competitions, and at various events throughout the country. In the spring, the marching band converts into the Holy Cross Crusader Pep Band and plays at all home basketball games, and travels with the teams to the NCAA tournament. The Marching Band performs at Fitton Field while the Pep Band plays in the Hart Center.
The Holy Cross Crusaders men's basketball team represents the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts in NCAA Division I competition. The team competes in the Patriot League and plays their home games in the Hart Center. The program boasts such notable alumni as Boston Celtics legends Bob Cousy and Tom Heinsohn, and longtime Providence College basketball coach Joe Mullaney. Under coach Doggie Julian, the Crusaders won a national championship in 1947. It is the only school from Massachusetts to win an NCAA Division I tournament. Dave Paulsen was appointed the program's 19th head coach on March 28, 2023.
The Holy Cross Crusaders are the athletic teams representing the College of the Holy Cross. They compete in NCAA Division I, primarily as members of the Patriot League. In ice hockey, a sport not sponsored by the Patriot League for either sex, the Crusaders are members of two other leagues, with men competing in the Atlantic Hockey Association and women in Hockey East. The men's rowing team is part of the Eastern Association of Rowing Colleges. Of its 25 varsity teams, Holy Cross supports 12 men's and 13 women's sports, giving Holy Cross the largest ratio of teams-per-enrollment in the country. Holy Cross's athletic teams for both men and women are known as the Crusaders.
The Holy Cross Crusaders football team is the collegiate American football program of the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts. The team is a member of the Patriot League, an NCAA Division I conference that participates in the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS). The team plays its home games at Fitton Field on the college campus.
Cleo Albert O'Donnell was an American football player and coach. He played college football at Holy Cross from 1904 to 1907. He was a football coach at Everett High School (1909–1915), Purdue University (1916–1917), Holy Cross (1919–1930) and Saint Anselm College (1935–1940). His 1914 Everett team has been ranked as the greatest high school football team of all time, finishing with a 13–0 record and outscoring opponents 600 to 0. In 11 years as the head coach at Holy Cross, his teams compiled a record of 69–27–6. O'Donnell has been inducted into the Holy Cross and Saint Anselm Halls of Fame.
The Boston College–Holy Cross football rivalry is an American college football rivalry between the Boston College Eagles and Holy Cross Crusaders.
The Ram–Crusader Cup is the name of the trophy awarded to the winner of the annual football game between the Fordham Rams and the Holy Cross Crusaders. Both schools are members of the Patriot League.
The 1937 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1937 college football season. The Crusaders were led by fifth-year head coach Eddie Anderson and played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts and Fenway Park in Boston. Despite losing key defensive players from the year prior, the Crusaders' defense was one of the best in the country, allowing only three touchdowns all season. Holy Cross went undefeated on the year, with a record of 8–0–2, finishing tied for 14th in the final AP Poll.
The 1938 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1938 college football season. The Crusaders were led by sixth-year head coach Eddie Anderson and played their home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts. Holy Cross's sole loss on the year came on a road trip to Carnegie Tech, where a missed extra point by the Crusaders prevented the tie. They finished ninth in the final AP Poll, the best finish in the Crusaders' history.
The 1936 Holy Cross Crusaders football team represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1936 college football season. The Crusaders were led by fourth-year head coach Eddie Anderson and played their home games at Fitton Field on campus in Worcester, Massachusetts. The team competed as a football independent. Holy Cross started the year on a five game winning streak, which helped land them a spot in the first ever AP Poll, released on October 19, 1936, being ranked 17th in that poll. Losses to Temple and rival Boston College and a tie to Saint Anselm knocked the Crusaders out of the polls by the end of the year. The team finished with an overall record of 7–2–1.
Polar Park is a baseball park in Worcester, Massachusetts, serving as the home of the Worcester Red Sox, a Minor League Baseball team competing at the Triple-A level and an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox. Opened for the 2021 Triple-A season, it has a seating capacity of 9,508 people. Polar Beverages, a local beverage company based in Worcester, has retained the naming rights to the ballpark.
The 1925 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1925 college football season. In its seventh season under head coach Cleo A. O'Donnell, the team compiled an 8–2 record and defeated Harvard for the first time in school history.
The 1939 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1939 college football season. In its first year under head coach Joe Sheeketski, the team compiled an 7–2 record.
The 1942 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1942 college football season. In its first year under head coach Ank Scanlan, the team compiled a 5–4–1 record.
The 1943 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross as an independent during the 1943 college football season. In its second year under head coach Ank Scanlan, the team compiled a 6–2 record. The team played its home games at Fitton Field in Worcester, Massachusetts.
The 1992 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1992 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Holy Cross finished second in the Patriot League.
The 1996 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 1996 NCAA Division I-AA football season. Holy Cross finished last in the Patriot League.
The 2007 Holy Cross Crusaders football team was an American football team that represented the College of the Holy Cross during the 2007 NCAA Division I FCS football season. Holy Cross tied for second in the Patriot League.
