Worcester State Lancers football

Worcester State Lancers football
First season	1962;63 years ago (1962)
Athletic director	Michael Mudd
Head coach	Lazaro Mitjans Jr. 1st season, 0–0 (–)
Stadium	John F. Coughlin Field (capacity: 2,500)
Field surface	FieldTurf
Location	Worcester, Massachusetts
NCAA division	Division III
Conference	MASCAC
Past conferences	Independent NEFC
All-time record	185–181 (.505)
Rivalries	Fitchburg State (Sterling Cup)
Colors	Blue and gold [1]
Mascot	Lancer
Website	wsulancers.com

The Worcester State Lancers football team represents Worcester State University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Lancers are members of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), fielding its team in the MASCAC since 2013. The Lancers play their home games at John F. Coughlin Field in Worcester, Massachusetts. ^[2]

Their head coach is Lazaro Mitjans Jr., who took over the position for the 2025 season. ^[3]

Conference affiliations

• Club team (1969–1984)
• Independent (1985) ^[4]
• New England Football Conference (1986–2012) ^[5]
• Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (2013–present) ^[6]

Championships

Conference championships

Worcester State claims 3 conference titles, the most recent of which came in 1997.

Year	Conference	Overall Record	Conference Record	Coach
1995	New England Football Conference	9–2	8–0	Brien Cullen
1996		10–1	8–0
1997†		8–3	7–1

† Co-champions

Division championships

Worcester State claims 4 division titles, the most recent of which came in 2011.

Year	Division	Coach	Overall Record	Conference Record	Opponent	CG result
1987	NEFC South	Brien Cullen	7–2	5–0	Plymouth State	L 0–40
1988			7–3	5–1	Plymouth State	L 0–62
2000†	NEFC Bogan		7–2	5–1	N/A lost tiebreaker to Bridgewater State
2011†			8–3	6–2	N/A lost tiebreaker to Framingham State

† Co-champions

Postseason games

Bowl games

Worcester State has participated in seven bowl games, and has a record of 1–6.

Season	Coach	Bowl	Opponent	Result
1995	Brien Cullen	ECAC Bowl	RPI	L 12–69
1996		ECAC Bowl	Ithaca	L 21–27
1997		ECAC Bowl	RPI	L 13–14
2001		ECAC Bowl	Curry	W 36–35
2002		ECAC Bowl	RPI	L 29–55
2003		ECAC Bowl	UMass Dartmouth	L 7–21
2011		ECAC Bowl	Salve Regina	L 6–26

List of head coaches

Key

Key to symbols in coaches list

General		Overall		Conference		Postseason [A 1]
No.	Order of coaches [A 2]	GC	Games coached	CW	Conference wins	PW	Postseason wins
DC	Division championships	OW	Overall wins	CL	Conference losses	PL	Postseason losses
CC	Conference championships	OL	Overall losses	CT	Conference ties	PT	Postseason ties
NC	National championships	OT	Overall ties [A 3]	C%	Conference winning percentage
†	Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame	O%	Overall winning percentage [A 4]

Coaches

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records, conference records, postseason records, championships and selected awards

No.	Name	Season(s)	GC	OW	OL	OT	O%	CW	CL	CT	C%	PW	PL	PT	DC	CC	NC	Awards
1	Brien Cullen [10]	1985–2019	346	181	165	0	0.523	130	111	0	0.539	1	6	0	3	6	0	5× NEFC Coach of the Year (1987, 1993, 1995, 2000, 2011)
2	Adam Peloquin [11]	2020–present	20	4	16	0	0.200	4	12	0	0.250	0	0	0	0	0	0	–

Year-by-year results

National champions

Conference champions

Bowl game berth

Playoff berth

Season	Year	Head Coach	Association	Division	Conference	Record							Postseason	Final ranking
						Overall			Conference
						Win	Loss	Tie	Finish	Win	Loss	Tie
Worcester State Lancers
1983	1983	Brien Cullen	Club team
1984	1984
1985	1985		NCAA	Division III	Independent	5	0	0	—	—	—	—	—	—
1986	1986				NEFC	4	5	0	7th	4	5	0	—	—
1987	1987					7	2	0	1st (South)	5	0	0	Conference champions	—
1988	1988					7	3	0	1st (South)	5	1	0	Conference champions	—
1989	1989					4	5	0	T–2nd (South)	3	3	0	—	—
1990	1990					5	4	0	2nd (South)	5	1	0	—	—
1991	1991					2	8	0	5th	2	4	0	—	—
1992	1992					1	9	0	8th	1	7	0	—	—
1993	1993					6	3	0	T–3rd	5	3	0	—	—
1994	1994					8	2	0	T–3rd	6	2	0	—	—
1995	1995					9	2	0	1st	8	0	0	L ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
1996	1996					10	1	0	1st	8	0	0	L ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
1997	1997					8	3	0	T–1st	7	1	0	L ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
1998	1998					4	6	0	4th (Bogan)	3	3	0	—	—
1999	1999					1	9	0	6th (Bogan)	1	5	0	—	—
2000	2000					7	2	0	T–1st (Bogan)	5	1	0	Conference champions	—
2001	2001					10	1	0	2nd (Bogan)	5	1	0	W ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
2002	2002					9	2	0	2nd (Bogan)	5	1	0	L ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
2003	2003					8	3	0	2nd (Bogan)	5	1	0	L ECAC Northeast Bowl	—
2004	2004					6	4	0	T–4th (Bogan)	3	3	0	—	—
2005	2005					5	5	0	4th (Bogan)	3	3	0	—	—
2006	2006					4	6	0	T–4th (Bogan)	3	4	0	—	—
2007	2007					4	6	0	T–4th (Bogan)	3	4	0	—	—
2008	2008					2	8	0	7th (Bogan)	2	5	0	—	—
2009	2009					1	9	0	8th (Bogan)	1	6	0	—	—
2010	2010					5	5	0	T–4th (Bogan)	3	4	0	—	—
2011	2011					8	3	0	1st (Bogan)	6	2	0	L ECAC Northwest Bowl	—
2012	2012					6	4	0	5th (Bogan)	4	4	0	—	—
2013	2013				MASCAC	3	7	0	T–8th	1	7	0	—	—
2014	2014					7	3	0	3rd	5	3	0	—	—
2015	2015					4	6	0	T–4th	4	4	0	—	—
2016	2016					3	7	0	T–6th	3	5	0	—	—
2017	2017					6	4	0	T–3rd	5	3	0	—	—
2018	2018					2	8	0	T–8th	1	7	0	—	—
2019	2019					0	10	0	9th	0	8	0	—	—
Season canceled due to Covid-19
2021	2021	Adam Peloquin	NCAA	Division III	MASCAC	3	7	0	7th	3	5	0	—	—
2022	2022					1	9	0	8th	1	7	0
2023	2023	Zach Besaw	NCAA	Division III	MASCAC	3	7	0	8th	3	6	0	—	—

Notes

1. Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played. ^[7]
2. A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
3. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since. ^[8]
4. When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss. ^[9]

References

1. "Worcester State Style Guide" . Retrieved December 7, 2018.
2. "No. 14 Union Football Topples Worcester State". Union College Athletics. September 11, 2021. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
3. "Peloquin Named Head Football Coach". alumni.worcester.edu. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
4. "Celebrating 50 Years of Football". alumni.worcester.edu. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
5. "NEFC Timeline".{{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
6. "Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference". MASCAC. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
7. National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) (2011). Bowl/All-Star Game Records (PDF). Indianapolis, Indiana: NCAA. pp. 5–10. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 5, 2011. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
8. Whiteside, Kelly (August 25, 2006). "Overtime system still excites coaches". USA Today. McLean, Virginia. Archived from the original on September 6, 2010. Retrieved September 25, 2009.
9. Finder, Chuck (September 6, 1987). "Big plays help Paterno to 200th". The New York Times. New York City. Archived from the original on September 28, 2013. Retrieved October 22, 2009.
10. Toland, Jennifer. "College football: Brien Cullen retires after 37 years as Worcester State football coach". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.
11. Toland, Jennifer. "'Our program is on its way to having continued success,' Spencer's Adam Peloquin earns full-time job for Worcester State football". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved March 18, 2023.

External links

• Official website