Worcester State University boasts a rich and proud history of student athletics, which began when Al G. Fotiades ’50 and others established Worcester State’s first varsity sports team. Since joining the NCAA’s Division III in 1973, the university has expanded to include 20 Division III sports teams with 471 student-athletes. Here’s a look back at some of those great moments, with a focus on the Men's Ice Hockey program.
Early Athletic Endeavors
Students have been playing sports at Worcester State for more than 100 years. The university’s archives contain photos of women’s basketball from 1897 and women’s volleyball from around 1920. In the 1910s, women played in softball tournaments. These early athletics activities began as physical education before expanding into clubs such as the Men’s and Women’s Athletics Associations that hosted both weekly and intercollegiate competition.
The Rise of Varsity Sports
In the 1940s, athletics grew thanks to the efforts of World War II veteran Al G. Fotiades ’50 and several of his fellow Lancers. As a freshman at Worcester State Teachers College, Fotiades along with nine other students formed the 1946-47 men’s basketball team. The team played their home games in a standing-room-only gymnasium that was located on the first floor of the Shaughnessy Administration Building and went 8-1 in their inaugural season.
By 1953, Worcester State Teachers College was in need of a better logo and identity for the players. John Mockler, the first athletic director and catalyst for most of the men’s sports at Worcester State, studied the Massachusetts state seal for some inspiration and landed on “Lancers,” based on the arrow in the state seal. He commissioned an artist at the school newspaper to draw the first Lancer. Everyone loved the horse-mounted lancer, and the first athletics logo was born.
The Birth of Men's Ice Hockey
The 1960s were years of rapid expansion. Men’s ice hockey started in 1966, and women’s basketball followed in 1967. In the late 1960s, the university started indoor and outdoor men’s track, men’s cross country, and a men’s tennis team.
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Worcester State Men's Ice Hockey Hype Video
A Historic Run in the 1970s
Led by legendary head coach John Coughlin Sr., men’s hockey went on a historic run in the 1970s that began with the 1971-72 season. The team won the first of three consecutive ECAC championships and set numerous records that have yet to be broken by any Lancer men’s hockey team since. Their single-season record of 21-3 remains the best in program history, as does the team’s win percentage (.875) and total goals scored (252). To commemorate their performance that season, the entire 1971-72 men’s ice hockey team was inducted into the Worcester State Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022.
Al G. Fotiades ’50, a key figure in the development of Worcester State athletics.
The 1983-84 men’s golf team tied for third place in the 1984 NCAA Division III tournament and enjoyed a successful year from start to finish.
Continued Success and Recognition
In the 1990s, men’s basketball star Al Pettway ’94 reached unprecedented scoring heights during his time as a Lancer, leading the Lancers to the NCAA Tournament in 1994. In 2024, Worcester State Athletics welcomed Pettway back home as the new men’s basketball coach.
The mid 2000s were a time of dominance for the women’s soccer team, which won four straight MASCAC championships from 2004 to 2007.
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Another track and field star followed Elke Aun to became a national champion in 2013. Terrence Gibson ’16 was the first Worcester State male athlete to win a national championship when he won the 60-meter hurdle at the NCAA Division III Indoor Track and Field Championships.
The Modern Era
In the 2021-22 season, Worcester State established its first women’s ice hockey program. After Becker College closed in 2021, Worcester State recruited 13 members of its women’s ice hockey team, along with head coach Eliza Kelley, to play in the Lancers’ inaugural season. The team wasted no time making their presence known, winning their first ever game 5-0 and finishing the season as the 2022 ECHA champions. They have now won three straight ECHA crowns.
Worcester State saw two ice hockey athletes selected to represent Team USA in international games between 2022 and 2023. Max Roth ’22 was selected to represent Team USA at the Maccabiah Games in Israel. In January, Lancer graduate student Clare Conway ’22 represented Team USA in the 2023 International University Sports Federation World University Game in New York. In addition to playing ice hockey, Conway was an outstanding lacrosse player during her time at Worcester State.
The men’s basketball team, led by Coach Tyler Hundley, finished the 2022-23 season with a conference-best 22-6 record, defeating Westfield State in a rematch to claim the MASCAC title and reach the NCAA Division III tournament for the first time since 1994.
Key Achievements in Worcester State University Athletics
| Sport | Achievement | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Men's Ice Hockey | ECAC Championship | 1971-72 |
| Women's Basketball | AIAW National Championship | 1980 |
| Softball | MASCAC Championship | 1987 |
| Women's Soccer | MASCAC Championship | 2004-2007 (4 consecutive years) |
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