Paula MacKoul-Cofman '92

Paula MacKoul-Cofman '92 was an outstanding softball pitcher who finished with a 51-21 career pitching record, including 10 shutouts and 448 career strikeouts, the National NCAA Division III record at that time. Paula pitched 470.3 innings and still holds two Worcester State College pitching records.

She set the single season strikeout record with 193 and had a career earned run average of 0.89. Paula was instrumental in leading the Lancers to the National NCAA Division III softball tournament in 1987. The team went 21-1 in the regular season and they lost two close games to Eastern Connecticut State, the eventual national champions in the NCAA Regionals.

She was captain of the softball team her senior year.

James Murphy '83

James Murphy '83 was an outstanding basketball and football player for four years. He scored 1,122 points in basketball and is the college's 13th leading all-time scorer. Jim also had more than 800 rebounds during his career and was named the most valuable player in basketball in 1982.

He was an assistant basketball coach at Worcester State College in 1983. Jim was a co-captain of the football team for two years and caught more than 100 passes and scored 25 touchdowns. During that time the team won the National Collegiate Club Football Championship in 1980 and were the national runner-ups in 1981. The football team also had an unbeaten streak of 16

games.

Jim is a Massachusetts State Police Trooper and is active in youth basketball and soccer in the Marlboro area.

Richard "Okie" O'Connor

Richard "Okie" O'Connor was the head coach of cross country and track at Worcester State College for 17 years from 1969 through 1983, compiling an amazing 205 wins. Okie's cross country team went 77-37 while his track team had a record of 128-65.

He was a well known and respected coach in the New England track and field circles and his track team won the State College Outdoor Championships in 1972 and 1976. His cross country team went undefeated, 10-0, in 1970 while his track team logged an undefeated 7-0 record in 1971. Okie coached three NCAA Division III All Americans during his tenure.

The term "coach" still applies to Okie today.

Carol Ringer ‘88

Carol Ringer '88 was an outstanding basketball and volleyball player for two years after transferring to Worcester State College from Westfield State College. She was a key member and a captain of the volleyball teams which compiled the best two-year record in WSC history, 51-6.

The 1986 team went undefeated at 27-0 in the regular season and was the only WSC team to host an ECAC tournament game, losing to finish at 27-1. The 1985 team had a 24-5 record. Carol was named twice to the MASCAC All Star teams in both sports. She scored 355 points in basketball and had 281 rebounds.

Carol is an assistant volleyball coach at Anna Maria College and has coached at Clark University.

Paul Sundstrom '66

Paul Sundstrom '66 was an outstanding baseball player for four years and played an instrumental role as an outfielder for teams that produced a 41-10 record. The team won two New England Teacher's Conference Championships, went undefeated in 1964 with a 13-0 record and ran off a three year string of 27 straight wins, a record that still stands today.

Paul hit a lofty .388 in 1965 when the team went 13-1. He had a .295 career batting average and was the top defensive outfielder during that time, finishing his career with an impressive .977 fielding percentage with only two errors committed during those four years. He had a strong arm and led the outfielders in assists.

Richard Todd '77

Richard Todd '77 was an outstanding hockey player for three years and still ranks among the top 10 scorers in Lancers history with 47 goals and 75 assists for 122 career points. Dick was a captain of the 1976-77 team which won the ECAC Hockey Championship. He was selected to the All East Team that season. 

The 1974-75 team was an ECAC semi-finalist and the 1975-76 team was the ECAC runner-up. Dick was an assistant hockey coach at Worcester State College during the 1977-78 season. He was also a member of the Lancers baseball team.

Dick remains active in coaching both youth hockey and soccer.

Kenneth Troy '76

Kenneth Troy '76 was a four year member of the track and field teams and a co-captain of the team his senior year. He was a member of the college's only undefeated track team that finished 7-0 in 1971. He competed in the long jump, triple jump, high jump and established school records in all these events. He also competed in the 110 high hurdles, 50 meter hurdles and pole vault. Kenneth set a meet and school record scoring 22 points against Nichols when he won the high jump, triple jump, intermediate hurdles and long jump and came in third in the pole vault and high hurdles. He scored a team high 72 3/4 points that season and was the leading scorer for four straight years.

Kenneth was a New England AAU Champion in the long jump. He also placed in the NAJA Conference Championships in the high jump and long jump and placed at the New England State College Championships in the high jump, long jump and high hurdles.

Kenneth was a five times Masters National Champion and a Masters All-American and ranked in the top five World Masters in the high hurdles, long jump and triple jump.