The Worcester State Lancers fully expect to be competing to the New England Football Conference title this season following a successful 9-2 2002 campaign where WSC made it to the ECAC playoffs.

The 2003 season will mark the 19^th for the varsity football program.  In those 19 seasons, all under head coach Brien Cullen ’77, the Lancers have compiled an impressive 107-67 record.

It all started on the campus of Quinsigamond Community College back in 1969 when the Lancers played Assumption College in a one game season under the direction of Coach Jim Girouard, who was instrumental in the development of the Worcester State College Football Program.

The Lancers went on to win two National Club Football Championships, in 1980 under Coach Girouard, and in 1984 with an undefeated 11-0 record under current head coach Brien Cullen.

In March of 1985, the Board of Trustees voted to elevate the football program to Division III, NCAA varsity status.  Worcester State then joined the New England Football Conference effective with the 1986 season.  The Lancers played a five game schedule in 1985 finishing with an amazing 5-0 undefeated season and were ranked as high as 5^th in the New England Football Coaches Poll.  The new kid on the block had arrived.

In the Lancers first year in the NEFC, the Lancers finished with a 4-5 record.  Then came a pair of South Division and MASCAC titles as the Lancers finished 7-2 in 1987 and 7-3 in 1988 and played in the first two NEFC title games, losing both times to Plymouth State.

In 1995 Worcester State won their first of three consecutive NEFC titles and were selected to play in the ECAC Playoffs for the first time in school history.  Finishing with a 9-2 record the Lancers finished the season ranked 2^nd in the New England Division III Coached Poll.  The Lancers also achieved their first recognition in the Lambert Bowl Poll and were ranked as high as 6^th late in the season before finishing 11^th in the final rankings.

The 1996 season saw the Lancers win the NEFC title with an 8-0 league record and 10-1 overall competing in the ECAC Playoffs for the second straight season.  The Lancers won 19 straight regular season games and 17 straight NEFC contests.  Amazingly, the Lancers led the NEFC in all 9 team statistical categories and finished as the number one ranked team in the New England Division II Poll.

In 1997, the Lancers were co-champions of the NEFC once again finishing with a 7- l conference record, 8-3 overall and made their third straight ECAC appearance.  1997 was also highlighted by Worcester State’s first appearance on NESN’s ECAC Game of the Week.

The history is short but action packed.  The team has been ranked in the top 10 of the New England Coaches Poll in 1985, 1987, 1988, 1993, 1994, 1995, 2000, 2001 and 2002; number one in 1996 and 1997.  In 1988 the team won the National Division III NCAA rushing defense title allowing just 43.9 yards per game and finished 5^th in the nation in total defense at 184.6 yards per game.  The 1993 team won the National Division III pass defense efficiency title with a .50 rating, the best in the nation in any division, allowing only one touchdown pass all season.  The Lancers won the pass defense efficiency title again in 1994, a year which saw the team break many offensive records en route to an 8-2 record.