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Western Connecticut Wolves football

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Western Connecticut Wolves football
First season1969; 55 years ago (1969)
Athletic directorLori Mazza
Head coachJoe Loth
12th season, 71–44 (.617)
StadiumThe WAC
(capacity: 4,500)
Year built1995
Field surfaceFieldTurf
LocationDanbury, Connecticut
NCAA divisionDivision III
ConferenceMASCAC
Past conferencesNAIA Independent
NEFC
Division III Independent
FFC
NJAC
All-time record230–282–4 (.450)
Bowl record2–2 (.500)
Playoff appearances4
Playoff record1–4
Conference titles4
RivalriesFramingham State[1]
ColorsDeep blue and Starbust orange[2]
   
MascotWolves
Websitewestconnathletics.com

The Western Connecticut Wolves football (often stylized as WestConn) team represents Western Connecticut State University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Wolves are members of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), fielding its team in the MASCAC since 2013. The Wolves play their home games at the WAC in Danbury, Connecticut.[3] The team was previously known as the Western Connecticut Colonials and Western Connecticut Indians.

Their head coach is Joe Loth, who took over the position for the 2012 season.[4]

History

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Western Connecticut State College, now known as Western Connecticut State University, established its college football team in 1969, initially named the Western Connecticut Indians. The team's first head coach was Jim Krayeske, who guided them to a 2–2–1 record during their debut season in the Freedom Football League.[5] In recognition of his contributions, Krayeske was inducted into the WestConn Hall of Fame in 2013.[6] The team held their inaugural home game on October 25, 1969, at Osborne Street Field, where they faced New Haven.[7]

Conference affiliations

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Championships

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Conference championships

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Western Connecticut claims 4 conference titles, the most recent of which came in 2023.

Year Conference Overall Record Conference Record Coach
1985† New England Football Conference 10–2 8–1 Paul Pasqualoni
1999 Freedom Football Conference 10–1 6–0 John Cervino
2001† 8–2 5–1 Bob Surace
2023† Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference 10–2 8–1 Joe Loth

† Co-champions

Postseason games

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NCAA Division III playoff games

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Western Connecticut has appeared in the Division III playoffs four times, with an overall record of 1–4.

Year Round Opponent Result
1985 First Round Montclair State L, 0–28
1999 Second Round Montclair State L, 24–32
2001 First Round
Second Round
Westfield State
Rowan
W, 8–7
L, 14–43
2023 First Round Johns Hopkins L, 20–62

Bowl games

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Western Connecticut has participated in nine bowl games, and has a record of 2–2.

Season Coach Bowl Opponent Result
2000 Bob Surace ECAC Bowl Nichols W 63–10
2013 Joe Loth ECAC Bowl Salve Regina W 48–35
2014 ECAC Bowl St. John Fisher L 14–28
2019 New England Bowl WPI L 6–35

List of head coaches

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Key

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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

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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 Jim Krayeske[5] 1969 5 2 2 1 0.500
2 Nick Cutulle[14] 1970–1971 8 1 7 0 0.125 1
3 Dave Rice[15] 1972–1974 26 9 17 0 0.346
4 Bill Sferro[16] 1975–1976 16 6 10 0 0.375
5 Carl Paight[17] 1977–1979 26 3 23 0 0.115 1 8 0 0.111
6 Steve Golden 1980–1981 18 1 16 1 0.083 1 15 1 0.088
7 Paul Pasqualoni[18] 1982–1986 51 34 17 0 0.667 24 12 0 0.667 0 1 0 1
8 Chris Rippon[19] 1987–1989 30 6 23 1 0.217
9 Ken Brasington[20] 1990–1991 20 4 16 0 0.200
10 John Cervino[21] 1992–1999 81 39 41 1 0.488 22 26 0 0.458 1 1 0
11 Bob Surace[22] 2000–2001 21 18 3 0 0.857 10 2 0 0.833 2 1 0 1
12 John Burrell[23] 2002–2011 100 37 63 0 0.370 20 54 0 0.270
13 Joe Loth[24] 2012–present 101 61 40 0 0.604 48 32 0 0.600 1 2 0

Year-by-year results

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National champions Conference champions Bowl game berth Playoff berth

[25]

Season Year Head
Coach
Association Division Conference Record Postseason Final ranking
Overall Conference
Win Loss Tie Finish Win Loss Tie
Western Connecticut Indians
1969 1969 Jim Krayeske FFL 2 2 1
Western Connecticut Colonials
1970 1970 Nick Cutulle NAIA Division I Independent 0 2 0
1971 1971 1 5 0
1972 1972 Dave Rice 1 7 0
1973 1973 4 5 0
1974 1974 4 5 0
1975 1975 Bill Sferro 2 6 0
1976 1976 4 4 0
1977 1977 Carl Paight NCAA Division III 2 7 0
1978 1978 0 8 0
1979 1979 NEFC 1 8 0 10th 1 8 0
1980 1980 Steve Golden 0 8 1 10th 0 8 1
1981 1981 1 8 0 9th 1 7 0
1982 1982 Paul Pasqualoni 2 7 0 T–8th 2 7 0
1983 1983 7 3 0 4th 6 3 0
1984 1984 9 1 0 2nd 8 1 0
1985 1985 10 2 0 T–1st 8 1 0 L NCAA Division III First Round
1986 1986 Independent 6 4 0
1987 1987 Chris Rippon 1 8 1
1988 1988 3 7 0
1989 1989 2 8 0
1990 1990 Ken Brasington 3 7 0
1991 1991 1 9 0
1992 1992 John Cervino FFC 2 8 0 T–6th 2 4 0
1993 1993 4 6 0 7th 2 4 0
1994 1994 1 9 0 7th 1 5 0
1995 1995 7 2 1 2nd 4 2 0
1996 1996 6 4 0 T–4th 3 3 0
1997 1997 4 6 0 T–6th 1 5 0
1998 1998 5 5 0 T–4th 3 3 0
1999 1999 10 1 0 1st 6 0 0 L NCAA Division III Second Round 14[26]
2000 2000 Bob Surace 10 1 0 2nd 5 1 0 W ECAC Northeast Bowl 20[27]
2001 2001 8 2 0 T–1st 5 1 0 L NCAA Division III Second Round
2002 2002 John Burrell 7 3 0 3rd 4 2 0
2003 2003 6 4 0 T–3rd 3 3 0
2004 2004 NJAC 5 5 0 T–4th 2 4 0
2005 2005 6 4 0 4th 3 3 0
2006 2006 5 5 0 T–5th 2 5 0
2007 2007 4 6 0 T–6th 2 5 0
2008 2008 2 8 0 8th 2 7 0
2009 2009 2 8 0 T–8th 2 7 0
2010 2010 0 10 0 10th 0 9 0
2011 2011 0 10 0 10th 0 9 0
2012 2012 Joe Loth 1 8 0 T–8th 1 7 0
2013 2013 MASCAC 8 2 0 2nd 6 2 0 W ECAC Northeast Bowl[28]
2014 2014 7 4 0 2nd 6 2 0 L ECAC Northeast Bowl[29]
2015 2015 5 5 0 T–4th 4 4 0
2016 2016 5 5 0 T–3rd 4 4 0
2017 2017 7 3 0 T–3rd 5 3 0
2018 2018 8 2 0 T–2nd 6 2 0
2019 2019 8 3 0 T–2nd 6 2 0 L New England Bowl[30]
Season canceled due to Covid-19
2021 2021 Joe Loth NCAA Division III MASCAC 5 5 0 5th 4 4 0
Western Connecticut Wolves
2022 2022 Joe Loth NCAA Division III MASCAC 7 3 0 T–2nd 6 2 0
2023 2023

Notes

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  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.[11]
  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.[12]
  4. ^ When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.[13]

References

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  1. ^ Lowenadler, Eric (October 26, 2022). "Wolves Triumph In Rivalry Game". echowcsu.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  2. ^ "University Color Palette". Retrieved August 24, 2023.
  3. ^ "Western Connecticut Athletic Facilities". Western Connecticut State University. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  4. ^ Dispatch, Mark Znidar, The Columbus. "College football: Loth leaves Otterbein for Western Connecticut State". The Columbus Dispatch. Retrieved April 10, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  5. ^ a b "1969- The Start of the Team – Celebrating 50 years of WCSU Football". www.wcsu.edu. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  6. ^ "Jim Krayeske – Celebrating 50 years of WCSU Football". www.wcsu.edu. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  7. ^ "First Scrimmage – Celebrating 50 years of WCSU Football". www.wcsu.edu. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  8. ^ CT), News-Times, The (Danbury (September 3, 2004). "WestConn football capsule". NewsTimes. Retrieved April 10, 2023.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  9. ^ "About the NJAC". njacsports.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  10. ^ "NEFC splits, will get two AQs". February 9, 2012. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
  11. ^ 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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ 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.
  14. ^ "Nicholas Cutulle Obituary (2005) - Albany, NY - Albany Times Union". Legacy.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  15. ^ Shook, Scott. "Distinguished Football Career Led Dave Rice to a Life of Volunteerism on Marco Island". Coastal Breeze News. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  16. ^ Yumpu.com. "2012 football media guide.indd - Western Connecticut State University". yumpu.com. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  17. ^ "Carl Paight, 85, Former Norwalk High School Coach". Norwalk Daily Voice. September 19, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  18. ^ "Paul Pasqualoni, the former head football coach at Western Con". AP NEWS. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  19. ^ "Chris Rippon - Special Teams Coordinator/Safeties & Specialists Coach - Hobart Football Coaches". Hobart and William Smith College Athletics. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  20. ^ By (September 13, 1991). "QB RYAN CATCHES ON AS STARTER AT WESTERN". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  21. ^ By (January 28, 2000). "WESTERN FOOTBALL COACH CERVINO RESIGNS". Hartford Courant. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  22. ^ "Surace '90 gets the call as football coach". Princeton Alumni Weekly. January 21, 2016. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  23. ^ "WESTERN CONNECTICUT FOOTBALL: Burrell out as head coach". NewsTimes. January 29, 2012. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  24. ^ Doyle, Paul (September 3, 2021). "WestConn football coach Joe Loth not sure what to expect as his team opens season". NewsTimes. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  25. ^ "GAME_BY_GAME_ALL_TIME_RESULTS_THROUGH_2022.pdf" (PDF). Western Connecticut State University. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  26. ^ "Latest news". USA Today. June 10, 2000. Archived from the original on June 10, 2000. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  27. ^ "- Mount Union No. 1 in Final AFCA Division III Coaches' Poll of 2000". February 1, 2001. Archived from the original on February 1, 2001. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  28. ^ Staff reports (November 19, 2013). "Western Connecticut football to play in ECAC bowl game". NewsTimes. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  29. ^ "WCSU ROUNDUP: Colonials earn ECAC bowl berth". NewsTimes. November 18, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
  30. ^ Toland, Jennifer. "College football: WPI set to host Western Connecticut in New England Bowl Series". The Worcester Telegram & Gazette. Retrieved April 10, 2023.
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