Since the earliest days, athletics have been a vital part of the Worcester State student experience. On Saturday, Sept. 28, the university honored its “first teams” with a special event that brought back to campus dozens of alumni who were trailblazing student-athletes during their time at the university.
The 24 men’s and women’s athletics teams established from 1948 to 2021 laid the foundation for the 20 Division III sports teams the university has today. A plaque naming all the teams will be hung on the wall facing the Hall of Fame plaques in the Wellness Center.
“We’re excited to celebrate the legacy of not just varsity sports teams but also club sports teams,” said Athletics Director Mike Mudd. “Our original members are really the trailblazers that laid the groundwork to get our program to where we are today. Each team that we’re recognizing with this plaque represents the earliest groups of student-athletes who embody spirit, dedication, teamwork, excellence, and passion for sports. Athletics has become a cornerstone of our campus life, fostering community, competition, and leadership across all generations of men and women.”
Bill Porcaro, quarterback on the 1969 football team, reminisced about practicing in the muddy field where the Wellness Center now stands. He was on the team when it was still a club team and has followed the successes of the team even after he graduated “It’s gone from 18 ragtag guys looking for equipment from various colleges in the area to a national championship,” he said. “Now here we are today recognizing the team.”
The event gave him and his 1969 teammates a chance to reconnect. “It was nice to be recognized,” he said. “It’s nice to be able to tell my children. This is proof that it happened, because the older I get,” he joked, “the better I was.”
Also on hand was founding football coach Jim Girouard, who tossed the coin before the Homecoming game. He organized and started the football program at Worcester State College in 1969 and coached the club football team for years. While the team’s club status made it a challenge to recruit players, he said, the players on the club team were very good. With its new status as a team, they were able to recruit more players and pay for facilities, equipment, and transportation to away games. The Lancers won the national title in 1980 under Girouard’s leadership.
Girouard, who has lived in California for the last 24 years, appreciated the opportunity to return to campus and reconnect with the athletes he coached. “This wasn’t here when we were here,” he said, referring to the John F. Coughlin Memorial Field. “When I look around here now and see the facilities, what’s happening, it’s fantastic.”
“The state college system is tremendous,” he said. “It gives a lot of opportunities for kids that go to school. And every year it gets better and better.”
Photos by Jullian Valadares
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