Westfield State takes pride in its athletics as well as academics, earning high marks each year in the Massachusetts State Conference. In addition, Westfield State's athletes and teams have made the grade with their quality performances regionally and nationally.

 

Westfield State's most successful varsity sports during the past two decades have been men's track and field and cross country. The teams have produced 37 All Americans and 147 national qualifiers. The Owls have run away from the Mass. State conference competition annually, claiming 24 track and field championships in the past 25 years, and 18 of the past 25 cross country crowns. In addition, the Owls have captured 10 consecutive New England Alliance outdoor track and field championships.

 

The women's cross country and track and field programs are striving to reach the same level of prominence. They do have two individuals who have claimed national championships. In conference competition, the cross country squad has captured eight championships in the past 11 seasons, while the track and field team has won 10 straight conference titles.

 

One of the more popular sports at Westfield State is men's soccer, which has a long tradition of excellence and plays one of the toughest schedules in New England. Recently, the men's soccer program captured the conference tournament championship in 2006 and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in six years. In 2001 the men's soccer team placed second in the ECAC postseason tournament.

 

Increasing in popularity are women's soccer, women's volleyball and field hockey. Head coaches Todd Ditmar (soccer), Fred Glanville (volleyball), and Heather Cabral (field hockey) are highly capable team leaders. Volleyball continues its climb as a highly respected program, placing second in the conference seven of the past nine seasons. The field hockey team has won seven of the past 12 conference championships.

 

Westfield State football has gained recognition as a competitive member of the New England Football Conference, the largest Division III league in the nation with 16 teams. The program has a longstanding history of stability under the direction of 18-year coach Steve Marino, and in 2001 the Owls posted their best season ever. Westfield went 10-0 during the regular season, including a 12-0 victory over Nichols College in the New England Football Conference championship game. The Owls qualified for their first NCAA Tournament, losing to Western Connecticut, 8-7. The Owls continued their success in 2002, posting an 8-3 record and participating in the NEFC and ECAC championship games, and won their third straight Bogan Division title in 2003 while compiling a 7-3 overall record.

 

Indoor track and field, swimming and men's and women's basketball are Westfield State's winter sports. Each weekend the men's and women's track and field teams participate in the best indoor meets throughout New England. Swimming and diving coach Dave Laing has led his team to 14 consecutive winning seasons and a 100-36-1 record during the past 14 years. In 2007 Westfield posted its best record (9-1) in school history.

 

Westfield State's men's and women's basketball teams rank near the top annually in conference and regional play. The women's basketball team has been highly successful, compiling a school-record seven consecutive 20-win seasons and postseason appearances from 1991-1998. The Owls' are now coached by Andrea Bertini, who was a standout player at Westfield State from 1992-1996. Tenth-year men's coach Rich Sutter led the Owls to the second most victories in school history in 2006 when they posted an 18-8 record and captured their first conference regular season championship in 21 years. In 2007 the Owls advanced to the conference postseason tournament championship game for the first time in 14 seasons.

 

Men's and women's outdoor track and field, baseball, softball, and women's lacrosse  keep Westfield State in the news during the final months of the spring semester. The softball team under the guidance of former Westfield State standout athlete Lou Ann Simchak is always fundamentally sound while playing many of the top teams in New England.. Simchak led her squad to a second place during the conference's regular season in 2003, 2006, and 2007, and a runner-up finish in the 2005 conference postseason tournament.

Baseball, which is now led by highly respected fourth-year coach Ray Arra, also is highly competitive while playing in one of the top conferences in New England. In 2007 the baseball squad  won the conference championship and qualified for the NCAA Tournament for the first time in 23 years.

The women's lacrosse team participated in its first season of varsity competition in 2007, posting an overall record of 6-6.
 

The cheering squad under the direction of enthusiastic coach Lisa Moskow participates in numerous top-flight competitions throughout the school year.

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Student Support Services: 413-572-5462

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