The Framingham State Rams are composed of 14 (15 in 2024–25) varsity teams (6 men's, 9 women's) representing Framingham State University in intercollegiate athletics. All teams compete at the NCAA Division III level and all teams compete in the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC).
Background Men's programs include baseball, cross country, football, basketball, ice hockey, and soccer. Women's programs include cross country, lacrosse, softball, basketball, field hockey, outdoor track and field, soccer, and volleyball (women's ice hockey will be added in 2024–25). Club sports that the university offers include Cheerleading, Men's Lacrosse, Men's Rugby, and Women's Rugby. The university also offers a wide variety of intramural programs that include everything from badminton, to golf, to dodgeball. There is also a state-of-the-art athletic and recreation center which opened in 2001 that includes basketball courts, a volleyball court, and a weight room.
Nickname Framingham State University adopted its mascot the ram in 1967, after a school-wide vote on what should represent the school. It came at the same time as the school, which had been all female up until 1964, added its first male athletics team. In one of the logos it shows a ram running down a hill, which represents the 282 foot (86 meter) high Bare Hill, where Framingham State University sits atop. The mascot's name is Sam the Ram.
Sports sponsored
Men's sports Women's sportsBaseballBasketballBasketballCross CountryCross CountryField HockeyFootballIce HockeyIce HockeyLacrosseSoccerSoccerSoftballTrack & FieldVolleyball
Club Sports Men's Lacrosse Women's Rugby (on hiatus) Men's Rugby (on hiatus) Coed Cheerleading
Baseball The Framingham State Rams Baseball team began play in 1969 and has an overall record of 725-830-3 (.466) as of the end of the 2023 season, and 246-312 (.441) in MASCAC conference play from 1986 to the end of the 2022 season. The team's home field is Bowditch Field in Framingham, Massachusetts, however most early season home games (until usually April 1) are played at the New England Baseball Complex (NEBC) in Northborough, Massachusetts.
On May 6, 2023, The Framingham State Rams baseball team led by fifth year head coach Sean Callahan won their first ever MASCAC regular season title with winning two out of three games in a series over Fitchburg State. Meanwhile Bridgewater State lost three out of three games in a series against Westfield State to give Framingham State their first ever MASCAC regular season title.
Accomplishments 2x Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Regular Season Champions – 2023 (2-way with Bridgewater State), 2024 (3-way with Bridgewater State and Salem State) 2x MASCAC Tournament Runner Up – 2017, 2018 3x Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III New England Baseball Tournament Runner Up – 1993, 1997, 2015
Men's basketball The Framingham State men's basketball team began play in the 1967–68 season as the first varsity team at Framingham State, and has an overall record of 560-804 (.411), 239-364 (.396) in MASCAC conference play as of the end of the 2022–23 season. The teams home court is the Logan Gymnasium in Framingham, Massachusetts.
In 1984 Mark VanValkenburg was selected as a member of the first team of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division III All America selections.
On November 28, 2022, the Framingham State Rams (2-5 overall, 0–0 in MASCAC play) took on the Bryant University Bulldogs of NCAA Division I's America East Conference (6-1 overall, 0–0 in America East play) in a non-conference exhibition game at the Chace Athletic Center in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Although the Rams lost by a final score of 98–44, the game was notable due to freshman guard Julius Goines's dunk in the beginning minutes of the second half. The dunk was so notable that it was featured on ESPN's SportsCenter top 10 plays as the number 4 play the following day on November 29, 2022.
Accomplishments 3x MASCAC Regular Season Champions – 1978–79, 1979–80 (2-way with Salem State), 1983–84 3x MASCAC Tournament Runner Up – 2000–01, 2001–02, 2004–05 3x NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament Qualifier – 1978–79, 1979–80, 1983–84 1x NCAA Division III men's basketball tournament Regional Second Place Team – 1978–79
Women's basketball The Framingham State women's basketball team began play in the 1974–75 season as the first women's varsity team at Framingham State, and has an overall record of 467-649 (.418), 187-319 (.370) in MASCAC conference play as of the end of the 2022–23 season. The teams home court is the Logan Gymnasium in Framingham, Massachusetts.
With the hiring of head coach Walter Paschal in the 2013–14 season from the Fitchburg State Falcons, the Framingham State Rams women's basketball team has seen a lot of success in recent years. In Walter's first year (2013–14), the Rams won a share of the MASCAC regular season title (along with Bridgewater State and Westfield State), to make it the Rams first conference title in program history. However the Rams lost in the MASCAC tournament finals to the Bridgewater State Bears by a final score of 73–66. The Rams did go on a run to the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) DIII New England Semifinals losing to the Endicott College Gulls by a final score of 67–64. However, in the next five years the Rams have made it to either the MASCAC tournament semifinals (2014–15 and 2018–19) or the MASCAC tournament finals (2015–16, 2016–17, and 2017–18) without winning the MASCAC regular season crown.
Finally in the 2019–2020 season the Rams won their first ever outright MASCAC regular season championship with an overall record of 22-6 (.786) and a perfect 12-0 (1.000) in MASCAC conference play. They went on to become MASCAC tournament champions for the first time ever beating the Worcester State Lancers at home by a final score of 66-51 led by MASCAC tournament MVP senior guard Mary Kate O'Day and with a posted attendance of 1,214 people, which represented the biggest home crowd in program history and Logan Gymnasium history. With that win the Rams were awarded with an automatic berth into the 2020 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament which was the first time in program history that the Rams appeared in the NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament. On March 6, 2020, the Rams were matched up with the D3hoops.com number 7 team, the Amherst College Mammoths at the LeFrak Gymnasium in Amherst, Massachusetts on the campus of Amherst College in which the game ended with a final score of 70-46 and a posted attendance of 12 people.
In the 2021–22 season (no 2020–21 season due to COVID-19 concerns) the Rams recorded their best ever record with an overall record of 22-4 (.846) and a perfect 12-0 (1.000) in MASCAC conference play. The Rams won their third ever (second ever outright) MASCAC regular season title and won their second ever MASCAC tournament title with a 84–69 win over the Bridgewater State Bears at home with a posted attendance of 844 people led by MASCAC tournament MVP sophomore guard Gwendolyn Carpenter. The Rams were again awarded an automatic berth to the NCAA tournament, this time being matched up with the D3hoops.com number 16 team, the Smith College Pioneers at Ainsworth Gymnasium on the campus of Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. On March 4, 2022, Smith beat Framingham State by a final score of 61–51 with a posted attendance of 450 people, which marked the closest NCAA tournament game in program history to date.
On December 3, 2022, the Framingham State women's basketball team upset the Smith Pioneers at home by a final score of 78-74 who was ranked number 6 on the D3hoops.com women's basketball top 25 national poll. This game was notable due to multiple factors. First this was the programs first ever win against a top 25 opponent. Second this game was a rematch of the 2022 NCAA Division III women's basketball tournament first round. Lastly junior center, Flannery O'Connor scored her 1,000th point making her the 14th Ram in program history to score 1,000 points. On December 11, 2022, the Rams appeared in the D3hoops.com women's basketball poll for the first time ever receiving 2 votes in the D3hoops.com women's Top 25, 2022-23 Week 3 poll. Although for the Rams, the 2022–23 season not the best of seasons for the team compared to the prior two seasons. The Rams entered the 2023 MASCAC conference play with a 25-game winning streak against MASCAC opponents dating back to February 21, 2019, however that was snapped when on January 4, 2023, the Bridgewater State Bears (8-4 overall, 0–0 in MASCAC play) beat the Rams (8-2 overall, 0–0 in MASCAC play), 75–58 at home. The Rams finished the 2022–23 season with an overall record of 17-6 (.739) and 9-3 (.750) in MASCAC conference play culminating with a 90–76 loss to the third seeded Westfield State Owls at home in the MASCAC tournament semifinals.
During the 2023–24 season, the Rams appeared in the 13th annual D3hoops.com Classic at South Point Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time in program and school history. The Rams opened the tournament with a 71–48 win over the Westminster College (Missouri) Blue Jays on December 27, 2023, and later fell to the nationally ranked Trinity University (Texas) Tigers, 83–74, on December 29, 2023. All games of the classic were streamed live on Team1Sports via a link provided by D3hoops.com.
Accomplishments 4x MASCAC Regular Season Champions – 2013–14 (3-way with Bridgewater State and Westfield State), 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023-24 4x MASCAC Tournament Runner Up – 2013–14, 2015–16, 2016–17, 2017–18 4x MASCAC Tournament Champions – 2019–20, 2021–22, 2023-24, 2025-26 4x NCAA Division III Women's Basketball Championship Qualifier – 2019-20, 2021-22, 2023-24, 2025-26 1x NCAA Statistical Champion - 2024 (Gwendolyn Carpenter - 7.2 assists per game)
Cheerleading The Framingham State cheerleading team was formed in 1997 as a club team.
In 2022 The Framingham State cheerleading team won their first national championship by taking first place in the Division III small coed Finals at the National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate National Championships in Daytona Beach, Florida. The program had previously participated in the small all-girl division since they began participating in Daytona Beach in 1997; this was their first time competing in the small coed division.
Accomplishments
1x National Cheerleaders Association (NCA) Collegiate National Championships Division III small coed National Champions - 2022 1x NCA International Intermediate Coed Champions - 2023 1x AmeriCheer - AmeriDance International Championship first place - 2023
Men's cross country On September 30, 2023, The Framingham State Rams men's and women's cross country team hosted the first ever Ram's Invitational at the Warren Conference Center and Inn in Ashland, Massachusetts. Framingham State hosted the Massachusetts Maritime Buccaneers and the Worcester State Lancers for the first ever Ram's Invitational.
Accomplishments 1x Yankee Small College Conference NECA Tournament Champions – 2011
Women's cross country On September 30, 2023, The Framingham State Rams men's and women's cross country team hosted the first ever Ram's Invitational at the Warren Conference Center and Inn in Ashland, Massachusetts. Framingham State hosted the Massachusetts Maritime Buccaneers and the Worcester State Lancers for the first ever Ram's Invitational.
Accomplishments 1x Yankee Small College Conference NECA Tournament Champions – 2011
Football
The football team began play in 1972 and has an overall record of 220-251-2 (.467), 64-8 (.888) in MASCAC conference play as of the end of the 2022 season as Framingham State's most winningest men's program to date. The team's home field is Bowditch Field in Framingham, Massachusetts.