The 2017 WPI Engineers football team represented Worcester Polytechnic Institute in the 2017 NCAA Division III football season. It marked the Engineers' 128th overall season. The team played its home games at Alumni Stadium in Worcester, Massachusetts. They were led by eighth-year head coach Chris Robertson. This was the first season that WPI competed in the New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) for football.
The Engineers finished the regular season with eight victories and two losses. The eight wins is the second most in school history (the Engineers posted nine wins in 1992), tying the 1983, 1989, and 1990 seasons. WPI was selected to host the New England Bowl, making it their third postseason appearance in school history. The Engineers defeated 17–3 to win their first bowl game in school history.
Personnel Coaching staff Name Position Joined staff Chris Robertson Head coach 2010 Matt Kelly Offensive coordinator 2014 Scott Sperone Defensive coordinator 2017 Brian Wehler offensive line 2016 Galen Holmes Defensive line / special teams coordinator 2007 Dan Ross Running Backs 2016 Zach Besaw Outside Linebackers 2016 Kyle Bernard Wide receivers 2017 Howard Bradley Assistant Defensive Backs 2017 Mike Kelly Assistant offensive line 2017 Brian Murtagh Defensive Assistant 2017
Roster 2017 WPI Engineers RosterQuarterback 3 Chris Hartford – Freshman 10 Stuart Campbell – Sophomore 12 Blake Rice – Senior 14 Jack Hughes – Sophomore 16 Eric Cosmopulos – Senior 20 Julian Nyland – Sophomore
Running Back 4 Sean McAllen – Sophomore 7 Connor Field – Sophomore 26 Zach Uglevich – Sophomore 35 Jackson Brandin – Sophomore 42 Stephen Peterson – Sophomore 44 Connor Sakowich – Junior 48 Lain Zembek – Junior
Fullback 45 Greg Stanton – Sophomore
Receiver 3 Alex Domond – Junior 5 Mike Montano – Sophomore 8 Spencer Hoagland – Freshman 10 Jake Vanscoy – Freshman 11 Mitjon Celaj – Senior 13 William Kopellas – Sophomore 15 Matt Nicholson – Junior 21 Clark Ewen – Sophomore 22 Romelle Jack – Junior 23 Ben Emrick – Sophomore 24 Skip Scott – Freshman 25 Nate Grunbeck – Sophomore 28 Tristan Carlton – Junior 30 Corey Coogan – Senior 39 Justin Coppolino – Senior 80 Brendan Chipman – Sophomore 81 Eric Fryer – Junior 82 Billy Mitchell – Sophomore 83 Zach Bellion – Junior 85 Matt Bressette – Sophomore 86 Nic Rossi – Sophomore 88 Austin Pesce – Sophomore
Tight End 19 Jacob Steinman – Freshman 31 Marcus Pritchard – Junior 87 Keeghan O'Leary – Junior Offensive Lineman 53 Connor Murphy – Sophomore 56 Steven Dentato – Sophomore 60 Kevin Moore – Freshman 61 Ryan Michaud – Freshman 62 Brendan Harty – Senior 63 Anthony Wilkens – Senior 65 Nick Day – Junior 66 Reid Bailey – Sophomroe 67 Paul DeMarco – Senior 68 James Bonner – Sophomore 69 Vince Lucca – Sophomore 70 Peter Rakauskas – Sophomore 71 Isaac Patry – Sophomore 72 Troy Sullivan – Sophomore 76 TJ Cooper – Freshman 77 Jordan Hartely – Sophomore 78 Sullivan Boyd – Freshman
Defensive Lineman 48 Diego Gonzalez Villalobos – Freshman 52 Max Murphy – Sophomore 56 Matt Finn - Freshman 75 Joe Kerkach – Sophomore 79 Michael Laks – Freshman 89 Tommy Feraco – Freshman 90 Jack Gerulskis – Freshman 92 Mike McGoff – Sophomore 94 Dereck Pacheco – Senior 95 Nabeel Tokatli – Senior 97 Lou Duh – Freshman 98 Brandon Malarney – Sophomore 99 Luca Cerasani – Junior Linebacker 1 Blayne Merchant – Junior 9 Larry Cafaro – Junior 18 Nick Samuelson – Sophomore 28 Zach Sasso – Freshman 32 Mason Ocasio – Freshman 34 Dan Hoag – Sophomore 36 Michael Bahnan – Senior 40 Francis Lubega – Junior 41 Tim Bill – Senior 46 Isaac Stilwell – Freshman 47 Anthony Fusco – Sophomore 50 Sam Malafronte – Junior 51 Nick Ostrowski – Sophomore 54 Carter McLellan – Sophomore 55 Caleb Holmberg – Sophomore 57 Brent Whitlock – Sophomore 58 Greg Kaleshian – Freshman 59 Stephen Lauro – Sophomore 60 Jim Zickl – Freshman 74 Sean Dandeneau – Freshman 93 Matthew Elliott – Sophomore
Defensive Back 2 Kyle Havey – Junior 5 Adam Klosner – Freshman 6 Collin Saunders – Junior 8 Sam Casey – Sophomore 10 Jordan Rosenfeld – Freshman 14 Brian Mahan – Junior 17 Lou Garcia – Senior 19 Dominick Timpanaro – Sophomore 20 Aaron Whitehouse – Freshman 21 Chris Ferrari - Freshman 24 Tim McQuade – Sophomore 26 Hunter Lutte – Freshman 27 Aaron Hartford - Senior 29 Zach Ahrens – Sophomore 33 David Barber - Sophomore 37 Grant Gilbert – Sophomore 38 Tim Ryan – Freshman 43 Steven Mey – Sophomore 45 Johann Bradley – Freshman
Kicker/Punter 16 Bruce Wade – Freshman 84 Spencer Herrington – JuniorSources:
Schedule The 2017 schedule was officially released on June 29, 2017. WPI faced all seven New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) opponents: Catholic, Coast Guard, Maine Maritime, MIT, Merchant Marine, Norwich, and Springfield. They also scheduled three non-conference games: Anna Maria of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC), Becker of the Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC), and RPI of the Liberty League.
On November 13, 2017, the Engineers were selected to host Maritime of the Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (ECFC) in the New England Bowl.
On August 29, the Engineers placed third in the inaugural NEWMAC Preseason Coaches Poll
Awards and honors Weekly awards NEWMAC Football Offensive Athlete of the Week Blake Rice, QB - Week of October 9, 2017 Sean McAllen, RB - Week of October 30, 2017
NEWMAC Football Defensive Athlete of the Week Dereck Pacheco, DL – Week of September 3, 2017 Brian Mahan, DB - Week of October 9, 2017 Nick Ostrowski, LB - Week of October 30, 2017 Dereck Pacheco, DL – Week of November 6, 2017
NEWMAC Football Special Teams Athlete of the Week Spencer Herrington, K/P – Week of September 3, 2017 Spencer Herrington, K/P – Week of October 23, 2017 Spencer Herrington, K/P - Week of October 30, 2017 Spencer Herrington, K/P - Week of November 6, 2017
D3football.com Team of the Week Brian Mahan, DB - Week of October 9, 2017
D3football.com Play of the Week Lou Garcia, DB - Week of October 9, 2017
Postseason awards NEWMAC Special Teams Athlete of the Year Spencer Herrington, K/P NEWMAC All-Conference First Team Luca Cerasani, DL Corey Coogan, WR Lou Garcia, DB Brendan Harty, OL Spencer Herrington, K/P Sean McAllen, RB Sam Malafronte, LB Dereck Pacheco, DL Austin Pesce, PR NEWMAC All Conference Second Team Sam Casey, DB Nick Day, OL Erik Fyrer, WR Nick Ostrowski, LB Blake Rice, QB NEWMAC All-Sportsmanship Team Aaron Hartford, DB D3football.com All-East Region First Team Spencer Herrington, K/P Worcester Area Football Association Co-Offensive Player of the Year Sean McAllen, RB Worcester Area Football Association Steve "Merc" Morris All-Star Team Sam Casey, DB Luca Cerasani, DL Corey Coogan, WR Nick Day, OL Lou Garcia, DB Brendan Harty, OL Spencer Herrington, K/P Sean McAllen, RB Sam Malafronte, LB Dereck Pacheco, DL Austin Pesce, PR Lain Zembek, FB New England Football Writers Division II/III All-New England Team Sean McAllen, RB CoSIDA Academic All-District Football Team (DIII) Nick Day, OL Dereck Pacheco, DL
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