The Bridgewater State Bears football team represents Bridgewater State University in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Bears are members of the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC), fielding its team in the MASCAC since 2013. The Bears play their home games at Swenson Field in Bridgewater, Massachusetts.
The Bridgewater State football team has been one of the most successful athletic teams at the school since the program was started in 1960. Bridgewater State is a member of the MASCAC, which will sponsor football for the first time in its history beginning in 2013. Bridgewater State was formerly a founding member of the New England Football Conference from 1965 to 2012. The new MASCAC football conference will consist of nine schools. These member schools are Bridgewater State University, Fitchburg State University, Framingham State University, Massachusetts Maritime Academy, Westfield State University, Worcester State University, Plymouth State University, UMass-Dartmouth, and Western Connecticut State University. Bridgewater State will begin MASCAC play in 2013.
Their head coach is Joe Verria, who took over the position for the 2016 season.
History
Known as Bridgewater Normal, the team played throughout the 1890s and 1920s before being disbanded in 1925. In 1959, athletic director and basketball coach Ed Sweeney announced that football would return as a varsity sport after students voluntarily taxed themselves seven dollars per year to fund the restart of the team.
The team began play in 1960 with a four game schedule.
Head coach Chuck Denune recently completed his 11th season at the helm in 2015. In 2012, the Bears ended the regular season with a 9–1 record and qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament with an at-large bid for the third time in the program's history. Bridgewater State also qualified for the NCAA Division III National Tournament in 1999 and 2000. The Bears lost in the first round of the 2012 NCAA Division III Tournament to Widener University of West Chester, Pennsylvania by a score of 44–14. The Bears football team finished the 2012 season with a 9–2 overall record and finished in 2nd place in the New England Football Conference standings. Bridgewater also hosted the 2011 (ECAC) Eastern College Athletic Conference Northeast Bowl and competed against Alfred University. Unfortunately, the Bears lost 41–10, and finished the 2011 season with a 7–4 record.
The most successful head football coach in Bridgewater State's history is Peter Mazzaferro. Coach Mazzaferro was the head football coach at Bridgewater from 1968 to 2004 (36 years) and is one of the most successful Division III football coaches in history. During his coaching tenure, he led the Bears to 2 NCAA D-III National Tournament appearances, 8 NEFC League Championships, 3 MASCAC Championships, and 2 ECAC Postseason appearances. With an overall coaching record of 209–157–11, Mazzaferro is the 57th winningest coach in NCAA College Football history, and he is regarded as a coaching legend in the New England region and is further regarded as one of the greatest Division III college football coaches of all time.
Conference affiliations
- NAIA independent (1960–1964)
- New England Football Conference (1965–2012)
- Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (2013–present)
Championships
Conference championships
Bridgewater State claims 7 conference titles, the most recent of which came in 2023.
† Co-champions
Division championships
Bridgewater State claims 7 division titles, the most recent of which came in 2008.
† Co-champions
Postseason games
NCAA Division III playoff games
Bridgewater State has appeared in the Division III playoffs four times, with an overall record of 0–4.
Bowl games
Bridgewater State has participated in nine bowl games, and has a record of 4–5.
List of head coaches
Key
Coaches
Year-by-year results
Notable former players
- Christopher Dijak – Professional wrestler
- Joe Domingos – Former head coach for Massachusetts Maritime
- Paul Melicharek – Former defensive lineman
- Andrae Murphy – Current head coach for Dean, former defensive back and linebacker
- Joe Verria – Current head coach for Bridgewater State, former defensive tackle
See also
- Bridgewater State Bears
Notes
References
External links
- Official website
