Western Connecticut State University Men's Football

Loth was named the 12th Head Football Coach at Western Connecticut State University. After inheriting a football program marred in a 21 game losing streak they were able to finish 8-2 overall in his second season. Western enjoyed its first winning season (8-2) since 2005 and first post-season appearance since 2001, a 48-35 ECAC Northeast Bowl victory against Salve Regina.  In 2014, it followed this up with its second consecutive winning season (7-4) and a second-straight ECAC Bowl appearance against nationally ranked St. John Fisher. In 2013, Western averaged a school-record 43.8 points a game while allowing just 20 points to its opponents.  Highlighting the Colonials' campaign was the effort from senior running back Octavias McKoy who broke nearly every WCSU rushing and scoring record in his final season.   In a 55-35 victory over Worcester State University in October, McKoy ran into the national limelight after rushing for a then-NCAA-all-divisions rushing record of 455 yards.  Loth and McKoy spent nearly two weeks making appearances on ESPN, The YES Network and numerous national, regional and local electronic and print media outlets. In 2014, the Colonial offense once again led the MASCAC in scoring at 35.6 points a game while surrendering just 23.9 yards on defense. Along with the running game's improvement came a vastly improved offensive line, the maturation of junior signal caller Will Arndt and the development of a potent defense by Loth and his coaching staff. Loth began his football career as a graduate assistant at Southern Methodist University (1991-92). He served as defensive coordinator at NCAA Division III schools: Western Connecticut State University (1993-96) and Capital University (1997-98). Loth a season as defensive secondary coach at the University of Rhode Island (1999) before accepting his first head coaching job at Kean University in February 2000. A 1991 graduate of Otterbein University, Loth returned to his alma mater as Head Football Coach in 2003, taking over a program that had just one winning season in the previous 23 years; the team was mired in an eight-game losing streak. Prior to his appointment at the greater Columbus area university, he served as Head Football Coach at Kean University. The Painesville, Ohio, native has taken part in rebuilding programs throughout his 20-year coaching career. He took over in Union, NJ after the Cougars endured a 14-game losing streak prior to his arrival. I am extremely excited in the opportunity of becoming the new Head Football Coach at Western Connecticut, said Loth on Monday. The formula for winning at all levels of college football does not change. It is recruiting, retention, developing the student-athlete and running sound football schemes. We will relentlessly pursue excellence in all four of these areas at Western and in its move from the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC) to the Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (MASCAC).  Loth holds the best winning percentage among football coaches with tenures of three or more seasons at Otterbein. The Cardinals set a school record for wins in 2008, going 9-2 overall and advancing into the NCAA Division III Football Championship for the first time in school history. Otterbein finished second in the Ohio Athletic Conference with an 8-1 record, with its lone conference loss coming at the hands of Mount Union, who went on to win the national championship. That season, Loth was named OAC Football Coach of the Year for the second time in his career as well as Ohio Coach of the Year. Western really feels like home to me, added Loth. I have already been contacted by a number of the former alumni who seem excited to get someone with deep ties with the program as the Head Coach. Loth has worked as a guest coach in the Canadian Football League, coaching wide receivers at Winnipeg in 2010-12 and Saskatchewan in 2009 for Paul LaPolice, who was an assistant on the Colonials staff back with Loth in 1994. LaPolice is the Blue Bombers Head Coach and served as the Roughriders Offensive Coordinator. Loth was a four-year letterman and three-year starter at defensive back as an undergraduate at Otterbein. He earned second team All-OAC honors his senior year in 1990 and held the Otterbein career record of 13 interceptions until 2012. He received his bachelors degree in Business. Coach Loth has provided incredible leadership during his time at Otterbein, creating a solid program foundation leading to competitive and academic success, stated Otterbein University Director of Athletics Dawn Stewart. He is an excellent ambassador for Division III athletics and will be missed by the Otterbein community. We are excited for Joe and his family for this personal and professional transition. In 2006, Loth was inducted into the Riverside High School Hall of Fame in Painesville, Ohio. Loth and his wife, Keri, who graduated from Western Connecticut State University, have two sons, Zachary, 13, and Tyler, 11.

Kevin Jones was promoted to interim head football coach in May of 2025.  Jones had been an assistant coach for the Wolves since 2016 and has been the program's defensive coordinator since 2018.  "We are very fortunate to have Kevin who is not only willing but eager to step into this role," said Mazza.  "He has established himself as a coach who prepares himself, coaches and players around him which shows on the field and in the classroom.  I am glad Kevin has accepted this new role which maintains the culture we have built over the years." Jones' defenses have been ranked among the best in New England and the nation throughout his tenure.  In 2024, WestConn held conference opponents to 2.6 yards per rush and finished ranked in the top 20 nationally in pass efficiency defense, passing yards Allowed, turnover margin and red zone defense. In his 30-plus years in football, Coach Jones has worked at every level from high school to the NFL, and has been involved in all facets of the game. His previous college stops include the University of Minnesota and Boston College. He began coaching in 1992 at William Hall HS in West Hartford and has spent time with several other Connecticut high schools.  He also spent six years on the Governor's Cup All-Star staff, serving as the head coach in 2006. In his eight years as the head football coach of Stamford High School, Jones saw nine of his players earn CIAC All-State First Team recognition and 45 go on to play at the college level while earning more than $2 million in scholarships. Three of those players made it to the NFL, most notable among them is Vladimir Ducasse, a 2010 Second Round selection at offensive tackle.  Jones, a Ridgefield High School graduate, earned his bachelor's degree from Central Connecticut State University, his master's degree from the University of Minnesota, and his teaching licensure from Southern Connecticut State University. Jones also has an extensive background in the business side of football.  He previously held the title of director of football executive search for Eclaro Sports in New York City, and was an NFLPA-certified Contract Advisor and director of the coaching division at JL Sports in Connecticut.  His projects involving coaching searches and job placement have been featured in ESPN The Magazine and on National Public Radio.   

Colin Pawlak begins his second season as an assistant football coach at Western Connecticut State University and will coach the defensive backs in 2025.  Pawlak graduated from WestConn in 2022 with a bachelor's degree in history and a minor in psychology and completed a master's degree from his alma mater in secondary education this spring. He played defensive back for the Wolves from 2018-22 and was a volunteer assistant coach in the secondary in 2023.  

Mike Lago, Sr. enters his 13th season coaching the tight ends, running backs and fullbacks at Western Connecticut State University in 2025.  He is also the strength and conditioning coordinator for the entire WestConn athletic department.  Lago served as a position coach at Newtown High School for 10 years. Lago has been married to his wife Dina for 37 years, and they have three children. Michael, Jr. 34 and a former assistant coach at WestConn, Katie 31, and Jack 28, a WestConn football alum.  The elder Lago was born in Norwalk, Connecticut and graduated from Brien McMahon High School in 1981.  He has resided in Newtown, Conn. for 28 years.

Drew Hennessy begins his first season as offensive coordinator for Western Connecticut State University for the 2025 season. He joined the WestConn football staff in the spring of 2021 as the defensive line and outside linebackers coach and began coaching the Wolves' offensive line in 2022.  In 2023, he coached Massachusetts State College Athletic Conference (MASCAC) Offensive Lineman of the Year and New England Football Writers (NEFW) Division II/III All-Star Patrick Adams. Hennessy came to WestConn after two years as the offensive and defensive line coach at Danbury High School where he also served as the lead strength and conditioning coach.  Hennessy mentored several CIAC All-State players at Danbury HS that continued their athletic careers at the collegiate level.  As a three-sport standout at the Trinity-Pawling School in New York, Hennessy achieved all-conference honors at offensive tackle and went on to play collegiately at Army West Point.    

Donovan LeBlanc begins his second season as an assistant football coach at Western Connecticut State University and will coach the defensive line in the fall of 2025.  Leblanc is a 2023 graduate of WestConn with a bachelor's degree in health education who played football for the Wolves from 2018 to 2022.  Leblanc has been volunteering as a WestConn defensive line assistant while also working as an enrichment associate with the Danbury Public Schools.