Castleton Spartans football

The Castleton Spartans football team represents Vermont State University Castleton in college football at the NCAA Division III level. The Spartans are members of the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), fielding its team in the NJAC since 2025. The Spartans play their home games at Dave Wolk Stadium in Castleton, Vermont.^[3]

Castleton Spartans football
First season	2009; 16 years ago (2009)
Athletic director	Tim Barrett
Head coach	Tyler Higley 2nd season, 3–7 (.300)
Stadium	Dave Wolk Stadium (formally Spartan Stadium until 2017) (capacity: 5,000)
Field surface	FieldTurf
Location	Castleton, Vermont
NCAA division	Division III
Conference	NJAC
Past conferences	MASCAC (2024) ECFC (2009–2023)
All-time record	61–76 (.445)
Bowl record	0–1 (.000)
Conference titles	1 (2012)
Rivalries	Norwich[1] (Maple Sap Bucket)
Colors	Green and white[2]
Mascot	Knight
Website	castletonsports.com

Their head coach is Tyler Higley, who took over the position for the 2024 season as interim head coach.^[4]

Until Castleton became a part of Vermont State University, Vermont was the only state in the United States besides Alaska where the state university did not have varsity football; as the University of Vermont had not had a varsity football team since 1974 (and still does not). The Spartans are now the only public university in Vermont with varsity football. As it is now, however, Vermont is still the only state besides Alaska where the state university does not award any athletic scholarships for football.

Conference affiliations

• Eastern Collegiate Football Conference (2009–2023)
• Massachusetts State Collegiate Athletic Conference (2024–present)^[5][6]

Championships

Conference championships

Castleton claims 1 conference title, which came in 2012.

Year	Conference	Overall Record	Conference Record	Coach
2012†	Eastern Collegiate Football Conference	7–4	6–1	Marc Klatt

† Co-champions

Postseason games

Bowl games

Castleton has participated in one bowl game, and has a record of 0–1.

Season	Coach	Bowl	Opponent	Result
2012	Marc Klatt	ECAC Bowl	St. John Fisher	L 7–63

List of head coaches

Key

Key to symbols in coaches list

General		Overall		Conference		Postseason[A 1]
No.	Order of coaches[A 2]	GC	Games coached	CW	Conference wins	PW	Postseason wins
DC	Division championships	OW	Overall wins	CL	Conference losses	PL	Postseason losses
CC	Conference championships	OL	Overall losses	CT	Conference ties	PT	Postseason ties
NC	National championships	OT	Overall ties[A 3]	C%	Conference winning percentage
†	Elected to the College Football Hall of Fame	O%	Overall winning percentage[A 4]

Coaches

List of head football coaches showing season(s) coached, overall records and conference records,

No.	Name	Season(s)	GC	OW	OL	O%	CW	CL	C%
1	Rich Alercio[10]	2009–2010	18	8	10	0.444	6	7	0.462
2	Marc Klatt[11]	2011–2013	31	12	19	0.387	9	12	0.429
3	Tony Volpone[12][13]	2014–2023	88	41	47	0.466	32	26	0.552
4	Tyler Higley (interim)	2024–present	0	0	0	–	0	0	–

Year-by-year results

National champions

Conference champions

Bowl game berth

Playoff berth

Season	Year	Head coach	Association	Division	Conference	Record					Postseason	Final ranking
						Overall		Conference
						Win	Loss	Finish	Win	Loss
Castleton Spartans
2009	2009	Rich Alercio	NCAA	Division III	ECFC	3	6	6th	1	5	—	—
2010	2010					5	4	T–2nd	5	2	—	—
2011	2011	Marc Klatt				4	6	5th	3	4	—	—
2012	2012					7	4	T–1st	6	1	Conference co-champions[14]	—
2013	2013					1	9	8th	0	7	—	—
2014	2014	Tony Volpone				7	3	T–2nd	7	3	—	—
2015	2015					7	3	T–3rd	5	2	—	—
2016	2016					4	6	T–3rd	4	3	—	—
2017	2017					6	4	3rd	5	2	—	—
2018	2018					2	8	T–5th	1	5	—	—
2019	2019					2	7	T–3rd	2	3	—	—
Season canceled due to COVID-19
2021	2021	Tony Volpone	NCAA	Division III	ECFC	6	4	3rd	4	2	—	—
2022	2022					5	5	2nd	4	2	—	—
2023	2023					2	7	5th	0	4	—	—
2024	2024	Tyler Higley			MASCAC						—	—

Notes

1. Although the first Rose Bowl Game was played in 1902, it has been continuously played since the 1916 game, and is recognized as the oldest bowl game by the NCAA. "—" indicates any season prior to 1916 when postseason games were not played.^[7]
2. A running total of the number of head coaches, with coaches who served separate tenures being counted only once. Interim head coaches are represented with "Int" and are not counted in the running total. "—" indicates the team played but either without a coach or no coach is on record. "X" indicates an interim year without play.
3. Overtime rules in college football were introduced in 1996, making ties impossible in the period since.^[8]
4. When computing the win–loss percentage, a tie counts as half a win and half a loss.^[9]