Dan Mulrooney spent plenty of time at Municipal Stadium running over or around high school defenders as a standout on the Holy Cross football team.
This past Saturday, Mulrooney returned with his Lock Haven (Penn.) University team to take on Post University. It was the first Division II college football game in Eagle history, but Mulrooney and his Bald Eagles spoiled the party with a 35-34 win.
“Found a Way to WIN today!” Mulrooney tweeted after the victory. “Special Day, Proud of the Players & Coaches of @LHU_Football! The amount of support here at Lock Haven University is UNREAL!”
Mulrooney was a two-time all-state player at Holy Cross, where he helped the Crusaders win a state championship in 2006. His last game was one of his finest as he carried 20 times for 353 yards and four touchdowns (72, 76, 49, 29) in a 40-0 Holy Cross rout of Stratford in the Class SS state title game at Ken Strong Stadium in West Haven. In the semifinal round, Mulrooney ran for three touchdowns (34, 13, 12) and toted a punt return 70 yards for another score in a 49-8 win over Tolland. That was the final game Mulrooney played at Municipal Stadium.
Mulrooney went on to play college football at both Boston College and Stony Brook University before turning to coaching. Mulrooney is in his first season as head coach of Lock Haven after being the top man at Anna Maria College from 2017 to 2021.
NOTES: A pair of former Waterbury standouts got into the game for Post against Lock Haven. Sophomore Drevon Yeldell, who played at Holy Cross, had a pair of tackles on defense and a pass reception on offense. Freshman Taji Blizzard, who played at Crosby, had a tackle.
