By JEFF TIRRELL

(WESTFIELD, MA) –Up until now, he was “Chris”, or “Coach”, or “Dad”, or “Buddy” or any number of other monikers. Now, he is “Hall of Famer”. Westfield State University has announced its 24th Athletics Hall of Fame Class, and it includes a local football legend. Chris Lapointe, a Turners Falls High School graduate and record-setting quarterback at Westfield State, will be among those inducted this fall.

Lapointe led the Owls to a perfect 10-0 regular season in 2001 and the only NCAA postseason appearance in school history. He set 11 school records for passing and total offense, and garnered first-team All-New England Football Conference honors. Lapointe graduated from Westfield State in 2004.

“Being selected as an inductee into the Westfield State Athletics Hall of Fame is truly an honor and I would not have done it without the support from my family, friends, teammates and last, but not least, the Coaches” Lapointe said in a Facebook post.

“I will forever be grateful for having the opportunity to play with the greatest offensive linemen, running backs, and wide receivers that have ever worn the uniform”, Lapointe continued. “Positions that were filled with some of the very best in school history in every position.”

After his playing days, Lapointe entered the coaching ranks, first as an assistant at Frontier Regional, and then as head coach at his alma mater in 2010. After an initial one-win season, Lapointe guided TFHS to arguably the best run in the history of the program, with two Western Mass championships and an unprecedented run of success against Turners’ long-time rival, Greenfield High School. Turners won six straight Turkey Day games against the Green Wave between 2011 and 2016. Up until then, Turners had never won more than two straight against Greenfield. After Turners discontinued its football program on the eve of the 2019 season, Lapointe became an assistant coach at Deerfield Academy.

The Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony is tentatively scheduled for Friday, October 16, subject to public health policies regarding public gatherings.