Mark Sullivan begins his fifth season as defensive coordinator at Nichols College in 2018 and fourth as defensive backs coach.
Nichols opened the 2017 campaign 2-0 for the first time since 2000 and the team finished the season with a pair of All-Commonwealth Coast Conference (CCC) performers on defense: Brett McEvoy (First Team) and Jaylen Encarnacion (Second Team). McEvoy – who was also named to the Worcester Area Football Association All-Star Team – graduated as the program’s all-time leader in tackles.
In 2016, Sullivan coached a pair of New England Football Conference (NEFC) All-Conference performers in Matthew McEvilly (LB) and Brett McEvoy (LB). The duo finished 1-2 in the conference in tackles/game. McEvilly was also named Worcester Area co-Defensive Player of the Year and also received the Joe Zabilksi Award as the best defensive player in New England at the Division III level.
Sullivan joined the Nichols staff after spending the previous seven seasons as the associate head coach/defensive coordinator/defensive backs coach at Worcester State. In 2013, the Lancers were second in the Massachusetts State Colleges Athletic Conference (MASCAC) in sacks (21), this off the heels of a 2012 campaign which saw them finish third in the conference in yards allowed/game.
This was Sullivan’s second tour of duty at Worcester State, having previously served as the assistant defensive coordinator and inside linebackers coach from 1999-2001. He helped them capture a share of the New England Football Conference (NEFC) Bogan Division Championship in 2000 and the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Northeast Championship in 2001.
Sullivan was the head coach at Framingham State College from 2002-06 and cut his teeth coaching at the collegiate level at UMass Lowell from 1997-99. He was the director of football operations, offensive coordinator and running backs coach for the River Hawks in 1998 and the defensive line and special teams coach in 1999.
The son of a Massachusetts Hall of Fame football coach, Sullivan spent 15 years coaching at the high school level before moving into the college game. His assistant coaching stints include St. Bernard’s (1983-85; 1987) and Marlboro (1986) before taking over the head coaching reigns at Keefe Technical in 1988, where he was named the 1991 C.A.L. Coach of the Year and was an assistant coach in the 1992 Shriner’s All-Star Game. He remained at Keefe Technical until 1992 before head coaching stops at Murdock (1993), Ayer (1994), Westfield (1995), and Amesbury (1996-97).
Sullivan is a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) who currently teaches U.S. History II at Wachusett Regional H.S. He played two years of collegiate football at UMass Amherst from 1981-82 before multiple knee injuries cut short his playing career.
