A two-sport standout at WPI, Jeff Rosen made his
mark on Boynton Hill as arguably the greatest defensive back in the
119-year history of Engineers football.
Originally from Island Park, N.Y., the Brooklyn
Tech graduate made an immediate impact on WPI football. Jeff
stepped in as the starting free safety during the 1976 season and
immediately rewrote theschool record book. He recorded six
interceptions as a rookie, the most in school history. Jeff would
hold the single-season standard for nearly 20 years. His strong
performance helped WPI to wins against Coast Guard and Union.
"He was quick and fast," remarked assistant
football and head track coach Merl Norcross. "As a defensiveback,
he had a great sense for where the ball was. He also hit like a
mule."
Jeff 's sophomore year brought more success. He
swiped five more interceptions while leading the Engineers to
rivalry victories over Coast Guard and RPI. It was at this time as
he began to shine as both a kick and punt returner. During his
junior season, opposing offensives began to get wise and avoided
throwing in his direction. Rosen still contributed to the defensive
effort with three recovered fumbles.
The 1979 season saw the Engineers match their
highest win total in over a decade, including wins over Coast
Guard, RPI, and Hamilton. Jeff tallied three interceptions for an
impressive 14 in his career, the most in school history; it stood
as the record until the early 1990s. He also did damage with his
legs, averaging 24.6 yards per kickoff return, including a 98-yard
touchdown in the season opener with Norwich.
"Jeff Rosen played in an era that didn't see
defensive stats, such as tackles, widely recorded,"commented former
WPI sports information director Steve Raczysnki. "He was, however,
the hardest tackler I'd ever seen in a WPI uniform."
Jeff also enjoyed a tremendous amount of success on
the track. He was a key sprinter for the indoor and outdoor track
and field teams and earned five varsity letters. He and his
teammates enjoyed particular success in the 4x100 relay.
"It was important to have a sprinter like Jeff,"
added Norcross. "We often counted on him to win sprint events-and
he delivered. He made the transition between his two sports seem
simple."
Jeff Rosen graduated from WPI with a degree in
civil engineering. While on Boynton Hill, he was a member of Phi
Kappa Theta fraternity. He is currently vice president of the
Mechanical Division of J. F. White Contracting Company in
Framingham.
Jeff and long-time girlfriend Donna Hajjar live in
North Grafton. He has two children, Jason and Brittany, and is an
active member of the New Hampshire Football Officials Association.
He also serves as a trustee of the Adam J. Cirillo Scholarship
Foundation for Brooklyn Tech.
