In their seventh year under head coach Dan Allen, the Crusaders compiled a 4–8 record.
David Dugan, Brian Hall, Nick Soivillien and Ross Sullivan were the team captains.
[2] Holy Cross began the year unranked, but after two wins to start the season—including a road win over Army, a Division I-A team—the Crusaders entered the national Division I-AA top 25.
The loss to Harvard dropped them out of the top 25, and Holy Cross remained unranked for the rest of 2002.
Holy Cross played its home games at Fitton Field on the college campus in Worcester, Massachusetts.