Holy Cross Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach

The College of the Holy Cross has named Bob Chesney its new head football coach, as announced by Director of Athletics Nathan Pine. Chesney, who becomes the 28th head coach in the history of the program, has posted a winning record in each of his eight seasons as a collegiate head coach. He will begin his responsibilities at Holy Cross immediately.

Chesney will be introduced publicly at a press conference on Tuesday, Dec. 19 at the Luth Athletic Complex on the Holy Cross campus. The press conference will be shown live online through the Patriot League Network and GoHolyCross.com.

“I am thrilled to introduce Bob Chesney as our next head football coach and to welcome him to the Holy Cross family,” said Pine. “Bob is a rising star in the coaching profession, and his track record of head coaching success at multiple programs speaks for itself. He is a familiar face within the Worcester community already, and we know he will be a great fit for our culture and vision at Holy Cross.”

A two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, Chesney’s career record stands at 67-25 (.728 winning percentage), including five seasons at Assumption College (44-16, 2013-2017) and three years at Salve Regina University (23-9, 2010-2012). He took over an Assumption program that had posted only two winning seasons in the 17 years prior to his arrival and led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and three-consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances. Chesney previously rebuilt a Salve Regina program which had a streak of eight-consecutive losing seasons before his tenure, posting three winning campaigns in a row. During his eight seasons at the helm of the two programs, Chesney coached 94 all-conference selections and 12 All-Americans.

“I would like to thank everyone at Assumption College for their belief and support in our program over the past five years. The players, coaches, administrators, families and local community have helped to build an extremely successful program that will endure for years to come,” said Chesney. “When presented with this opportunity at Holy Cross, I quickly realized how passionate those connected to the College truly are. The commitment to athletics and the vision for future success is evident, and I am proud to be part of it.

“My family and I are excited to begin this new chapter, and I would like to thank Nathan Pine, Brendan Sullivan and the search committee at Holy Cross for their support,” he continued. “With the commitment from our passionate alumni and the great Worcester community, we look forward to bringing Holy Cross football back to a position of prominence on the national stage.”

During the 2017 campaign, Chesney earned Northeast-10 Coach of the Year honors after leading Assumption to an overall record of 11-2, the Northeast-10 Conference title and a trip to the NCAA Division II Quarterfinals. The Greyhounds saw a school-record 17 players named to the All-Northeast-10 Conference teams, including four major conference award winners and three All-Americans. Assumption led the nation in turnover margin, punt returns, interceptions and turnovers forced, while standing fifth in sacks and sixth in scoring offense.

Chesney earned his bachelor’s degree from Dickinson College in Carlisle, Pa., in 2000. He was a four-year varsity letterwinner as a defensive back at Dickinson, earning Second Team All-Centennial Conference honors in both 1998 and 1999. He was also the 1997 recipient of the team’s Vincent Correal MVP Award and served as a team captain during his senior year.

Chesney currently resides in Worcester with his wife, Andrea, their two daughters, Lyla and Hudson, and their son, Robert.

To read the full release, visit GoHolyCross.com.