Holy Cross Athletics

Bob Chesney spent six seasons as the head coach of the Holy Cross football team from 2018-2023, leading the Crusaders to a 44-21 record overall, including a 28-4 mark in Patriot League action and two victories against FBS opponents. During Chesney’s tenure, Holy Cross won an unprecedented five consecutive Patriot League Championships from 2019 to 2023, becoming the first team in conference history to win five straight league titles.

The Crusaders made four appearances in the NCAA FCS playoffs from 2019 to 2022, with the 2022 squad going 11-0 during the regular season and advancing to the NCAA quarterfinals. A three-time Patriot League Coach of the Year, Chesney produced 82 all-conference selections over six seasons. His players earned numerous national and academic honors, including two finalists for the William V. Campbell Trophy (Peter Oliver, 2022 and Jacob Dobbs, 2023) and two Patriot League Scholar-Athletes of the Year (Oliver, 2021 and Dobbs, 2023).

During the 2023 season, the Crusaders posted an overall mark of 7-4 and tied for the Patriot League Championship with a 5-1 mark in conference play. Chesney’s players earned Patriot League Offensive Player of the Year (Matt Sluka) and Defensive Player of the Year (Jacob Dobbs) honors, with a total of 11 all-conference selections.

In 2022, Holy Cross went 11-0 during the regular season for the third time in program history and first time since 1991. The 2022 Crusaders (12-1) recorded the most single-season wins in program history and advanced to the NCAA FCS quarterfinals for the first time since 1983; their lone loss on the campaign was a hard-fought playoff contest with top-seeded South Dakota State, the eventual national champions. Holy Cross finished the year with a No. 6 ranking among all FCS teams as a result of numerous marquee wins, including a Hail Mary victory against FBS foe Buffalo and an overtime win over nationally ranked Fordham; the Crusaders also earned their first win at Harvard since 2000 and defeated Harvard and Yale in the same season for the first time in program history.

Chesney earned several prestigious coaching awards in 2022, including the AFCA FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year, the New England Football Writers New England Coach of the Year, the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston Head Coach of the Year and the Patriot League Coach of the Year. Chesney was also selected as a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the FCS national coach of the year. 

During the 2021 campaign, Chesney led the Crusaders to their third consecutive Patriot League title and FCS playoff berth, with Holy Cross winning its first FCS playoff game in program history. Holy Cross had a 10-3 record and went undefeated (6-0) in conference play, finishing the year ranked 19th in the nation by Stats Perform. The Crusaders also defeated a football bowl subdivision opponent for the first time since 2002 with a season-opening victory over Connecticut on Sept. 4. Chesney was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year, while earning New England Coach of the Year honors from the New England Football Writers and the Gridiron Club of Greater Boston. In addition, he was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award, presented to the national coach of the year.

Chesney guided Holy Cross to its second consecutive conference title during the spring of 2021, with the team earning its fourth NCAA football championship subdivision berth in program history. With the season postponed and shortened due to COVID-19, the Crusaders went 2-0 in league play before defeating Bucknell by a score of 33-10 in the first-ever Patriot League football championship game. Fifteen Crusaders earned all-league honors, including Rookie of the Year Matthew Sluka, and senior offensive lineman Brian Foley was named an All-American by Stats Perform and AFCA. The Crusaders also ended the season ranked 25th nationally in FCS, the team’s first national ranking since 2017.

In 2019, Chesney led Holy Cross to the school’s first Patriot League championship in 10 years, and just the third NCAA FCS berth in program history. The Crusaders finished the year with an overall record of 7-6, while posting a 5-1 mark in conference action to tie the school single-season record for Patriot League victories. Holy Cross also had 12 All-Patriot League selections, including Offensive Player of the Year Domenic Cozier, while placing five players on the All-ECAC team and two on the All-New England squad. Following the season, Chesney was named the Patriot League Coach of the Year, and was a finalist for the Eddie Robinson Award as the national coach of the year.

During his first year with the Crusaders in 2018, Chesney guided his team to a second place finish in the Patriot League with a 4-2 mark in conference games, while going 5-6 overall. Holy Cross set school single-season records with seven blocked kicks, six blocked punts and four blocked punts returned for touchdowns, in addition to posting the two largest comeback victories in school history. The Crusaders also had seven All-Patriot League selections, with four players making the first team.

A two-time Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, Chesney previously spent 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 two winning seasons in the 17 years prior to his arrival and led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last three years. 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.

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 had a school-record 17 players named to the All-Northeast-10 Conference teams, including the Most Valuable Player (Deonte Harris), the Special Teams Player of the Year (Cole Tracy), the Defensive Player of the Year (Andrew Benson) and the Defensive Lineman of the Year (Ray Sarkodieh). Tracy also received the Fred Mitchell Award as the nation’s top place-kicker in FCS, Division II, Division III, NAIA and NJCAA. Assumption led the nation in turnover margin (+1.8 turnovers/game), punt returns (23.3 yards/return), interceptions (26) and turnovers forced (39), while standing fifth in sacks (3.5 sacks/game) and sixth in scoring offense (43.4 points/game).

In 2016, Chesney’s Assumption team went 9-3 overall, played in the Northeast-10 Championship Game and earned a bid to the NCAA Tournament. Ashton Grant was named the Northeast-10 Offensive Player of the Year, while 13 Greyhounds were named all-conference. Assumption led the Northeast-10 in scoring offense (37.2 points/game) and ranked second in scoring defense (19.8 point/game) while ranking second nationally in passing efficiency defense (91.3 rating), fourth in passing defense (157.8 yards/game) and 11th in total defense (296.0 yards/game).

Chesney’s 2015 team went 11-2 overall, won the program’s first-ever Northeast-10 title and made its first appearance in the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the second round. The Greyhounds had 13 all-conference selections, with Harris being named the Northeast-10 Rookie of the Year. Assumption finished the season averaging a league-best 39.2 points per game, while converting in the red zone 88.3 percent of the time. At the conclusion of the season, Chesney was named the Northeast-10 Coach of the Year, the New England Football Writers Coach of the Year and the Hero Sports Division II National Coach of the Year.

In 2014, Chesney guided the Greyhounds to a 7-4 record and third place in the Northeast-10 standings. Assumption placed 10 players on the All-Northeast-10 teams, including Defensive Player of the Year Derrick Mann (who also earned Third Team All-America honors). Chesney’s team led the Northeast-10 in rushing offense (159.7 yards/game), sacks (3.1 sacks/game) and red zone offense (83.3 percent).

In his first season as Assumption’s head coach in 2013, Chesney directed the Hounds to a 6-5 overall mark and a perfect 5-0 record in Northeast-10 road games. The Greyhounds led the conference in pass defense (229.7 yards/game) and ranked 15th in the nation in turnover margin (+1.1 turnovers/game). Chesney’s team also featured 11 All-Northeast-10 selections and three All-Americans (Tad Beuchert, Khalid Pitts and Scott Simonson).

Chesney came to Assumption from Salve Regina University in Newport, R.I., where he posted a 23-9 record as the head coach from 2010-2012. He coached 30 all-conference selections, three All-Americans (A.J. Albert in 2011, Phil Terio in 2012 and Floyd Shaffer in 2012), 41 academic all-conference selections and one Academic All-American, while his defense consistently ranked among the league and national leaders in Division III. The Seahawks led the New England Football Conference in scoring defense in 2010 and 2011 and ranked second in 2012 while never allowing more than 14.6 points per game. Chesney’s team also led the nation in third-down conversion defense in 2012 and red zone defense in 2010.

In his final season at Salve Regina, Chesney guided his 2012 team to a 9-2 overall record, a 7-1 mark in the New England Football Conference and a trip to the NEFC Championship Game. The Seahawks previously went 8-3 during the 2011 season and posted a victory in the ECAC North-West Bowl. During Chesney’s first year in 2010, Salve Regina went 6-4 overall to snap a streak of eight-straight losing seasons. In addition to the team’s work on the field, the Seahawks were recognized as the Child and Family’s Volunteers of the Year for their commitment to their foster home program and after-school homework club.

Prior to his arrival at Salve Regina, Chesney was a member of the staff at John Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., from 2005-2009. He began his tenure as a defensive assistant and special teams coach for four seasons before being promoted to associate head coach in 2009. During his time at Johns Hopkins, 21 players received all-conference recognition, including one Centennial Conference Offensive Player of the Year (Andrew Kase, 2009), one Centennial Conference Defensive Player of the Year (Colin Wixted, 2009) and one All-America selection (Kase, 2009). Chesney also helped Johns Hopkins lead the nation in interceptions in 2009.

Chesney previously served as an assistant coach and special teams coordinator at King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., from 2003-2004. He was also the defensive coordinator at Delaware Valley College in Doylestown, Pa., in 2002, and served as an assistant coach at Norwich University in Northfield, Vt., from 2000-2001.

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 and his wife, Andrea, currently reside in Worcester with their two daughters (Lyla and Hudson) and one son (Bo).