 Chesney at Holy Cross in 2023 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | James Madison |
| Conference | Sun Belt |
| Record | 9–4 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | (1977-08-10) August 10, 1977 (age 47) Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1996–1999 | Dickinson |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2000–2001 | Norwich (GA) |
| 2002 | Delaware Valley (DC) |
| 2003–2004 | King's (PA) (ST) |
| 2005–2006 | Johns Hopkins (ST/DB) |
| 2007–2008 | Johns Hopkins (DC/ST/DB) |
| 2009 | Johns Hopkins (AHC/DC/DB) |
| 2010–2012 | Salve Regina |
| 2013–2017 | Assumption |
| 2018–2023 | Holy Cross |
| 2024–present | James Madison |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 120–50 |
| Bowls | 2–0 |
| Tournaments | 3–3 (NCAA D-II playoffs) 2–3 (NCAA D-I playoffs) |
| Accomplishments and honors | |
| Championships | |
| 2 NE-10 (2015, 2017) 5 Patriot League (2019–2023) | |
| Awards | |
| 2× Second Team All-Centennial (1997–1998) 2× NE-10 Coach of the Year (2015, 2017) New England Football Writers (NEFW) D-II/III Coach of the Year (2015) HERO Sports D-II Coach of the Year (2015) 3× Patriot League Coach of the Year (2019, 2021, 2022) 2× NEFW D-I Coach of the Year (2021–2022) 2× Gridiron Club FBS/FCS Coach of the Year (2021–2022) American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) FCS Region 1 Coach of the Year (2022) | |
Robert Edward Chesney (born August 10, 1977) is an American college football coach. He is the head football coach for James Madison University, a position he has held since 2024. A graduate of Dickinson College, Chesney served as the head football coach at Salve Regina University in Newport, Rhode Island from 2010 to 2012, Assumption College in Worcester, Massachusetts from 2013 to 2017, and the College of the Holy Cross from 2018 to 2023. At Assumption, he led the Greyhounds to consecutive NCAA Division II Football Championship playoff appearances in the final three years of his tenure.
Early life and family
Originally from Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, born to Robert Chesney Sr., and Claudia Chesney (née Yonkovig). Has an older brother, Vincent Chesney, and a younger brother, Nicholas Chesney. Married in 2007 to Andrea, he has two daughters and a son. Chesney is a 1996 Graduate of Our Lady of Lourdes Regional High School and a 2000 graduate of Dickinson College.
Coaching career
Chesney was hired as the fourth head coach in Salve University football program history following his five-year stint as associate head coach at Johns Hopkins University. Chesney rebuilt a Salve Regina program which had a streak of eight-consecutive losing seasons before his tenure, upon which he posted three winning campaigns in a row. Following his success with that program, Chesney was hired as the tenth head coach in Assumption College football program history. Prior to his arrival the Assumption program had posted two winning seasons in the 17 previous years. Chesney led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last three years. Chesney coached 94 all-conference selections and 12 All-Americans.
On December 14, 2017, Chesney was named the 28th head football coach at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts.
On December 7, 2023, Chesney was named the head football coach at James Madison University.
Head coaching record
| Year | Team | Overall | Conference | Standing | Bowl/playoffs | AFCA | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Salve Regina Seahawks (New England Football Conference) (2010–2012) | |||||||||
| 2010 | Salve Regina | 6–4 | 5–3 | 3rd (Boyd) | |||||
| 2011 | Salve Regina | 8–3 | 6–2 | 3rd (Boyd) | W ECAC Northwest | ||||
| 2012 | Salve Regina | 9–2 | 7–1 | 1st (Boyd) | 24 | ||||
| Salve Regina: | 23–9 | 18–6 | |||||||
| Assumption Greyhounds (Northeast-10 Conference) (2013–2017) | |||||||||
| 2013 | Assumption | 6–5 | 6–3 | 4th | |||||
| 2014 | Assumption | 7–4 | 6–3 | T–3rd | |||||
| 2015 | Assumption | 11–2 | 8–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division II Second Round | 17 | |||
| 2016 | Assumption | 9–3 | 8–1 | 2nd | L NCAA Division II First Round | 25 | |||
| 2017 | Assumption | 11–2 | 8–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division II Quarterfinal | 9 | |||
| Assumption: | 44–16 | 36–9 | |||||||
| Holy Cross Crusaders (Patriot League) (2018–2023) | |||||||||
| 2018 | Holy Cross | 5–6 | 4–2 | T–2nd | |||||
| 2019 | Holy Cross | 7–6 | 5–1 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | ||||
| 2020–21 | Holy Cross | 3–1 | 2–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I First Round | 25 | |||
| 2021 | Holy Cross | 10–3 | 6–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I Second Round | 24 | |||
| 2022 | Holy Cross | 12–1 | 6–0 | 1st | L NCAA Division I Quarterfinal | 6 | |||
| 2023 | Holy Cross | 7–4 | 5–1 | T–1st | 25 | ||||
| Holy Cross: | 44–21 | 28–4 | |||||||
| James Madison Dukes (Sun Belt Conference) (2024–present) | |||||||||
| 2024 | James Madison | 9–4 | 4–4 | T–3rd (East) | W Boca Raton | ||||
| James Madison: | 9–4 | 4–4 | |||||||
| Total: | 120–50 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||
References
- "Salve Regina Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". salveathletics.com. April 30, 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- "Salve Regina Football Individual Season Records". salveathletics.com. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- "Assumption Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". northeast10.org. February 5, 2013. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- "Assumption College Football History". assumptiongreyhounds.com. 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- "Bob Chesney Head Coach". goholycross.com. 2010. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- Pearson, Keith (December 20, 2017). "Bob Chesney takes reins as Holy Cross football coach". Boston Herald. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- "Holy Cross Names Bob Chesney Head Football Coach". patriotleague.org. December 14, 2017. Retrieved January 25, 2018.
- Thamel, Pete (December 7, 2023). "JMU hires Holy Cross' Chesney as head coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved December 7, 2023.
External links
| Head football coaches of the Sun Belt Conference | |
|---|---|
| Eastern Division | |
| Western Division | |
- 1977 births
- Living people
- American football defensive backs
- Assumption Greyhounds football coaches
- Delaware Valley Aggies football coaches
- Dickinson Red Devils football players
- Holy Cross Crusaders football coaches
- James Madison Dukes football coaches
- King's College Monarchs football coaches
- Johns Hopkins Blue Jays football coaches
- Norwich Cadets football coaches
- Salve Regina Seahawks football coaches
- Sportspeople from Northumberland County, Pennsylvania
- Coaches of American football from Pennsylvania
- Players of American football from Pennsylvania