 Chesney in 2023 | |
| Current position | |
|---|---|
| Title | Head coach |
| Team | James Madison |
| Conference | Sun Belt |
| Record | 0–0 |
| Biographical details | |
| Born | August 10, 1977 Kulpmont, Pennsylvania, U.S. |
| Playing career | |
| 1996–1999 | Dickinson |
| Position(s) | Defensive back |
| Coaching career (HC unless noted) | |
| 2000–2001 | Norwich (assistant) |
| 2002 | Delaware Valley (DC) |
| 2003–2004 | King's (PA) (ST) |
| 2005–2009 | Johns Hopkins (defensive assistant) |
| 2010–2012 | Salve Regina |
| 2013–2017 | Assumption |
| 2018–2023 | Holy Cross |
| 2024–present | James Madison |
| Head coaching record | |
| Overall | 111–46 |
| Bowls | 1–0 |
| 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× 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 at James Madison University in Harrisonburg, Virginia, a position he has held since December 2023. 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.
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.
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.[1] 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.[2] Following his success with that program, Chesney was hired as the tenth head coach in Assumption College football program history.[3] Prior to his arrival the Assumption program had posted two winning seasons in the 17 previous years. [4] Chesney led the Greyhounds to five-straight winning records and NCAA Tournament appearances in each of his last three years. [5] 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.[6][7]
On December 7, 2023, Chesney was named the head football coach at James Madison University.[8]
| 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 Bowl | ||||
| 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 | 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 | 0–0 | 0–0 | ||||||
| James Madison: | 0–0 | 0–0 | |||||||
| Total: | 111–46 | ||||||||
| National championship Conference title Conference division title or championship game berth | |||||||||