NEWPORT, R.I. - Salve Regina University named Bob Chesney the school's head football coach on Friday, announced by director of athletics Colin Sullivan.
"I am happy to welcome Bob to the Salve Regina community," said Sullivan. "I am excited to have a coach with his talent and background join our staff. I look forward to Bob's leadership and I'm confident he will use his relationships and experience to continue to build our football program."
Chesney spent the previous five years at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Md., first as a defensive and special teams coach before his promotion to associate head coach last June. This past season, the Blue Jays recorded a 10-3 mark and advanced to the quarterfinals of the NCAA Division III Tournament. Led by its nationally-ranked defense, the Blue Jays scored road wins over Hampden-Sydney (23-7) and Thomas More (31-29) en route to advancing further than any Centennial Conference member ever had in the tournament.
"I am honored to be selected as the head football coach at Salve Regina University," said Chesney in a phone conversation. "In meeting with director of athletics Colin Sullivan and members of his staff, there is no doubt that we share a strong excitement about the future of Salve athletics and Salve football."
Chesney becomes the fourth head coach in the history of the Salve Regina University football program, succeeding Tim Coen (1992-99), Art Bell (2000-05), and Chris Robertson (2006-09). He takes over a team which has seen its win total steadily increase from one in 2006 to two in 2007, and four in both 2008 and 2009.
"The pieces of the puzzle are certainly in place and I expect to build on the progress that was made over the past few years," continued Chesney.
"I am impressed with the resolve of this team. They spent the entire spring working very hard in the weight room and on the field while holding each other accountable through that process. That speaks volumes of the leadership currently in place and I am excited to refocus that energy and commitment through the summer and into the season."
"The Seahawks are hungry and ready to win. They are ready to take the next step and we will spend a lot of time together gaining confidence in each other and developing a winning attitude."
During his time at JHU, Chesney also served as recruiting coordinator and strength and conditioning coach. He was instrumental in the recruitment of running back and 2009 Centennial Conference offensive player of the year, Andrew Kase, and he also recruited and coached the league's defensive player of the year, Colin Wixted.
Chesney's defense led the nation with 30 interceptions, ranked 20th in rushing defense, and 23rd in overall defense. In the conference, the Blue Jays were tops in nearly every major statistical category on defense, including scoring defense (14.0 ppg), turnover margin (+14), rushing defense (66.8 ypg), total yards (241 ypg), pass defense efficiency (96.7), and sacks (31).
Chesney's student-athletes did the job both on the field in the classroom, as evidenced by the selection of 16 student-athletes to the all-conference team, and the placement of nine on the conference's academic honor roll.
Prior to his arrival at Johns Hopkins, Chesney was an assistant coach at King's College (Pa.), where he served as special teams' coordinator and the director of football operations. During that time, he was responsible for daily practice plans and implementation of weekly strategies, as well as all aspects of team travel. He has also spent time at Delaware Valley College (2002-03) as defensive/strength and conditioning coordinator, and Norwich University (2000-02) an assistant football coach.
Chesney, a member of the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and Cross Fit football strength and conditioning certified, has also done work with the Salvation Army's Adopt-A-Family Christmas, the Big Brothers Big Sisters program, and the Special Olympics.
A 2000 graduate of Dickinson College, Chesney was a four-year letter-winner for the Red Devils football program. He served as team captain as a senior and garnered All-Centennial Conference honors in 1998 and 1999.
