Rob Grella
Rob Grella
Bio

Coach Grella was hired in August of 2020 as the fourth head coach in program history.

Coach Grella was named Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) Coach of the Year for four consecutive years: 2022, 2023, 2024, and 2025. He also led the Dominican University women's lacrosse team to the most wins in a single season in 2025. Under the leadership of head coach Rob Grella, the Dominican University women's lacrosse team has achieved significant success in the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC).

In the 2024 season, the team secured two of the five major individual awards: Dominican captured it second consecutive CACC Champioship. The Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference (CACC) announced its 2024 Women's Lacrosse awards on April 30, 2024. Here are the major award winners and All-Conference selections: Major Awards: Defensive Player of the Year: Erin Carr (Dominican University) Coach of the Year: Rob Grella (Dominican University) All-Conference First Team: Attackers: Caitlin Costello (Dominican University), Madelyn Grella (Dominican University), Erica Ortiz (Dominican University) Midfielders: Grace DeStasio (Dominican University), Defenders: Erin Carr (Dominican University), Jenna Rigo (Dominican University) 

In the 2023 season, Dominican won their first ever CACC Championship 12-11 and the team secured four of the five major individual awards: Player of the Year: Caitlin Costello Rookie of the Year: Madelyn Grella Defensive Player of the Year: Erin Carr Coach of the Year: Rob Grella All-CACC First Team honors: Attack: Caitlin Costello, Grace DeStasio, Madelyn Grella Midfield: Erica Ortiz Defense: Erin Carr, Jenna Rigo 
 
In the 2022 season, Dominican found its way to the finals of the Central Atlantic Collegiate Conference Championship losing 17-16 in a thriller. ( Rookie of the Year: Grace DeStasio (Dominican University ) Goalkeeper of the Year: Kristinamarie Kaszovitz (Dominican University) Coach of the Year: Rob Grella (Dominican University) 
 
Before joining Dominican University, Coach Grella had a distinguished coaching career. He served as the head coach at Adelphi University, where he was named NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year and US Lacrosse Division II Women's Lacrosse Coach of the Year. Under his leadership, the team achieved the most wins in a single season in Adelphi's history. In 2014, the Panthers captured the NCAA DIVISION 2 title and completed a perfect 22-0 season. The Panthers were Northeast 10 champions and claimed 6 ALL AMERICAN spots. Including NCAA Defense player of the year. Grella was named NCAA NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR! In recognition of his coaching excellence, 
 
In 2013, the Panthers continued their tradition of strong play by posting an 18-3 overall record and an 11-1 conference record. The Panthers reached the Northeast-10 Conference Championship game for the fourth straight year, but fell in their title defense to Le Moyne by an 8-6 score.
 
The Brown and Gold earned their sixth consecutive trip to the NCAA Tournament, where they rallied from an 8-3 deficit against Le Moyne in the opening round en route a 9-8 victory. The Panthers suffered a buzzer-beating 7-6 defeat to LIU-Post in the semifinals, as the Pioneers went on to win the title. Seven players were named to All-Conference teams, five were selected to All-Region teams and two were named to the IWLCA All-America First Team.
 
In 2012, Grella led the Panthers to a 16-3 record, posting an 11-1 record in the Northeast-10. The program won its third straight Northeast-10 Tournament championship with a 13-12 victory over Le Moyne, earning their fifth straight NCAA Tournament berth. The team fell in the first round of its title defense at the NCAA Tournament to C.W Post, the eventual national champions. Nine players earned All-Conference honors, with four First-Team honorees, the Defensive Player of the Year, two Second-Team selections and three freshmen earned All-Rookie status. Six were named to IWLCA All-Region teams, and three were named IWLCA All-Americans.
 
One player was named CoSIDA Capital One Academic All-District, and two were named ECAC All-Stars. Four were recognized by Synapse Sports, with one First-Team All-American, two Second-Team All-Americans and one All-Rookie selection. Two were also selected to play in the DI-II North/South All Star Game. Grella inherited an Adelphi program that has won three straight NCAA Division II National Championships, the first program in Division II to accomplish that feat.
 
In all Adelphi has won five National Titles, the most of any program in the Division. A 1997 and 2004 graduate of Adelphi University, Grella was a three-time First-Team All-American for the Panthers, helping the team to back-to-back to back  appearances in the NCAA Division II National Final, winning in 1995.  He was also named the NCAA Division II Attackman and Player of the Year in 1996 and played in the Division I USILA North/South All-Star game in 1997.
 
Grella also left his mark on the Adelphi record books, where he currently sits second on the Division II list in single season goals with 59 and third on the career goals list with 140. He was also honored with induction into the Adelphi Athletics Hall of Fame in 2010. As a coach, Grella has been on the sidelines of the Summit High School boys and girls lacrosse programs, most recently as the Head Coach of the girls lacrosse team, a position he has held for the past five years. In that time he has been named Union County Coach of the Year twice and led the team to three straight Union County Championships. His Summit High School team appeared in the New Jersey State Sectional Finals for the past three years and Grella was part of the selection process for the Under Armour All-America team this past spring. 

 

Year School Record CACC Record Achievements/Honors 
2021   Dominican College Covid-19 Pandemic Covid-19 Pandemic Team did not compete due to pandemic
2022 Dominican College 14-5 7-2

CACC Tournament Finalists, Set a program record for wins in a season, 2022 CACC Coach of the Year honors
2023 Dominican University New York 17-2 9-1 CACC Tournament Champions, CACC Regular Season Champions, 2023 CACC Coach of the Year honors, Set a new program record for wins in a season
2024 Dominican University New York 16-3 9-0 CACC Tournament Champions, CACC Regular Season Champions, 2024 CACC Coach of the Year honors
2025 Dominican University New York 19-2 9-0 CACC Tournament Champions, CACC Regular Season Champions, 2025 CACC Coach of the Year, NCAA East Regional Tournament participants, Set a new program record for wins in a season
2026 Dominican UniversityNew York 14-5 9-0 CACC Tournament Finalists, CACC Regular Season Champions, NCAA DII East Region Tournament Participants, IWLCA Top 25 ranking
Totals CACC Record 43-3
Totals Dominican Career Coaching Record 80-17