Chris Grautski Named Director of Athletic Performance
January 05, 2026 | Football
LOS ANGELES – UCLA football head coach Bob Chesney announced the hiring of Chris Grautski as the program's director of athletic performance on Monday.
Grautski (pronounced GROT-skee) reunites with Chesney after serving on his staffs at James Madison (2025), FCS Holy Cross (2018-23) and NCAA Division II Assumption College (2013-17) for a total of 12 seasons. Grautski, who owns 18 years of strength and conditioning experience, joins the Bruins after spending the 2025 campaign with the Dukes. He has been a full-time member on eight staffs that have reached the Playoffs (four FCS, three NCAA Division II, one CFP).
"I am thrilled to welcome Chris, Ashley and Braxton to Los Angeles and the UCLA community," Chesney said. "Chris has been instrumental to our championship success at multiple stops together, and I have no doubt he will thrive here and make a similar impact on this program. His dedication to his craft and ability to motivate and develop our student-athletes is unmatched. Chris and his elite strength team will play a key role in establishing our culture in Westwood."
"I want to thank Coach Chesney for the incredible opportunity to assist in bringing UCLA back to a place among the elite programs in college football," Grautski said. "Helping to restore the championship tradition of UCLA football is a tremendous honor and responsibility that I do not take lightly. John Wooden said 'success travels in the company of very hard work' and that 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail.' I live on the 'hard work' and 'preparation' side of college football, and look forward to sharing my vision of this ethic with our players. We have a lot of work to do, and I can't wait to get started with our guys in the coming weeks!"
Joining Grautski's UCLA staff are associate director of athletic performance Jack Sprague and assistant directors of athletic performance Ammasith Phrommavanh, Greg Wandy and Devonte Chandler.
Grautski, alongside Chesney, helped James Madison reach new heights in their one year together in Harrisonburg, Va. in 2025. The Dukes recorded just the 10th unbeaten conference record in Sun Belt history, going 8-0, and captured the program's first Sun Belt Championship. James Madison secured a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the first time in school history with the No. 12 seed and earned its highest AP ranking in program history at No. 19. The Dukes finished the season with a 12-2 record following their CFP First Round appearance.
Prior to James Madison, Grautski worked with Chesney in each of his six seasons at Holy Cross as the assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2018-23 before being elevated to director of sport performance in 2024. The Crusaders won six consecutive Patriot League championships and earned four berths into the NCAA FCS Playoffs with Grautski on staff. That included a 2022 season in which Holy Cross went 11-0 during the regular season and earned the No. 8 seed in the FCS Playoffs before reaching the quarterfinals and finishing 12-1.
Grautski followed Chesney to Holy Cross after five years together at Assumption, where he was promoted to head strength and conditioning coach for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Grautski operated in a hybrid role as the defensive line coach and assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for the Greyhounds from 2013-15. Across those five seasons, Grautski helped Assumption to a record of 44-16, including five-straight winning seasons and NCAA Division II playoff appearances in each of his final three years. In addition to football, Grautski oversaw the strength and conditioning strategy for all of Assumption's 24 sports.
While at Assumption, Grautski's efforts overlapped at NCAA Division III Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator from 2011-14. He held the same role at NCAA Division III Fitchburg State for three years in 2009-11.
He began his strength and conditioning career as an intern at Holy Cross in 2008-09, assisting with the football, field hockey, men's basketball, men's ice hockey and men's lacrosse teams.
Grautski has been certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (CSCS), USA Weightlifting (USAW Level 1), Precision Nutrition (PN1), the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI Level 1), Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR Level 1 & 2) and the American Red Cross (CPR & AED).
A 2009 graduate of Worcester State University with bachelor's degree in health science, Grautski was a four-year starter on the defensive line for the Lancers, serving as a team captain for two years. The Lunenburg, Mass. native later earned his master's degree in leadership and management from Fitchburg State in 2013.
Grautski (pronounced GROT-skee) reunites with Chesney after serving on his staffs at James Madison (2025), FCS Holy Cross (2018-23) and NCAA Division II Assumption College (2013-17) for a total of 12 seasons. Grautski, who owns 18 years of strength and conditioning experience, joins the Bruins after spending the 2025 campaign with the Dukes. He has been a full-time member on eight staffs that have reached the Playoffs (four FCS, three NCAA Division II, one CFP).
"I am thrilled to welcome Chris, Ashley and Braxton to Los Angeles and the UCLA community," Chesney said. "Chris has been instrumental to our championship success at multiple stops together, and I have no doubt he will thrive here and make a similar impact on this program. His dedication to his craft and ability to motivate and develop our student-athletes is unmatched. Chris and his elite strength team will play a key role in establishing our culture in Westwood."
"I want to thank Coach Chesney for the incredible opportunity to assist in bringing UCLA back to a place among the elite programs in college football," Grautski said. "Helping to restore the championship tradition of UCLA football is a tremendous honor and responsibility that I do not take lightly. John Wooden said 'success travels in the company of very hard work' and that 'failing to prepare is preparing to fail.' I live on the 'hard work' and 'preparation' side of college football, and look forward to sharing my vision of this ethic with our players. We have a lot of work to do, and I can't wait to get started with our guys in the coming weeks!"
Joining Grautski's UCLA staff are associate director of athletic performance Jack Sprague and assistant directors of athletic performance Ammasith Phrommavanh, Greg Wandy and Devonte Chandler.
Grautski, alongside Chesney, helped James Madison reach new heights in their one year together in Harrisonburg, Va. in 2025. The Dukes recorded just the 10th unbeaten conference record in Sun Belt history, going 8-0, and captured the program's first Sun Belt Championship. James Madison secured a spot in the College Football Playoff (CFP) for the first time in school history with the No. 12 seed and earned its highest AP ranking in program history at No. 19. The Dukes finished the season with a 12-2 record following their CFP First Round appearance.
Prior to James Madison, Grautski worked with Chesney in each of his six seasons at Holy Cross as the assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2018-23 before being elevated to director of sport performance in 2024. The Crusaders won six consecutive Patriot League championships and earned four berths into the NCAA FCS Playoffs with Grautski on staff. That included a 2022 season in which Holy Cross went 11-0 during the regular season and earned the No. 8 seed in the FCS Playoffs before reaching the quarterfinals and finishing 12-1.
Grautski followed Chesney to Holy Cross after five years together at Assumption, where he was promoted to head strength and conditioning coach for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Grautski operated in a hybrid role as the defensive line coach and assistant strength and conditioning coordinator for the Greyhounds from 2013-15. Across those five seasons, Grautski helped Assumption to a record of 44-16, including five-straight winning seasons and NCAA Division II playoff appearances in each of his final three years. In addition to football, Grautski oversaw the strength and conditioning strategy for all of Assumption's 24 sports.
While at Assumption, Grautski's efforts overlapped at NCAA Division III Worcester Polytechnic Institute where he was the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coordinator from 2011-14. He held the same role at NCAA Division III Fitchburg State for three years in 2009-11.
He began his strength and conditioning career as an intern at Holy Cross in 2008-09, assisting with the football, field hockey, men's basketball, men's ice hockey and men's lacrosse teams.
Grautski has been certified by the National Strength & Conditioning Association (CSCS), USA Weightlifting (USAW Level 1), Precision Nutrition (PN1), the Titleist Performance Institute (TPI Level 1), Reflexive Performance Reset (RPR Level 1 & 2) and the American Red Cross (CPR & AED).
A 2009 graduate of Worcester State University with bachelor's degree in health science, Grautski was a four-year starter on the defensive line for the Lancers, serving as a team captain for two years. The Lunenburg, Mass. native later earned his master's degree in leadership and management from Fitchburg State in 2013.
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