Last Updated: May 31, 2024
Robert Cole has served in a magnitude of roles within the New Jersey City University Department of Athletics since he joined the Gothic Knights in August of 2012. He was officially appointed to the position of
Director of Athletics in May of 2024 after serving in the role in an acting capacity since June of 2022. Prior to that, Cole served as Assistant Director of Athletics since 2019. He has overseen the department's compliance and business operations since 2018-19.
In addition to supervising all day-to-day operations of the entire department and serving as the Men’s Volleyball Sport Chair for the New Jersey Athletic Conference (NJAC), some highlights and accomplishments during his tenure as Acting AD include – a six-figure partnership with
Natural Green to upgrade the playing surface at the Thomas M. Gerrity Athletic Complex. In conjunction with that, as well as the department’s stellar recent history of external rentals and partnerships, Cole spearheaded the successful relationship with CONCACAF, from which seven different international men’s soccer teams used the Gerrity as a practice site during the 2023 Gold Cup, including runner-up Panama. Cole also helped lead the Gothic Knights to a reshaped
Philosophy and Core Values.
Prior to joining the administrative side in 2018, Cole served as head coach of both the men's and women's volleyball programs. He led the women's team for five seasons from 2014-18 and amassed 59 victories, which ranks fourth all-time in program history. Cole originally came to NJCU as an assistant coach on the women's staff prior to the 2012 season. Cole is also fourth all-time with 59 wins on the men's side, where he was head coach for four seasons from 2014-17.
Cole guided the men to the postseason every year and mentored 10 All-Skyline Conference selections, including two First Team honorees, two AVCA National Players of the Week and one Skyline Scholar-Athlete of the Year. He had 15 Academic All-Skyline selections and one CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team honoree. Cole’s women’s teams consistently improved year-over-year while earning Team Academic awards from the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA). His women’s teams also produced over a dozen Academic All-NJAC selections.
A 2011 graduate of the University of Scranton with a B.A. in Communication, he was co-founder of the school’s men’s club volleyball team. He played three years as a setter and libero for the Royals (2009-11), serving in the dual role of player-coach and co-captain in 2010 and 2011. Scranton went 5-4 his senior year playing against Division I/II opponents Lafayette, Lehigh, East Stroudsburg and West Chester.
Cole is a 2007 graduate of Saint Peter’s Preparatory, where he played four seasons of varsity volleyball (2004-07) for
NJSIAA Hall of Famer Coach Don Guide as a defensive specialist/outside hitter, earning Second Team All-Hudson County as a junior. Cole was the Marauders captain in 2007. During his prep career, he was part of a program that registered 107 consecutive county victories, winning back-to-back County championships in 2004 and 2005. SPP finished as county runners-up in 2006 and 2007. In 2007, the Marauders captured the North Jersey State Sectional championship over Bayonne, before falling in the NJSIAA State finals.
Born in June of 1989, Cole lives with his wife Kelsey and enjoys traveling and golfing.
