Frank Graziano completed his first season as head coach of the Manhattanville College women's rugby team in 2021.
Heading a first-year program consisting of student-athletes with limited prior rugby experience, Graziano led the Valiants to a 1-5 record in the program's inaugural season. The Valiants played their first-ever match on Sept. 6 against the University of New Haven. Graziano and the Valiants would secure the team's first ever win on Oct. 16 against New England College, taking two of the three games (17-12, 0-5, 12-5).Under Graziano's coaching, Kasey Molito immediately became a standout in the 2021 campaign, captaining the team and leading Manhattanville with 14 tries, two conversions, 74 total points, and 67 tackles. Molito was named an All-NIRA DIII Honorable Mention at season's end, the first accolade earned by program.
Graziano came to Manhattanville from Castleton University, where he served as the first-ever head women's rugby coach for four seasons (2016-2019). During his tenure, Graziano guided the transition from a university club team to a NCAA Division III program and has steadily challenged his players to perform above and beyond expectations. In 2018, the Spartans recorded its first win at home with a 27-7 decision against LIU Post on October 28. In his final season with the Spartans, Graziano's team increased its win tally by one to finish the season 2-7.
Prior to Castleton, Graziano spent 16 seasons (1999-2015) at NCAA Division I Eastern Illinois University, where he molded the program into one of national prominence. Graziano compiled an impressive all-time coaching record of 122-31 (.797 winning percentage), with a 104-19 mark as a certified Division I program. In 14 of his 16 campaigns, Graziano posted a winning record, including four undefeated seasons and five more with just a single loss. Graziano takes great pride in emphasizing the importance of academics in the life of each of his student-athletes. His teams have held 3.0 GPA or above in any given semester along with a 100% graduation rate.
Graziano has also developed an impressive number of rugby athletes, headlined by Becky Carlson, Lauren Doyle and Michelle Reed. Carlson, a former EIU standout and assistant coach under Graziano, is currently serving her 10th season as head women's rugby coach of Quinnipiac University. Carlson sports a record of 70-25-1, including back-to-back-back Division I NIRA national championship titles in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Her program has reach nationals six out of seven seasons and named 13 All-Americans. Doyle is a co-captain of the USA Rugby Women's Sevens team, where she competed in the 2016 Rio Olympics and is currently preparing for the 2021 Japan Olympics. Reed, also a former student-athlete and assistant coach under Graziano, enters her sixth season at the helm of the Sacred Heart University women's rugby team. Reed was named the program's first head coach in 2016 and currently holds a record of 40-49.
Before EIU, Graziano served as an assistant coach for the Women's National Team U-23 program and was the National Event Coordinator and Collegiate Director for the USA Rugby organization. He created the women's rugby team at his alma mater, Clemson University, in 1995. The program posted a 21-4 record in its first two season and he also had a 91-38-4 record with the Clemson men's squad from 1992-1997.
Graziano is a graduate of Clemson University with a Bachelor of Science degree in construction science with a civil engineering emphasis.
|
Overall |
| Year(s) |
W |
L |
T |
| 1999-2015 (Eastern Illinois) |
122 |
31 |
0 |
| 2016-2020 (Castleton) |
3 |
30 |
1 |
| 2021 |
1 |
5 |
0 |
| Career |
126 |
66 |
1 |
