Dr. Ron Dolciato has over 30 years of coaching experience under several titles, including head coach for Saint Vincent College and associate head coach/offensive coordinator for John Carroll University.
During his five years as head coach of Saint Vincent College he produced, a total of 50 players that have been awarded All-PAC honors. Saint Vincent claimed back-to-back Presidents' Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year honors, receiving the award in 2015 (Tyler Donahue) and 2016 (Derek Stewart) both quarterbacks. Dolciato also coached a pair of D3football.com All-Region selections, as Darius Brown earned Second Team accolades in 2014 and Ryan Crawford gained Third Team recognition in 2016. During the successful five-year run, the football program broke 45 team and individual records. Under Dolciato, the Bearcats saw a tremendous amount of success on offense. Four of the top offensive players in Bearcat Football history have starred under Dolciato. During the 2016 season, Dolciato guided the Bearcats to their first 4-0 start since the 1957 season.
Prior to Saint Vincent, he served as the Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator at John Carroll University in University Heights, Ohio. In 2013, the Blue Streaks finished the regular season 9-1, appeared in the NCAA Division III playoffs and finished the season ranked 13th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D3football.com Top 25 polls. As the offensive coordinator at John Carroll, Dolciato produced highly notable results, including an offensive unit that set 59-team and individual school records, two national offensive records, six conference Player of the Year recipients and an Eastern Regional Championship and NCAA Division III Semifinal appearance. His 2013 offense finished first in the Ohio Athletic Conference and 14th in the nation in passing offense (313.3 yards per game) and led the league and ranked 15th in the country in fourth-down conversions (64.3 percent).Â
The Blue Streaks were also second in the OAC in red zone offense, converting 51-of-59 (86.4 percent) trips inside the 20-yard line to points. As a unit, JCU ranked third in the Ohio Athletic Conference with 451.5 yards per game which was 30th in Division III and a new school record. Â In 2010, his offense boasted the best red zone offense in the country in any division of NCAA football with 97 percent red zone efficiency. In 2002, he guided an offensive unit that produced program records in total offense (5,139 yards), scoring offense (476 points) and touchdowns (66). That same year the Blue Streaks advanced to their first final four appearance and finished the season with a record of 12-2 and were ranked 4th in the American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) and D3football.com Top 25 polls.
Dolciato was named the 2011 OAC Assistant Coach of the Year after leading an offense that averaged 406.5 yards and more than 30 points per game. In 2002 The National Football Foundation tabbed him the Assistant Football Coach of the Year.Â
Prior to becoming the offensive coordinator, Dolciato served as the JCU running backs coach. During that time, he coached five first team All-OAC backs, three-straight OAC rushing title winners, the all-time leading rusher in program history and the only player to amass 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in a career.Â
During Dolciato’s 24 year tenure at JCU, he was on the coaching staff that produced numerous front office NFL personnel, including: General Manager Tom Telesco, San Diego Chargers; General Manager David Caldwell, Jacksonville Jaguars; Head of Player Personnel Nick Caserio, New England Patriots. He was also was on the staff that produced NFL coaches Josh McDaniels the offensive coordinator of the New England Patriots; Greg Roman the assistant head coach/ offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens; Jerry Schuplinski quarterbacks coach of the New York Giants; and Frank Ross special teams coach of the Indianapolis Colts. He also coached former pro bowl Linebacker London Fletcher and NFL quarterback Tom Arth.Â
Most recently, in 2019, he was the Senior Offensive Assistant/Running Backs Coach at Case Western Reserve University where he helped in guiding the Spartans to their second PAC Championship and a bid to the Division III NCAA playoffs.Â
A Ohio native, Dolciato graduated from John Carroll in 1990 after earning All-OAC honors as a defensive tackle his senior season. He also claimed GTA Academic All-American accolades the same year, in which the Blue Streaks claimed the OAC title and berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs.Â
He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in Administration and Leadership in Higher Education and a master’s degree in Exercise Science.Â
Dolciato and his wife, Elana, have three daughters, Sabrina, Francesca and Liliana.Â
