James Gravelle is the Head Coach of the University of Windsor men’s volleyball program.
Since taking over in 2013, Coach Gravelle has transformed the program into one of the premier teams in Ontario and Canadian university volleyball. Through a player-centered development model focused on technical excellence, competitive culture, and long-term athlete growth, Gravelle has guided the Lancers to unprecedented success both provincially and nationally.
Under Gravelle's leadership, the Lancers have become a consistent contender within the OUA, advancing to the OUA Final Four on numerous occasions while capturing multiple OUA silver and bronze medals. The program achieved a historic breakthrough in 2018 when Windsor qualified for the U SPORTS National Championship for the first time in school history, establishing the Lancers as a rising force on the national stage.
The program reached new heights during the 2022-23 season when Windsor advanced to its first-ever OUA Championship Final, earning the OUA silver medal and qualifying for the U SPORTS National Championship as the tournament's fifth seed. In recognition of his remarkable leadership and the continued growth of the program, Gravelle was named the Fox 40 U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Coach of the Year, becoming the first coach in program history to receive the national coaching honour.
The 2024-25 season marked another milestone year for the Blue and Gold. The Lancers posted an outstanding 18-2 regular-season record, earning the program's first-ever OUA regular-season championship and finishing atop the conference standings for the first time. Windsor spent the entire season ranked among the top teams in the country and hosted the OUA Forsyth Cup Championship for the first time in program history. The team also earned its first-ever victory at the U SPORTS Championship, defeating Western University in straight sets. Following the season, Gravelle was named OUA Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons, while the Lancers were awarded the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award, recognizing the most sportsmanlike team at the national championship tournament.
Building on that momentum, the 2025-26 season became the most successful postseason campaign in program history. Windsor once again finished first in the OUA regular-season standings, cementing its place among the elite programs in the conference. The Lancers advanced to the OUA Championship and earned the program's third OUA silver medal under Gravelle's leadership. At the U SPORTS Men's Volleyball Championship, Windsor delivered its strongest national performance ever, finishing fourth in Canada, the best national result in program history. The achievement further established the Lancers as a perennial national contender and showcased the sustained excellence that Gravelle has built throughout his tenure.
A cornerstone of Gravelle's success has been his commitment to individual player development. Under his guidance, numerous student-athletes have earned provincial and national recognition. John Moate, Pierce Johnson (twice), Darian Koskie, and Markus Law-Heese were named U SPORTS All-Canadians, while Law-Heese made program history in 2025 by becoming the OUA Player of the Year. Many Lancers have also earned OUA All-Star honours and University of Windsor Olympic Shield recognition as the institution's Male Athlete of the Year.
Gravelle's coaching philosophy has been shaped by extensive experience on the international stage. He served as an Assistant Coach with Canada's National B Team in 2015 and 2016 before being named Head Coach of the Canadian FISU Team at the 2017 Summer Universiade in Taipei, Taiwan. He returned to the international program in 2019 as Assistant Coach and Head of Delegation for Team Canada at the Summer Universiade in Naples, Italy.
At the provincial level, Gravelle has also been a long-time leader within Team Ontario. He served as Head Coach of the Team Ontario Red Boys program in 2017 and again in 2024 and was an Assistant Coach with Team Ontario at the 2025 Canada Games, helping guide the province to a bronze-medal finish in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.
A proud Windsor native and Lancer alumnus, Gravelle enjoyed an outstanding playing career with the Blue and Gold from 1994-98. A four-year starter and team captain, he was a two-time team MVP and two-time OUA First Team All-Star. Following graduation, Gravelle pursued a professional beach volleyball career, competing on the FIVB World Tour and earning selection to the Canadian National Beach Volleyball Team.
One of the most respected coaches in Canadian university volleyball, Gravelle was recognized in 2025 with his third Gino Fracas Award as the University of Windsor's Coach of the Year. His dedication to athlete development, program culture, and competitive excellence has elevated Windsor Men's Volleyball to unprecedented levels of success while preparing generations of student-athletes for achievement both on and off the court.
Coach Gravelle is an NCCP Certified Level 3 Coach.