Windsor Lancers

Since taking over the Lancers in 2013, Coach Gravelle has re-focused the team on the fundamentals, stressing individual skill-building and steady development of every player on the roster.  A great deal of the Lancers development model comes from Coach Gravelle’s time spent with Team Canada as an assistant coach of the National B Team (2015 and 2016), head coach of the Canadian FISU team in Taipei, Taiwan (2017), and head of delegation and assistant coach of the FISU team again in Naples, Italy (2019).  He was also a 2017 and 2024 Team Ontario Red Boys Head Coach and was a Team Ontario Canada Games Assistant Coach for 2025, winning bronze in St. Johns, Newfoundland and Labrador.

The steady improvement of the Lancers during Coach Gravelle’s tenure has been remarkable.The team has advanced to the OUA Final Four on five occasions, winning two OUA silver medals and two bronze.  In 2018, the Lancers broke through and qualified for the national championship for the first time in program history. In 2022-23, the Lancers made program history by qualifying for the OUA Final for the first time, earning silver and advancing to the national championship as the #5 seed, and Gravelle was named the Fox 40 U SPORTS Coach of the Year.

In 2024-25, the Lancers went 18-2 (W-L) under Gravelle's leadership, marking their best season in program history and first time atop the OUA to finish the regular season, while being ranked as the No. 4 team in U SPORTS for the duration of the season. The Lancers hosted the OUA Forsyth Cup for the first time. That season saw the Lancers earn their first-ever win at U SPORTS in straight sets against Western. Gravelle was named OUA Coach of the Year for the second time in three seasons, and the Lancers earned the R.W. Pugh Fair Play Award for the most sportsmanlike team throughout the national tournament.

As well, many Lancers have received significant individual recognition while working with Coach Gravelle. John Moate, Pierce Johnson (twice), Darian Koskie, and Markus Law-Heese have been named U SPORTS All-Canadians with Law-Heese also being selected as the OUA Player of The Year in 2025. In addition, there have been many OUA all-star selections and Windsor Lancers Olympic Shield (male athlete of the year) winners from the Lancers during Coach Gravelle's tenure.
 
A Windsor native and proud Lancer alumnus, James brings an impressive playing resume to the table.He was a four-year member of the Lancers (1994-98), team captain from 1996-98, selected two-time team MVP (1996-98), and a two-time OUA first team all-star (1996-98).
 
Following graduation in 1998, Gravelle trained for a beach volleyball career that included a three-year run on the FIVB World Tour (2000-02) and a spot on the Canadian national beach volleyball team.

Coach Gravelle was awarded the prestigious Gino Fracas Award as the coach of the year at the University of Windsor for the third time in 2025.

Coach Gravelle is an NCCP Certified Level 3 Coach.