Dr. Ron Dolciato has over 30 years of coaching experience under several titles, including Head Coach for Saint Vincent College, Senior Offensive Assistant/Running Backs Coach for Case Western Reserve University, Senior Offensive Analyst/Running Back Coach for St. Thomas University and Associate Head Coach/Offensive Coordinator for John Carroll University.Â
During his second season back at JCU in 2024, Dolciato helped improve Nick Semptimphelter's passing attack. In his first season as a Blue Streak, Semptimphelter set the career records for completion percentage (76.4%) and passing efficiency (194.0). Semptimphelter also finished 3rd in JCU history in passing yards per game with 242.7. His 38 passing TD's are second were second all time in a season as well.  Semptimphelter was recognized with a First Team All-OAC recognition.Â
During his five years as the 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 Dave Ziegler Las Vegas Raiders; General Manager Nick Caserio, Houston Texans. Former General Manager David Caldwell, Jacksonville Jaguars; He was also was on the staff that produced NFL coaches Josh McDaniels Head coach Las Vegas Raiders; Greg Roman former assistant head coach/ offensive coordinator of the Baltimore Ravens; Jerry Schuplinski, tight ends coach Las Vegas Raiders; and Frank Ross special coordinator of the Houston Texans. He also coached former pro bowl Linebacker London Fletcher and NFL quarterback Tom Arth.Â
In 2020 & 2021 seasons, he was the Senior Offensive Analyst/Running Backs Coach at St. Thomas University in Miami, Florida. In 2021 the Bobcats finished the season with a 9-2 record in only the third year of football at the University.Â
Most recently, in 2019 & 2022, he was the Senior Offensive Assistant/Running Backs Coach at Case Western Reserve University where in 2019 he helped in guiding the Spartans to their second PAC Championship and a bid to the Division III NCAA playoffs.Â
An 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
