Grove City College Men's Football

The 2018 and 2023 Presidents’ Athletic Conference Coach of the Year, Andrew DiDonato enters his 11th season as Grove City College’s 28th all-time head football coach. DiDonato has implemented a “Brick By Brick” philosophy throughout all aspects of the Wolverine program since taking his position in 2016.  In 2023, Grove City won the Presidents' Athletic Conference title with a 10-0 record and captured the program's first-ever NCAA Division III playoff berth. Grove City defeated undefeated Susquehanna in the first round of the playoffs, 21-20, to earn the program's first NCAA playoff win. The Wolverines fell at eventual national champion Cortland State in the second round, 25-24.  Guard Vinny Lepre and linebacker Ben Bladel both earned All-America honors following the 2023 season. Bladel also earned the conference's Defensive Player of the Year award. Those two men earned D3football.com All-Region, as did center Brady Brungard, cornerback/kick returner Gabe Dunlap, running back Nico Flati, long snapper C.J. Otwell and defensive end Bryce Spolnik.  In 2024, the Wolverines repeated as conference champions and captured their second straight NCAA Division III playoff berth. Grove City led the nation in turnover margin while also ranking third in rushing defense.  Bladel and wide receiver Scott Fraser both earned All-America honors. Bladel, Brungard, Fraser, Spolnik and cornerback Boden Davidson all earned All-Region recognition from D3football.com. The 2025 Wolverines earned the program's third straight trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs. Bladel, linebacker Caleb Brubaker and sophomore cornerback Noah Wheeler all earned All-America honors from the AFCA and/or D3football.com. Five men earned All-Region honors and 15 players received All-PAC honors.  Brubaker also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America distinction.  Grove City won four straight Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) bowl games from 2018 to 2022. The Wolverines are 61-17 over the last seven fall seasons.  In 2022, Grove City led the Presidents' Athletic Conference in scoring offense, total offense, rushing offense and rushing defense. The Wolverines went 8-3 overall and defeated FDU-Florham in the ECAC James Lynah Bowl, 31-14. LePre earned AFCA All-America honors while Bladel captured Presidents' Athletic Conference and ECAC Newcomer of the Year honors. In 2021, wide receiver Cody Gustafson earned consensus All-America honors, as well as the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-American of the Year honor. Grove City finished 8-3 and rolled past Utica, 49-7, in the ECAC Scotty Whitelaw Bowl. In 2019, the Wolverines tied the program record by winning nine games and set a program record with seven conference victories. Grove City finished 9-2, capping the season with a 41-38 win over Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) James Lynah Bowl. Running back Wesley Schools earned Presidents' Athletic Conference Offensive Player of the Year honors and became a consensus Division III All-American. Schools led Division III in scoring and ranked among the national leaders in rushing yardage.  Meanwhile, junior wide receiver Cody Gustafson earned CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. He also became the program's career leader in receptions, receiving yards and touchdown catches during the 2019 season. In 2018, the Wolverines posted their finest season in 21 years by going 8-3 overall. Grove City capped the season by winning its final seven games, including a 56-48 victory over Morrisville State in the ECAC James Lynah Bowl, marking the first postseason victory in Grove City football history. The Wolverines set a program record by winning six conference games, leading to the league’s head football coaches honoring DiDonato as its Coach of the Year. Schools led the conference with 1,741 rushing yards and Gustafson set single-season program records with 76 catches, 1,201 receiving yards, and 15 touchdown catches. Gustafson and Schools both earned D3Football.com All-South Region, while punter Caleb Brake and tackle Sal Spinosa joined that duo on the All-ECAC Division Team.  Gustafson joined the linebacker duo of Ethan Conto and Sam Henson on the Google Cloud CoSIDA Academic All-District First Team. Twelve Wolverines earned PAC Academic Honor Roll distinction in 2018. In 2017, Schools became the program’s fourth all-time 1,000-yard rusher and Gustafson earned Presidents’ Athletic Conference Newcomer of the Year honors after catching 58 passes as a rookie. Grove City posted a four-game improvement in the standings in his second season as head coach. DiDonato returned to the College as offensive coordinator in 2015. Under his guidance, the Wolverine offense nearly doubled its point production from the previous season and also increased its offensive yardage average by 55 yards per game. Quarterback Caleb Jakiel set a program record by throwing for 428 yards October 31, 2015 at Bethany. He also set a Grove City standard with 484 yards of total offense that day.  DiDonato joined the Grove City coaching staff in January 2015 after spending three seasons at South Fayette High School. He worked as South Fayette’s offensive coordinator in 2013 and 2014, helping the Lions to a 32-0 aggregate record and two Class AA state titles. As South Fayette’s offensive coordinator, he successfully directed an explosive offensive system that featured Pennsylvania’s all-time leader in passing yardage, quarterback Brett Brumbaugh.  DiDonato’s coaching career began at the University of Buffalo in 2010. He also coached at Peters Township High School. A native of Bridgeville, Pa., and graduate of South Fayette High School, DiDonato graduated as Grove City College’s record holder in career passing yards (7,509), pass completions (750), and touchdown passes (49). He also held the Wolverines’ season records in each of those three categories.  DiDonato started a Grove City-record 40 games at quarterback from 2006 to 2009. He captained the 2009 team as a senior, leading the team to a 4-2 mark in Presidents’ Athletic Conference play, marking the program’s best finish in the league in nine years. DiDonato concluded his career as a student athlete by earning the College’s Omicron Delta Kappa Sportsman of the Year award in 2010. As a senior, he lettered in basketball and helped Grove City to the conference title and the Wolverines’ first trip to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in 21 years. DiDonato also earned PAC Academic Honor Roll distinction during his career as a student-athlete.  He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in business management in 2010 and a master’s degree in exercise science from California University of Pennsylvania in 2011. He previously served on the board for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in western Pennsylvania and worked as the football camp director and coaches’ ministry director for that organization. DiDonato lives in Pine Township with his wife, Andrea, and their two children.

Bill Brest will be entering his eighth season as a member of the Grove City coaching staff in 2025. He will again coordinate Grove City's special teams units. The 2026 season will be his fourth season as the Wolverines' defensive line coach. Brest has also coached wide receivers and defensive backs at Grove City. In 2024, Grove City led NCAA Division III in turnover margin (plus-21) while ranking third nationally in rushing defense (42.2) and yards per carry allowed (1.6). The Wolverines also recorded 29 sacks. Senior defensive end Bryce Spolnik earned D3football.com All-Region honors for the second straight season. The Wolverines won the Presidents' Athletic Conference title for the second straight season and advanced to the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs for the second time in program history. In 2023, Grove City led the Presidents' Athletic Conference with 36 sacks while also ranking second in the league in yards per carry allowed (2.6) and rushing yards per game allowed (76.6). Spolnik earned All-Region recognition from D3football.com. Wolverine special teams also excelled in 2023 as kick returner Gabe Dunlap and long snapper C.J. Otwell both earned All-Region laurels. Grove City led the conference in kickoff and punt returns. The coverage units allowed only 43 punt return yards all season and led the league in net kickoffs. Grove City won the conference title and earned its first-ever NCAA Division III playoff appearance in 2023. The Wolverines finished 11-1 overall while being ranked 10th in the AFCA and D3football.com season-ending Top 25 polls.  Grove City earned a third straight trip to the national playoffs in 2025 while going 8-2 in the regular season. The Wolverines held opponents to 2.8 yards per carry. Senior end Jordan Karczewski earned First Team All-PAC while on the other side, junior end Dave Cowher capped his first year as a starter by capturing Honorable Mention All-PAC.  The Wolverines' special teams continued to excel in 2025 as long snapper Derrick Lambert earned All-Region recognition and kicker/punter Brady Lane landed on the conference's First Team. Grove City won Eastern College Athletic Conference bowl games in each of Brest's four fall seasons on staff. In 2022, the Wolverines went 8-3 overall while finishing third overall in the Presidents' Athletic Conference in total defense. Grove City recorded 18 interceptions, the No. 2 figure in the conference.  Kicker Nick Morrow became Grove City's all-time leader in kick points scored and earned All-PAC honors in 2022.  In 2019, Brest helped the Wolverines lead the Presidents' Athletic Conference in total offense. Grove City finished 9-2 overall, tying the program record for wins in a season.  Junior wide receivers Cody Gustafson and Cameron Drake combined for 112 catches, 2,240 yards and 20 touchdowns, helping quarterback Josh Ehst lead NCAA Division III in yards per completion. Gustafson earned All-ECAC Division III and CoSIDA Academic All-America honors. Grove City's special teams also played a major role in the Wolverines' record-breaking 2019 season. Morrow earned Second Team All-PAC and punter Caleb Brake secured All-PAC Honorable Mention. Brest spent 12 seasons as an assistant coach at Thiel College, where he coached running backs, wide receivers, and special teams throughout his career. He helped the Tomcats to the 2005 conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III Tournament. From 2010 to 2018, Brest worked as the head coach at nearby Hickory High School. He led the Hornets to an 83-28 overall record, including six district titles and two trips to the state semifinals. Overall, Brest owns 38 years of coaching experience. He earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Slippery Rock University.  His son, Kendall, coaches Grove City's defensive backs. 

Kendall Brest enters his sixth season as a full-time member of the coaching staff in 2025. Brest will again work with Grove City’s defensive backfield. Grove City led the Presidents' Athletic Conference with 18 interceptions in 2024 on the way to a second straight conference title. The Wolverines finished with a plus-21 turnover margin, the top figure in NCAA Division III.  Cornerback Boden Davidson earned D3football.com All-Region honors following the 2024 season. In 2025, Grove City earned its third straight trip to the NCAA Division III playoffs thanks in large part to the play of the Wolverine secondary. Senior safety Keagan Fraser intercepted a team-high six passes while sophomore Mason Clouse grabbed three interceptions. Both men earned Second Team All-Conference honors from the league's head coaches. Additionally, senior Ryan Montgomery earned Honorable Mention All-PAC after recording 48 tackles and a pair of interceptions. Brest's defensive backs helped Grove City earn the 2023 Presidents' Athletic Conference championship, along with the program's first-ever NCAA Division III playoff berth. Grove City recorded 14 interceptions and led the league with two touchdown returns. Overall, the Wolverines finished second in the league in total defense while allowing only 12 touchdown passes in 12 games. Cornerback Gabe Dunlap earned D3football.com All-Region honors. In 2022, Grove City ranked second in the conference with 18 interceptions. The Wolverines finished 8-3 overall and won the ECAC James Lynah Bowl, marking the program's fourth bowl win in as many fall seasons.  A 2021 Grove City College graduate, Brest spent four seasons as a student assistant coach with the Wolverines. His efforts helped Grove City to a pair of ECAC James Lynah Bowl victories, along with a program-record nine wins in 2019. He joined the coaching staff on a full-time basis in June 2021.  A graduate of nearby Hickory High School in Hermitage, Brest graduated with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He is pursuing his master's degree at Liberty University.

A 2018 Grove City College graduate, Dan Vogt enters his fifth season as Grove City's defensive coordinator. He also works with Grove City's linebackers. In 2023, Vogt helped the Wolverines to the Presidents' Athletic Conference title, the program's first 10-0 regular season and the program's first-ever NCAA Division III playoff appearance. The Wolverines advanced to the second round of the playoffs after defeating Susquehanna in the playoff opener, 21-20. Grove City led the conference with 36 sacks while ranking second in rushing defense. Linebacker Ben Bladel earned All-America honors while defensive end Bryce Spolnik and cornerback Gabe Dunlap joined Bladel on D3football.com's All-Region team.  Grove City followed up in 2024 by leading NCAA Division III in turnover margin and ranking third in rushing defense. The Wolverines repeated as conference champions and again reached the second round of the NCAA Division III playoffs. Bladel repeated as an All-America and All-Region selection. Spolnik also earned All-Region distinction, as did junior cornerback Boden Davidson.  The 2025 Wolverines led the conference with 24 interceptions and the Wolverines' average of 2.18 picks per game ranked first in NCAA Division III. Grove City scored five defensive touchdowns in 2025.  Bladel, senior linebacker Caleb Brubaker and sophomore cornerback Noah Wheeler all earned All-America honors from the AFCA and/or D3football.com following the 2025 season. Brubaker also earned College Sports Communicators Academic All-America honors.  Vogt had a highly successful first season as defensive coordinator in 2022 as the Wolverines went 8-3 overall and won the ECAC James Lynah Bowl over FDU-Florham, 31-14. Grove City held Florham to minus-11 rushing yards in the bowl victory. Overall, Grove City led the Presidents' Athletic Conference in rushing defense and also ranked second with 18 interceptions. Linebacker Ryan Fleming became the program's all-time leader in quarterback sacks while fellow linebacker Ben Bladel earned PAC and ECAC Newcomer of the Year honors.  Vogt previously coached running backs and tight ends as Grove CIty before switching to the defensive side of the ball in 2020. Vogt is also heavily involved in the program’s strength and conditioning aspects.  A two-year letterwinner at guard and center for the Wolverines, Vogt also worked as a student assistant coach following his playing career. Vogt, a native of Hartville, Ohio, earned his bachelor’s degree in exercise science. He and his wife Michelle live in Grove City with their infant son.      

The 2026 season will be Zack Windsor’s second season as a member of the Grove City coaching staff. Windsor will work with Grove City’s wide receivers this fall after coaching the running backs and fullbacks in 2025. Windsor helped the Wolverines earn their third straight NCAA Division III playoff appearance in 2025. Grove City ranked third in the Presidents' Athletic Conference in rushing offense. Running back Chase Rankin earned Second Team All-PAC honors while fullback Anthony Brunette merited Honorable Mention All-Conference. Windsor joined the College after spending three seasons as wide receivers coach at Presidents’ Athletic Conference member Waynesburg University. He also worked as a recruiting coordinator at Waynesburg. A Florida native, Windsor has proudly served his country as a West Virginia Army National Guard 68W Combat Medic since August 2019. He earned promotion to sergeant in 2024. Windsor graduated from West Virginia University in the spring of 2023 with a degree in Coaching and Performance Sciences with an Emphasis in Applied Sport Sciences.

A standout in both football and lacrosse at Grove City College, Jason Muench enters his second season on the football coaching staff. He will again work with the Wolverines' outside linebackers while also serving as video coordinator. In 2025, linebacker Ben Bladel earned American Football Coaches Association (AFCA) Division III All-America honors while freshman understudy Nick Clemens added 3.5 quarterback sacks . Muench earned First Team All-Presidents’ Athletic Conference honors at safety in 2024 after helping the Wolverines earn their second straight conference title and a berth in the NCAA Division III playoffs. Muench earned four letters at linebacker and safety. He also earned All-Conference honors as a midfielder for the Grove City men’s lacrosse program. Muench helped the Wolverines to four conference title and four NCAA Tournament appearances. He owns the Grove City record by playing in eight total NCAA postseason games. A Bethel Park native, Muench graduated in May 2025 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise science. 

A 1980 Grove City College graduate, Dr. Jim Thrasher is passionate about and committed to the Athletic Department’s mission to the Christ-centered development of student athletes as people, competitors, and teammates.  He deems it a privilege to step alongside the other coaches in the development of a culture which competes for championships in a manner that glorifies God.  He has invested in many student athletes and teams in his four-decade career at the College.   Thrasher has coached on the high school and collegiate levels.  In 2010 Thrasher guided the Grove City men’s club lacrosse team, who were ranked ninth in the country, to the MCLA  Division II National Championships.   He is an Associate Professor of Biblical and Religious Studies and Humanities and serves as the Senior Advisor to the Vice President for Student Recruitment.