Tim Grosz is entering his 26th year as the Head Men’s Basketball Coach and the Associate Director of Athletics at the University of Northwestern. Coach Grosz was hired in 2000 and is the longest-tenured coach in program history.
Since Coach Grosz took over the Eagle program, UNW has been the most consistent program at the top of the Upper Midwest Athletic Conference. In the 26 seasons with Grosz at the helm, the Eagles have won the UMAC 16 times and have never missed the conference tournament. Additionally, UNW has won the Conference Tournament 13 times. Coach Grosz has been the UMAC Coach of the Year 11 times. He was also named the Conference’s Coach of the Decade in 2019.
Grosz’s Eagles have also had success at the national level, appearing in seven straight NCAA National Tournaments from 2011-2017. During the 2014-2015 postseason, the Eagles rebounded from a 2-9 start to the season, winning 18 straight games to make another appearance in the National Tournament. The Eagles squared off with the #3 ranked team in the country, St. Thomas, in the first round. Sophomore guard Porter Morrell hit a buzzer-beating three-pointer to knock off the Tommies and give Grosz and the Eagles their first-ever NCAA Tournament win. The play appeared on SportsCenter’s Top Ten Plays as the #4 play of the night. The Eagles would defeat Elmhurst College the next night to advance to the Sweet 16. This was the first Sweet 16 appearance by any athletic team in school history. After the season, UNW made its first appearance in the National Top 25 ranking, finishing the season ranked 25th in the country. In 2018-2019, the Eagles had more NCAA Tournament success. In the first round of the National Tournament UNW traveled to Collegeville, Minnesota to play #8 ranked St. John’s on their home court. The Eagles controlled the game from start to finish and won decisively, 93-78, to claim another NCAA Tournament win. Coach Grosz was named the D3hoops.com Division III West Region Coach of the Year in 2015 and 2021.
Coach Grosz has also seen national success in the NCCAA National Tournament. Under his leadership, the Eagles have won two Division I National Championships at the National Christian College Tournament. Grosz’s first National Championship came in 2009-10 when the Eagles defeated King College to win the National Title. In 2020-2021 the Eagles qualified for the NCAA National Tournament by winning the UMAC Tournament. However, due to the national Covid-19 pandemic, the tournament was canceled. The Eagles competed in the NCCAA Tournament instead, and went on a magical ride. The Eagles hosted the Regional qualifying game, and freshman Henry Fahnbulleh hit a three-pointer at the buzzer to defeat Trinity Christian and send the Eagles to Indiana for the National Tournament. The shot was featured on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays as the #1 play of the night. The Eagles would go on to defeat Ottawa University (AZ) to win their second NCCAA National Championship.
Grosz eclipsed the 400 career wins plateau on March 17, 2021, with a win in the NCCAA National Tournament over Lancaster Bible College. The most decorated coach in program history, Coach’s 469 wins and remarkable 66.3% winning percentage are both program bests.
Coach Grosz graduated from Northwestern with a double major in Physical Education and Bible, and received his Master’s Degree from Saint Mary’s University in 2001. Grosz coached at Edina, New Life Academy and South Saint Paul high schools prior to arriving at UNW. He has also led numerous camps and clinics, and has presented motion offense at Hoops U. Basketball Academy.
In the Spring of 2023, Grosz was named to the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championships Committee, assisting with the field selection and operations of the DIII National Tournament.
Coach Grosz currently resides in New Brighton with his wife Tanya, daughter Sophie, and their dog Finn. His daughter Livvy and son-in-law Ryan Schneider live in Loveland, Colorado.
