Saint Anselm College

Joe Adam, the 2023 Northeast-10 Conference Coach of the Year, begins his tenth season as the head coach of the Saint Anselm College football team in 2025. Adam was named to the position on Apr. 19, 2016.

Adam came to the Hilltop with more than 20 years of coaching experience with success at all levels of NCAA football, having been a part of two NCAA Division II National Championships. Adam has taken his teams to bowl games and helped a program reach the NCAA playoffs for the first time in the school’s history.

The Hawks finished the 2024 campaign with a 5-5 record, including a 5-3 league ledger. The squad's 5-5 overall record marked the third straight season in which the team posted a .500 record since 2000-2002. Adam coached nine student-athletes to Northeast-10 All-Conference honors, including three First Team members.

In 2023, Adam led Saint Anselm to its best finish to a season in modern-day program history (since 1999). The team ended the year with a 6-4 overall record and came in second place in the NE10 after going 5-2 in conference games. The Hawks had previously never ended a season higher than fifth place since the NE10 began sponsoring football in 2001. The 2023 season also marked the program's second consecutive winning campaign, which was the first time that has been done in the modern-day era as well.

Adam coached 10 players to various All-Conference rosters that were named at season's end, including First Team defensive selections in both Taylor Pawelkoski and Max Tempchin, on his way to earning NE10 Coach of the Year honors. It was his first ever Coach of the Year award and marked the second time in program history such a feat has been accomplished. During the season, Adam and the Hawks earned wins over Assumption, Bentley, and New Haven. It was the first time that any Saint Anselm team has beaten all three NE10 powerhouses in the same year. Adam's defensive unit in particular showed out that fall. The Hawks concluded the 2023 regular season ranked third in all of NCAA Division II in fumbles recovered (13), sixth in first downs allowed (136), 10th in blocked kicks (six), 10th in opposing third-down conversion percentage (26.9%), and 11th in blocked punts (three). The stout Saint Anselm defense allowed just 142.4 passing yards per game, the seventh-best figure in the country.

In 2022, the Hawks ranked 21st in the nation in Total Defense, allowing just 4.55 yards per play and held opponents to an average of 285.9 yards per game. The Hawks were second in the NE10 in passing yards allowed per game (157.8) and recovered a league-high 15 fumbles to go with 13 interceptions. On the offensive side of the ball, Saint Anselm averaged a league-best 255.7 yards per game, scoring 20 passing touchdowns. 

Saint Anselm tied the program record for wins in a season (6) and finished with a winning reacord for the first time since 2014. Eight Hawk student-athletes earned All-Conference recognition at season’s end including First Team selection Anthony Brown. 

In 2021, the Hawks ranked at the top of the NE10 in 2021 in several statistical categories, including passing offense (314.7 - ninth in NCAA Division II), team tackles for a loss per game (7.7), and fumbles lost (three). The well-rounded Hawks ranked second in the conference in punt return yardage (12.15), sacks allowed (1.11), tackles for a loss allowed (4.11) and total offensive yards per game (380.9).

Saint Anselm won three out of its four games played on the Hilltop and had four student-athletes earn All-Conference honors from the NE10 following the season. The Hawks roster also featured the NE10’s overall Rookie of the Year in sophomore Drew Willoughby.

Under Adam’s direction in 2019, the Hawks recorded their first three-game winning streak in five seasons and had a single-season record 12 student-athletes earn Northeast-10 All-Conference honors. The offense threw for over 3,200 yards in 2019, averaging just shy of 300 passing yards per game. Saint Anselm scored over 300 points for just the third time in team history.

The Hawks played an arduous schedule in 2019, including three non-conference games - all Hawks opponents combined to win 52 games, the strongest win total of any NE10 program’s opponents. Adam also mentored the league’s Defensive Player of the Year, CJ Miller, who went on to earn All-America honors from both the AFCA and the D2CCA. Miller was also a finalist for the prestigious Cliff Harris Award, issued to the country’s top small college defensive student-athlete.

Saint Anselm had seven of its football student-athletes earn All-Conference honors from the NE10 after the 2018 season, the 20th modern-day football campaign on the Hilltop. The Hawks also competed in several close games throughout the season, posting three losses by four or less points. The season began with a thrilling triple-overtime contest against Stonehill which saw several program records fall, including the most tackles in one game (128), the most field goals made (four) and the most overtimes (three). Senior Daniel Parisi booted those four field goals en route to Fred Mitchell Award Watch List honors during the year.

Senior linebacker Eric Mercer captured All-League honors for the Hawks in 2017, highlighting a season that saw the team post a thrilling come-from-behind victory over Pace on Oct. 21. In that contest, the Hawks trailed by a game-high 14 points through the first 20 minutes of play and posted 29 second-half points to complete the comeback. Saint Anselm ranked in the top half of NE10 programs in rushing yards per game, kick return yardage, red zone touchdown percentage and total tackles. The Hawks also played a highly-disciplined style of football, averaging just shy of six penalties per game to rank second in the league.

He earned his first-career win at Saint Anselm on Oct. 22, 2016 as the Hawks cruised past Pace by a 42-7 score at Grappone Stadium. Adam also led the Hawks to a 28-17 victory over Merrimack on Senior Day the following week. The Hawks finished his first season by leading the Northeast-10 Conference in passing yards per game (243.7), ranking third in time of possession (32:26), fourth in third-down conversions (41%) and fifth in points per game (22.9).

In 2016, sophomore wide receiver Kyle Hill was a Second Team All-NE10 choice after leading the NE10 in receiving yards (1,091) and receiving yards per game (99.2), while quarterback Yianni Gavalas finished his undergraduate career as the program’s all-time leader in nearly every major passing category.

Prior to coming to Saint Anselm, Adam served as the offensive line coach at Syracuse for two seasons. He helped coach an offense that ranked in the top 10 of the program’s past 50 seasons. His offensive line unit finished the season ranked in the top third of DI FBS teams in fewest sacks allowed. He also coached All-ACC selection and NFL free-agent signee Sean Hickey (New Orleans Saints).

Prior to Syracuse, Adam spent eight seasons at Elmhurst College in Illinois, serving as the head coach for the 2013 season. Adam’s defense allowed 110 less yards per game than the year before.

With Adam as the team’s defensive coordinator in 2012, the Bluejays earned their first conference championship in 22 years, qualifying for the NCAA Division III playoffs for the first time in program history. 

Adam also spent time at Western Michigan University and Grand Valley State, winning two national titles with the Lakers including one in 2003 with then head coach Brian Kelly, now head coach at Notre Dame.

Adam received his Bachelor of Science degree in physical education from Grand Valley State. He and his wife, Lisa, have two children, Joe and Jessica.