About
Charlie Gross has served as Director of Athletics for the Fighting Saints since 2016, providing leadership for 17 athletic teams and 430 student-athletes. Under his direction, Carroll student-athletes have posted an average semester GPA above 3.25 for 18 consecutive semesters, and every sport has earned NAIA Scholar Team recognition each year since 2016. In 2024-25, Carroll Athletics was named the inaugural NAIA National School of Character, reflecting a department-wide culture built on character development and a commitment to modeling excellence. On the field, Carroll has won the Frontier Conference George Bandy Memorial All-Sports Award four times during Gross' tenure, earned 32 conference championships, and sent 40 teams to NAIA National Tournament competition, including a 2024 Women's Basketball National Semifinalist and 2019 Men's Basketball National Runner-up. Gross has twice been named Frontier Conference Athletic Director of the Year and currently serves on the NAIA Champions of Character and National Coordinating Committees.
Before coming to Carroll, Gross spent six years as Senior Associate Athletic Director at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, overseeing business operations, human resources, capital projects, and corporate sponsorship. He previously spent nine years as a high school athletic administrator, including as Director of Athletics and Recreation for the Mequon-Thiensville School District, and built a college coaching career that included head men's basketball and men's soccer roles at NCAA DIII University of Wisconsin - La Crosse, Maine Maritime and Loras College. Gross holds a Master of Education in Athletic Administration from Bowling Green State University and a Bachelor of Arts in accounting and philosophy from Saint John's University in Collegeville, Minnesota.
Charlie and his wife, Barb, have four children: Willie, Kacie (married to Luke Spink), Carlie, and Henry.
