NYU Athletics

In his first four seasons as the head women’s volleyball coach at New York University, Ed Caesar has already established his place in team history. The Violets have advanced to the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament in each of his four seasons and made it all the way to the Championship Final in 2002

Last season, Caesar led NYU to its third consecutive trip to the NCAA Division III Elite Eight and to an overall record of 35-8. For his efforts, Caesar was named the American Volleyball Coaches’ Association (AVCA) Division III New York Region Coach of the Year, as well as the New York State Women’s Collegiate Athletic Association (NYSWCAA) Coach of the Year.

Caesar’s players received a plethora of accolades in 2005. Senior Katya Khmelnitskaya was named AVCA First Team All-American for the third straight season, while fellow senior Jennifer Gardikas earned AVCA Second Team All-American honors. They both were selected First Team All-NYSWCAA and AVCA All-New York Region. Khmelnitskaya was a First Team All-University Athletic Association (UAA) selection, while Gardikas was a Second Team All-UAA honoree. Junior Elena Drinka was chosen NYSWCAA Player of the Year, AVCA First Team All-American, and AVCA All-New York Region. Also a Second Team All-UAA selection, Drinka was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces In The Crowd” on October 17.

Caesar’s players also performed at the highest levels in their classrooms last season, as six Violets were UAA Fall Sport All-Academic honorees. Khmelnitskaya was named CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine First Team Academic All-American, while Gardikas was a CoSIDA/ESPN The Magazine Second Team Academic All-American.

Caesar, whose career record now stands at 149-34, led the Violets to 34 wins (34-14) and to the 2002 NCAA Tournament Sweet Sixteen in his first season. He topped that by taking his team all the way to the NCAA Division III National Championship Final and to a 40-5 record in 2003. In 2004, Caesar and the Violets racked up a 40-7 record and again advanced to the NCAA Final Four.

In 2003, Caesar was named AVCA New York Region Coach of the Year, while he and his assistants (Mitch Kallick, Dominic Griffin), were selected UAA Coaching Staff of the Year. Included in the team’s march to the NCAA Final was a victory over #1-ranked (and unbeaten) Juniata College in the East Region final.

Prior to becoming the women’s head coach, Caesar served as an assistant coach for the NYU’s men’s volleyball team for eight seasons. He assisted head coach Jose Pina in leading the squad to four consecutive winning seasons, two EIVA (Eastern Intercollegiate Volleyball Association) Division III Championships, and to NCAA Tournament appearances in 1999, 2001 and 2002.

A 1993 NYU graduate with a bachelor's degree in history, Caesar established himself as one of the Violets' premier volleyball players. A four-year team member (1990-93) and middle blocker, Caesar established several team records, including most solo blocks in a match, most blocking assists in a season, and highest blocking average in a season. His one-season team record of 56 solo blocks, set in 1992, still remains intact.

Prior to his coaching career at NYU, Caesar served as head coach of the boys’ varsity and the girls’ junior varsity volleyball teams at Half Hollow Hills High School on Long Island. During his tenure, Caesar led the boys’ team to the Suffolk County Championship and to the New York State Championship Tournament. In addition, Caesar also coached men’s and women’s Junior Olympic teams in 1993 and 1994.

A native of Dix Hills, NY, Caesar currently resides in Manhattan.

Caesar’s Year-By-Year Records

Year Record Pct.

• NCAA Sweet Sixteen
•• NCAA Elite Eight
••• NCAA Final Four
•••• NCAA Championship Runner-Up