Bryant head basketball coach Jared Grasso on leave of absence

Bryant head men’s basketball coach Jared Grasso is on a leave of absence from the program, the University confirmed on Friday. Here’s the statement from the school:

“Men’s basketball head coach Jared Grasso is on a leave of absence from Bryant University. Associate Head Coach Phil Martelli, Jr. will serve as the acting coach effective immediately.”

There are no further details regarding the cause, length, etc of the leave, but we will update this story as soon as official word is available.

Martelli Jr. has been with the program since 2018 and is the son of long-time collegiate coach Phil Martelli, Sr, who is currently on staff at Michigan – and ironically serving as the Wolverines’ acting head coach while Juwan Howard recovers from offseason heart surgery.

The Bulldogs finished 17-13 last year, their first in the America East. The year before, Grasso led the program to its first-ever D-I NCAA Tournament by way of NEC regular season and Tournament titles. The University awarded Grasso with a contract extension in April 2022, earning him a raise and locking him in through the 2026-27 season.

credit to Rick Osentoski/USA TODAY Sports for the photo