Pete Gratien enters his sixth season as the Head Men's & Women's Cross Country/Track & Field Coach at Daemen in 2024-25. Since taking the reins of the program, Gratien's teams have posted a combined 10 top-three finishes in East Coast Conference championship events and have accounted for 163 all-conference and 23 all-region selections.
Gratien, who first came to Daemen as a volunteer assistant coach in 2018, has a strong coaching background, particularly with distance runners. His tutelage with Daemen's cross country athletes has resulted in five runner-up finishes at the conference level and five top-10 finishes at the regional level among the men's and women's teams. He's also led those teams to 11 first place finishes in various cross country meets and both teams have made frequent appearances in the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) East Region poll.
Perhaps the highlight of Gratien's tenure came in 2022 when the women's cross country team posted a third place finish at the regional championship meet in Bethpage, N.Y., earning a bid to the NCAA Division II Cross Country Championships for the first time in program history. Led by conference medalist Kassandra Nolet, Gratien's Wildcats went to place 33rd at the national meet held in University Place, Wash.
On the track and field side, Gratien oversees a staff that includes assistant coaches who work directly with student-athletes in the areas of distance running, sprinting and jumping, pole vaulting and hurdling and throwing. After seeing the 2020 outdoor and 2021 indoor seasons canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Gratien has presided over the program's ascent among ECC programs. Both teams placed second in their respective standings at the 2021 ECC Outdoor Track & Field Championships and have gone on to combine for seven top-four finishes at ECC championship events since then.
A four-year member of the cross country team at Le Moyne College in Syracuse, Gratien earned a degree in chemistry and worked as a process control laboratory manager for six years before finding his calling as a coach. He served as the head coach for girls' cross country and track and field at Williamsville North High School prior to his arrival at Daemen.
As a runner himself, Gratien was Le Moyne's top finisher during regional championship meets in 2005, 2006 and 2008. He was also named the 2016 Buffalo Men's Runner of the Year by BuffaloRunners.com and The Buffalo News. He also competed in the 2024 Boston Marathon and is an active member of the Checkers Athletic Club.
Gratien has also played a pivotal role in spreading the life-long benefits of running and physical activity through various programs. He has successfully run the
Daemen Summer Track Series since his arrival, giving local runners of all ages a chance to compete in several track meets each summer. He and his wife Kelsey, also an avid runner and an assistant coach at Daemen, are also the co-founders of
Snyder Track and Field, a club that offers track and field programming for athletes of all abilities from ages 3-18.
Pete and Kelsey reside in Amherst with their three children, Molly, Ruth and Ryan.
What People Are Saying About Pete Gratien...
"Over the last several years, I have watched Pete successfully coach many young runners at Williamsville North High School. He has developed a strong skill set in not only the science behind the training, but also the communication needed to be an effective coach. As a competitive runner, he understands what it takes beyond just the time at practice to be a great student-athlete, such as grit and determination. With his knowledge and skills, Pete will be able to help continue to grow the program at Daemen. Pete and Judy Arlington will make an excellent team working together."
- Victoria Mitchell, director of track & field/cross country, University at Buffalo
"Congratulations on the addition of a wonderful coach to your athletics department. I have had the great fortune to know Pete and his family for the past few years, and have witnessed his development as a coach and mentor. Not only is Pete a strong leader who will raise the level of expectations for the cross country and track and field program, but he is also a great addition to the culture of the Daemen Athletic Department. I wish him all the best."
-
Todd Witzleben, associate head coach, men's cross country, University at Buffalo
"I coached Pete while he was at Le Moyne. He was a dedicated and enthusiastic member of the cross country team. He worked hard and pushed himself to improve. He would encourage and motivate the younger members of the team to work hard to improve the team. I’m sure Pete will carry these qualities with him as he takes on the coaching duties at Daemen. Post college, Pete has continued to have success in his running, and he is dedicated husband and father."
- Gerry Mahon, former head coach, men's cross country, Le Moyne College (1986-2011)
Gratien's Teams Through The Years
Women's Cross Country
| Season |
Conference Finish |
Regional Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2019 |
3rd of 8 |
13th of 23 |
1 |
- |
- |
| 2020 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021 |
2nd of 7 |
6th of 18 |
5 |
2 |
- |
| 2022 |
2nd of 7 |
3rd of 19 |
4 |
4 |
NCAA Division II Championships Bid |
| 2023 |
2nd of 8 |
5th of 15 |
5 |
3 |
- |
Men's Cross Country
| Season |
Conference Finish |
Regional Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2019 |
6th of 7 |
24th of 26 |
- |
- |
- |
| 2020 |
- |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021 |
4th of 6 |
18th of 21 |
1 |
- |
- |
| 2022 |
2nd of 5 |
9th of 21 |
5 |
- |
- |
| 2023 |
2nd of 6 |
4th of 19 |
5 |
2 |
- |
Women's Indoor Track & Field
| Season |
Conference Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2019-20 |
8th of 10 |
4 |
- |
- |
| 2020-21 |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021-22 |
3rd of 10 |
11 |
3 |
- |
| 2022-23 |
5th of 10 |
8 |
1 |
- |
| 2023-24 |
5th of 11 |
7 |
1 |
- |
Men's Indoor Track & Field
| Season |
Conference Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2019-20 |
7th of 9 |
3 |
- |
- |
| 2020-21 |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021-22 |
8th of 9 |
1 |
- |
- |
| 2022-23 |
6th of 8 |
2 |
1 |
- |
| 2023-24 |
7th of 9 |
2 |
- |
- |
Women's Outdoor Track & Field
| Season |
Conference Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2020 |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021 |
2nd of 4 |
15 |
- |
- |
| 2022 |
2nd of 6 |
12 |
2 |
- |
| 2023 |
3rd of 7 |
14 |
- |
- |
| 2024 |
3rd of 8 |
15 |
2 |
- |
Men's Outdoor Track & Field
| Season |
Conference Finish |
# Of All-Conference Athletes |
# Of All-Region Athletes |
Miscellaneous |
| 2020 |
- |
- |
- |
Season Canceled (COVID-19) |
| 2021 |
2nd of 4 |
14 |
1 |
- |
| 2022 |
4th of 5 |
7 |
- |
- |
| 2023 |
4th of 6 |
12 |
- |
- |
| 2024 |
4th of 6 |
10 |
1 |
- |
