Drew Grzella joined Columbia College in 2011 to serve as the assistant director of athletics in charge of operations and development. Under his guidance the Cougar Athletic department has seen annual growth in fundraising through sponsorships, season ticket sales, athletic giving and the Cougar Club & Scholarship fundraising golf tournament. With the growth of the department and the increasing need to promote athletics and increase fundraising, Drew’s title was changed in 2016 to reflect a new focus on advancement and marketing. Grzella will continue to manage the operation of home indoor athletic events including volleyball, and men’s and women’s basketball. In addition, Drew serves as the chair of the Cougar Club Steering Committee and the Athletic Hall of Fame Committee. He directly oversees men’s & women’s basketball and volleyball.
Drew is no stranger to the athletic department as he played basketball for Columbia College from 1998 to 2000, earning NAIA Scholar-Athlete honors in his senior season. Grzella continued to work with the basketball program and graduated in 2001 with a degree in secondary education. In 2004, Drew graduated from the University of Saint Mary with a master's degree in psychology after serving two seasons as a graduate assistant coach for the men's basketball program. From 2004 to 2006 he served as an assistant coach at Iowa Wesleyan College. There he helped guide the Tigers to a 47-16 record and the programs second national tournament appearance in 2006. In November 2006, he would be named the first men's basketball coach at William Woods University in Fulton, Mo. He would spend the next three seasons at William Woods building the program, before returning to Columbia College in 2010 as an assistant coach.
Grzella, originally from Shawnee, Kansas, currently lives in Columbia with his wife Katie Skibiski, a former Cougar volleyball player, and their daughters Ada and Lila.
updated 11-14-22
