Pace University Athletics

Steve Gruber just completed his ninth season at Pace University in 2023.

He helped lead the Setters to a 7-3 season in 2018, third in the Northeast-10 Conference. This was Pace's first winning season since 1999.

In Gruber’s first season leading the defense, Pace’s unit was second in the NE10 at stopping the run, first in the conference in sacks and third in the conference in interceptions. Five defensive starters earned NE10 All-Conference honors. Jah’Sheem Martin earned first team, Kadeem Langhorne earned second team and Prince Unaegbu, Joe Mendez and Dustin Huseinovic all earned third team honors.  Huseinovic earned All-Rookie team as well.

The previous four seasons, Gruber served the Setters as the Defensive Line Coach.  The defensive line experienced various successes throughout those seasons.  For instance, defensive end Kadeem Langhorne led the conference in tackles-for-losses in the 2016 season and defensive end Olatayo Ishola was third in the conference in sacks that same season.

Before being involved in the rebuild of the Pace Football program, Gruber was coaching in the local high school area.  He spent the 2013 season as an assistant coach at Westlake High School and spent the 2012 season as an assistant coach at John Jay Cross-River High school.

Gruber graduated from SUNY Cortland in the spring of 2012 with a bachelor’s degree in physical education.  He was a four year player for the Red Dragons as a defensive lineman.  As a senior, he was named to the New Jersey Athletic Conference Second Team.

Gruber graduated from Westlake High School in Thornwood, New York in 2008.