Flagler College Athletics

Coaching Experience
• Head Coach, Flagler College (2021-present)
• Head Coach, University of Mount Olive (2013-20)
• Head Coach, Tennessee Wesleyan University (2010-11)

Education
• B.S., Sport Management, Lindenwood University, 2007
• MBA, Missouri Baptist University, 2009

Coaching at Flagler
Grant Kelam begins his fifth season after being named the first head women's lacrosse coach at Flagler College on May 15, 2020.

Kelam coached the Saints to their third consecutive Gulf South Conference regular and post titles. Flagler went on to compete in the NCAA Tournament for the third year in a row. The Saints were ranked as high as No. 7 in the nation. Kelam coached Sydney Onega and Jenn Seebach to IWLCA All-America honors and four Saints earned USA Lacrosse All-America accolades. Five players received IWLCA All-South Region honors. Flagler had 10 players earn All-GSC recognition while Onega took home attack of the year honors. Thirteen Saints received academic all-conference award. 

In 2024, Kelam lead the Saints to their second consecutive Gulf South Conference regular season and tournament championship. The ninth ranked Saints were then selected to compete in the NCAA Tournament. Going undefeated in conference play, Kelam earned his second GSC Coach of the Year award and coached the GSC Player of the Year Carley Tepel. Additionally, five players earned All-GSC first team with four more on the second team. Tepel and Katelyn Trainor were given IWLCA all-south region honors as well as Tepel being named to the IWLCA All-America third team.

The Saints earned their first Gulf South Conference regular season and tournament championships, as well as making an NCAA Tournament appearance in 2023. Kelam coached the team to an undefeated conference season and a 17-2 overall record. He earned GSC Coach of the Year and coached Player of the Year, Lexie Morton and Freshman of the Year, Ella Pinder. Three athletes earned all-conference first team and three more on second team. Lexie Morton was named USA Lacrosse Magazine and IWLCA D2 All-American. Jenn Seebach and Lexie Morton earned all-south region. Flagler had six GSC Player of the Week, three Defensive Player of the Week and six Freshman of the Week honors. 

In his first year at the helm of the Flagler program, he coached the Saints to a winning record (11-8) and a 4-2 mark in the Gulf South Conference. Flagler reached the GSC Tournament finals in just their first year of existence. The Saints won their first two games played - vs. Webber International University (Feb. 9) and vs. Ave Maria University (Feb. 12). Flagler rattled off three consecutive wins, including the GSC opener at Young Harris College (March 26).   

Kelam Notables

• Coached Sydney Onega and Jenn Seebach, 2025 IWLCA D2 All-Americans
• Coached Sydney Onega, Jenn Seebach, Carley Tepel, and Ella Pinder, 2025 USA Lacrosse D2 All-Americans
• Coached the 2025 GSC Attacker of the Year (Sydney Onega)
• 2024 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year
• Coached the 2024 GSC Player of the Year (Carley Tepel)
• Coached Carley Tepel, 2024 IWLCA D2 All-American
• 2023 Gulf South Conference Coach of the Year
• Coached the 2023 GSC Player of the Year (Lexie Morton)
• Coached the 2023 GSC Freshman of the Year (Ella Pinder)
• Coached Lexie Morton, 2023 IWLCA and USA Lacrosse Magazine D2 All-American

Prior to Flagler
Kelam comes to the Ancient City after starting the women’s lacrosse program at the University of Mount Olive in Mount Olive, North Carolina. He amassed a 96-41 record in eight seasons (2013-20) at Mount Olive, and holds an overall record of 112-55 in 10 years of coaching.

In just three seasons, he coached the Trojans to a 15-3 overall record, a Conference Carolinas Tournament championship, and a top 10 national ranking. Two years later (2017), the Trojans won the conference regular season title. His charges have been ranked in the top 25 in six-of-the-eight years he served as head coach at Mount Olive. This year, the Trojans were 7-0 and ranked No. 18 before the pandemic forced the cancellation of all spring sports.

Kelam has coached two All-Americans and six all-region selections. He has had three players earn a spot on the Intercollegiate Women’s Lacrosse Coaches Association (IWLCA) All-Star South Team roster. Kelam has coached three players to Conference Carolinas Defensive Player of the Year honors, as well as three league freshmen of the year and an offensive player of the year. The Trojans have placed 49 players on the all-conference team.

The Trojans not only prospered on the field. Kelam’s teams have consistently had a team grade point average over 3.0. He has had four teams recognized for their academic excellence with the IWLCA Academic Honor Squad.   

Prior to his time at Mount Olive, he spent two seasons (2010-11) at Tennessee Wesleyan University in Athens. Kelam took the reigns of a program that was winless the season before his arrival. In his second year, the Lady Bulldogs posted an 11-5 record and won the National Women’s Lacrosse League (NWLL) regular season title.

Personal
Kelam earned his bachelor’s in sports management from Lindenwood University in St. Charles, Missouri in 2007. He received his master's in business administration from Missouri Baptist University in 2009.