WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. - Purdue vice president and director of intercollegiate athletics Mike Bobinski has announced the hiring of Purdue alum Jason Pullara as director of strength & conditioning. Pullara will oversee all sports other than football and begin Aug. 19.
"We conducted a nationwide search and had many outstanding candidates," said Doug Boersma, associate athletics director for sports performance and director of sports medicine. "Jason's experience, integrity and loyalty set him apart. He will be an asset to our department and a tremendous resource to the development of our student-athletes. The addition of Jason to lead our strength & conditioning staff will elevate Purdue Athletics."
Pullara returns to the Boilermakers from Northwestern, where he has worked for the last 18 years. He started as an intern (2001-02) and subsequently was elevated to an assistant strength & conditioning coach (2002-11) and then assistant athletics director for sports performance (2011-19). In his most recent role, Pullara oversaw the sports performance program for all sports other than football while providing vision and direction for his department. He coached and helped develop numerous All-Americans and All-Big 10 honorees, as well as multiple Player of the Year winners.
Pullara served as the sports performance coach for the Northwestern women's lacrosse program during all seven of its NCAA championships from 2005 to 2012. The softball program earned NCAA Tournament bids in seven of his seasons with the program, finishing among the top 16 teams in the country in 2005 and 2008 while placing second at the Women's College World Series in 2006 and third in 2007.
"I want to thank Mike Bobinski, Doug Boersma and the rest of the search committee for this opportunity," Pullara said. "This is an incredible honor to be entrusted as the director of strength and conditioning at my alma mater. Purdue is a special place for my family and me, and it is truly a dream to be able to work with the staff and serve the student-athletes. I know great success is ahead for this department, and I feel privileged to be able to be a part of those achievements."
Pullara is Master Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
A native of Joliet, Illinois, Pullara earned a bachelor's degree in exercise & fitness and a minor in psychology from Purdue in 2001. He earned a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern in 2011. As an undergraduate, Pullara played rugby. A two-year team captain, he was a three-time all-conference selection and team Most Valuable Player and two-time All-Midwest Regional pick.
Jason and his wife, Erin (a 2004 Purdue graduate), have two children, Lucca and Angelo.
"We conducted a nationwide search and had many outstanding candidates," said Doug Boersma, associate athletics director for sports performance and director of sports medicine. "Jason's experience, integrity and loyalty set him apart. He will be an asset to our department and a tremendous resource to the development of our student-athletes. The addition of Jason to lead our strength & conditioning staff will elevate Purdue Athletics."
Pullara returns to the Boilermakers from Northwestern, where he has worked for the last 18 years. He started as an intern (2001-02) and subsequently was elevated to an assistant strength & conditioning coach (2002-11) and then assistant athletics director for sports performance (2011-19). In his most recent role, Pullara oversaw the sports performance program for all sports other than football while providing vision and direction for his department. He coached and helped develop numerous All-Americans and All-Big 10 honorees, as well as multiple Player of the Year winners.
Pullara served as the sports performance coach for the Northwestern women's lacrosse program during all seven of its NCAA championships from 2005 to 2012. The softball program earned NCAA Tournament bids in seven of his seasons with the program, finishing among the top 16 teams in the country in 2005 and 2008 while placing second at the Women's College World Series in 2006 and third in 2007.
"I want to thank Mike Bobinski, Doug Boersma and the rest of the search committee for this opportunity," Pullara said. "This is an incredible honor to be entrusted as the director of strength and conditioning at my alma mater. Purdue is a special place for my family and me, and it is truly a dream to be able to work with the staff and serve the student-athletes. I know great success is ahead for this department, and I feel privileged to be able to be a part of those achievements."
Pullara is Master Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association, is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association.
A native of Joliet, Illinois, Pullara earned a bachelor's degree in exercise & fitness and a minor in psychology from Purdue in 2001. He earned a master's degree in sports administration from Northwestern in 2011. As an undergraduate, Pullara played rugby. A two-year team captain, he was a three-time all-conference selection and team Most Valuable Player and two-time All-Midwest Regional pick.
Jason and his wife, Erin (a 2004 Purdue graduate), have two children, Lucca and Angelo.