Wally Becker
Associate Director of Strength & Conditioning
Soccer / Track & Field
765.494.6428
Contact
AJ Whitehead
Associate Director of Strength & Conditioning
Softball / Tennis
765.494.6409
Contact
Ryan Schoen
Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning
Wrestling / Track & Field Throwers
765.496.2110
Contact
Mission Statement
To serve our student-athletes and coaches be successful at the highest level, by improving athletic performance in the following areas; strength, power, flexibility, speed and agility. As a staff, we are committed to excellence and continue to stay current in the latest training techniques and modalities. To help our student-athletes maximize performance and reduce the risk of injury.
Philosophy
Mind: Each training session helps to develop mental toughness, and leadership skills needed to perform at a high level.
Body: One of our main program goals are transform the student-athlete's body, and increase athleticism, which allows them to perform at a high level of competition.
Spirit: A strength coach must develop a solid relationship with the student-athlete based on trust and respect. That relationship allows the coach to push athletes to reach their highest potential. By developing a solid relationship with each student-athlete, the coach is able to motivate student-athletes based on their personal sport goals.
Program Goals
The student-athletes are the driving force behind our staff; the strength coaches are dedicated to the development and success of all student-athletes. The foundation is the relationship between the strength coach and student-athletes, which allows for programs geared toward the individual. The goal of our strength staff is to develop a holistic approach to training by including all facets of sports performance, which include sports medicine, sports nutrition, sports psychology and sports science. It is our mission to provide innovative programs based on the latest research in an effort to provide our student-athletes an edge over the competition both in the Big Ten and nationally.
Training Methodology
Our training methodology is based upon current strength and conditioning research and applied knowledge in the field. It is our intent to construct training programs, which directly affect our student-athlete's ability to perform at the highest level in competition.
Internship Opportunities
For information and application deadlines, click here.
Facilities
Mackey Weight Room
The Mackey Arena weight room is a 12,990-square foot strength & conditioning facility that opened in 2011 as part of the Mackey Complex project. It is more than three and a half times larger than the previous space in the adjacent Intercollegiate Athletic Facility (now Holloway Gymnasium) and features state-of-the-art equipment to aid in improving speed, strength, flexibility, injury prevention and rehab. The area serves as the primary facility for a majority of Purdue's teams, including men's and women's basketball, men's and women's golf, men's and women's swimming & diving, men's and women's track & field, and volleyball.
Mollenkopf Field Turf and Weight Room
The Mollenkopf Athletic Center is a state-of-the-art facility that houses Purdue's baseball, soccer, softball, men's and women's tennis, and wrestling teams. The structure includes a full-sized football field that is covered by FieldTurf, a weight room, and a fueling station for student-athletes. The facility features state-of-the-art equipment, including eight double-sided custom Sorinex racks and 16 powerlift in-laid platforms, which are geared to maximizing performance. Built in 1990 at a cost of $10.3 million dollars, Mollenkopf encompasses 92,400 square feet and reaches 86 feet high at the peak. The facility has received numerous upgrades through the years, most recently in 2018, and will continue to do so to keep it among the finest facilities in the country.