CHICAGO, Ill. – Chicago State University Athletics has announced the hiring of
Sylvester Armendariz as the department's new Strength & Conditioning Coach. Armendariz brings a strong background in athletic performance, football strength and conditioning, and student athlete development to the Cougar athletic program.
Armendariz joins Chicago State after serving as the Assistant Director of Sports Performance at Newberry College, where he led daily football strength and conditioning sessions, assisted in designing year-round training programs, collaborated with athletic training staff on return-to-play protocols, and helped foster a culture of accountability and high performance.
Prior to his current role, Armendariz spent two years as a Sports Performance Graduate Assistant at Newberry College, where he developed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for women's soccer, volleyball, track & field, and men's and women's tennis while assisting with football performance programming. He also gained valuable experience as a Football Strength & Conditioning Intern at the University of Southern California, working under nationally respected strength coach Bennie Wylie while assisting with athlete development and utilizing Catapult GPS and heart rate monitoring technology. His coaching experience also includes a football strength and conditioning internship at St. John Bosco High School, one of the nation's premier high school football programs.
"I am incredibly grateful and excited for the opportunity to join Chicago State University," Armendariz said. "I look forward to building strong relationships with our student athletes and coaches while creating an environment centered on discipline, accountability, and continuous improvement. My goal is to help every student athlete maximize their potential both on and off the field through intentional training and a championship mindset."
Armendariz earned a Master of Science in Organizational Development and Leadership from Newberry College after receiving his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology: Exercise Science and Human Performance from California State University, Los Angeles. He is a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS)through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is certified in CPR/AED by the American Heart Association.
As Strength & Conditioning Coach, Armendariz will oversee the development and implementation of comprehensive strength and conditioning programs for Chicago State's student athletes, with a focus on improving athletic performance, reducing injury risk, and fostering a culture of excellence across all Cougar programs.
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