SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State University Athletic Department has hired Drew Bowers as the Strength and Conditioning Coach as announced by Athletic Director, Dr. Dave Diles, on Friday.
"We are excited for the addition of Coach Bowers to the LSSU athletic department and to Laker Hockey," said Head Hockey Coach Damon Whitten. "With well over a decade of experience on multiple campuses, multiple practices, and across a wide range of sports, Coach Bowers will have an immediate impact on the experience and preparation of our student-athletes. His experience with the Twist Sport Conditioning Centre where he coached and developed numerous elite hockey players will give our players a distinctive edge in their performance in the weight room and on the ice."
Bowers comes to LSSU with 14 years of experience in player performance, with him most recently serving as an Assistant Director of Sport Performance for Olympic Sports at the Virginia Military Institute in Lexington, Va. where he constructed and implemented year-round sport specific strength and speed programs for men's lacrosse, women's water polo, men's and women's swim, men's and women's dive, and men's and women's rifle. While at VMI, he also served as a part time rehab technician with Advanced Physical Therapy of Virginia in Salem, Va.
Prior to his time at VMI, Bowers served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach as well as an Assistant Men's Lacrosse Coach at his alma mater, Roanoke College, in Salem, Va. from 2017-2021 where he helped to reduce the occurrences of soft tissue injuries in athletes by 60% while also helping coach 22 All-Old Dominion Athletic Conference, 11 All-American, and three Player of the Year honorees.
Bowers has also served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Kenyon College in Gambier, Ohio, an Elite Hockey Strength and Conditioning Coach at Twist Sport Conditioning Centre in North Vancouver, B.C. where he worked with athletes from the National Hockey League, and a Performance Coach and Assistant Director at Parisi Speed School in Roanoke, Va. where he worked with several National Football League Combine and Pro Day participants.
"I'd like to thank Dr. Diles and the search committee for this great opportunity," said Bowers. "I am looking forward to meeting all the sport coaches and working with the student-athletes throughout the year."