Watertown, Wis. -- The Maranatha Baptist University Athletics Department has added a Strength and Conditioning Program to its departmental offerings and has named Zach Sweatman as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the upcoming season. 

Sweatman, who joined the staff at MBU as a part-time Athletic Trainer at the start of the 2015 season, will now be working full-time in Sabercat Athletics as Head Athletic Trainer and Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. Sweatman is certainly no stranger to the sports science scene and comes into the program with eager anticipation. 

"I am very excited for this new role," Sweatman stated. "This will give me a greater presence on campus and in the lives of our student athletes to minister to those that will be the future ministry leaders in the local church and the world. Also, I enjoy spending time in the weight room and working with college athletes to see athletes gain strength and confidence. Over the course of their athletic career, you can really see them grow and mature in ways that are not possible anywhere else."

Sweatman received his B.A. in Athletic Training from Trinity International University in 2014 and procured an M.A. in Bioethics from TIU the same year. Aside from this, he played collegiate basketball at TIU (NAIA, NCCAA DI), and procured his CSCS (Certified Strength and Conditioning Coach) status this summer. 

"This [CSCS] gives me practical as well as book knowledge and credentials as I go into my first year as a Strength and Conditioning Coach," noted Sweatman. "This will blend nicely with my job as Athletic Trainer. Often times the lines between healthy, injured and rehabilitation become blurred. I now feel I better grasp the skills necessary to serve the athletes at MBU throughout their athletic career here."

As the Strength and Conditioning Coach, Sweatman will be working year-round with the Sabercat student-athletes to build the athleticism required for their respective sports.

Sweatman says that he "hope[s] to incorporate Olympic and core lifts as well as high intensity, competitive workouts to reach these goals. I believe the Olympic lifts will build the strength, power, and coordination that is increasingly necessary for collegiate athletics. Through the high-intensity competitive workouts, I hope to build team chemistry, mental toughness, and a culture of fitness."

Rob Thompson, Director of Athletics at MBU, said, "We are excited to have our ATC, Zach Sweatman, on full-time staff. The addition of the strength and conditioning component will benefit our student-athletes greatly. Zach's ability to train in-season and out-of-season athletes will aid in the prevention of injury as they have more opportunity to engage in sport-specific preparation."

To learn more about Sweatman, visit his bio here