CINCINNATI - The Monster Factory is open for business again as
Mike Rehfeldt returns to the University of Cincinnati as Associate AD for Sports Performance, men's basketball head coach
Wes Miller announced Monday.
In his role at UC, Rehfeldt will work directly with the men's basketball program while also overseeing sports performance for all sports, with the exception of football. His responsibilities will include the physical development of UC players to perform optimally while decreasing their likelihood of injury. He will be closely involved in the preparation of each player's readiness for practices and games via nutrition, recovery and education.
"Our program will embrace player development and the performance aspect of that process is a key component to our players overall growth. Point blank, I think we've hired the best Performance Coach in the country," Miller said. "
Mike Rehfeldt is an expert in his field. He excels not only in strength and conditioning, but in all of the areas that impact players' growth. Most importantly to me, he has the ability to connect and engage young people. It's not just about knowledge and expertise with Mike, it's also about execution. If I was a young player that wanted to maximize my physical ability and performance, I'd want to work side by side with Coach Rehfeldt every day. And there is no doubt that those are the type of young people we are trying to attract."
Rehfeldt returns to Cincinnati after a year as the director of sports performance for men's basketball at UConn.
He previously served as UC's director of men's basketball sports performance from 2012-20. Rehfeldt brings two decades of experience in strength and conditioning in both football and basketball at the amateur, collegiate and professional levels.
"My family and I are thrilled for the opportunity to return to the University of Cincinnati. UC is our home and we bleed the Red and Black." Rehfeldt said. " I feel incredibly humbled by the leadership role given to me within the athletic department. Thank you
John Cunningham and Coach
Wes Miller for believing in my vision of Sports Performance. I am excited for the challenge and the responsibility to serve our student-athletes daily. It will be my mission to have a positive impact on their lives every day with an emphasis on fostering a culture of high performance that will reach beyond our Sports Performance Center."
His efforts were critical in the physical develop of former Bearcats Sean Kilpatrick,
Troy Caupain,
Gary Clark and
Jacob Evans III, who went on to play professionally in the NBA. During his time working under Head Coach Mick Cronin, UC played in nine-straight NCAA Tournaments.
Rehfeldt joined UC in June 2012 with more than 11 years of professional experience including time as strength and conditioning assistant with the NFL's Cincinnati Bengals and Jacksonville Jaguars and as the head strength coach with the UFL's Sacramento Mountain Lions.
He had assisted with the Cincinnati Bengals' strength and conditioning program from Aug. 2011 to June 2012, creating pre- and post-workout nutrition protocols, introducing training techniques to reduce recovery time and planning and instructing training of developmental players.
Prior to assisting with the Bengals, Rehfeldt served as head strength and conditioning coach with the Sacramento Mountain Lions of the UFL from 2009-2011. Among his duties in Sacramento, he created and installed an off-season and in-season strength and conditioning program and designed and equipped the team's weight room.
Rehfeldt worked as a strength and conditioning assistant with the Jacksonville Jaguars from 2006-09, implementing training and rehabilitation instruction for injured players and instructing group training sessions. While with the Jaguars he also served as the director of athletic development at the S3 Athletic Development Center at Yates in Jacksonville.
A native of Blaine, Minnesota, Rehfeldt earned a degree in physical education from St. Cloud State University in 2005.
Rehfeldt and his wife Elise have a daughter, Olivia.
2021-22 SEASON TICKET DEPOSITS
Season-ticket deposits for the 2021-22 men's basketball campaign in Fifth Third Arena are now being accepted! Deposits are subject to seat availability and not guaranteed.
New season-ticket holders can
place their deposit today online!
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