STORRS, Conn. (January 10, 2014) — Matt Balis, who has served as the head strength coach at Mississippi State for the past five years, has been named the Strength and Conditioning Coordinator/Football Strength and Conditioning Coach at the University of Connecticut. In his position at UConn, Balis will coordinate the strength and conditioning program for all 24 of the sports teams. He will design and develop all facets of the strength and conditioning program for the Husky football team.
Balis brings a highly-respected background to UConn and was named one of three finalists for the FootballScoop Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year Award in 2010.
Balis came to Mississippi State from the University of Virginia, where he served two years as the strength and conditioning coach for the Cavaliers’ football program.
Prior to his stint in Charlottesville, Balis previously served as the assistant director of strength and conditioning at Florida in 2005 and 2006. The Florida football team completed the 2006 season with a 13-1 record and won the Southeastern Conference Championship and the BCS National Championship.
Before joining the staff at Florida, Balis worked two years at Utah as the director of strength and conditioning for the entire 16-sport program in 2004. Balis was directly in charge of designing and implementing strength and conditioning programs for football, men’s basketball, women’s basketball, baseball and volleyball. The football team completed the 2004 season with an overall record of 12-0 and won the Fiesta Bowl. He served as assistant strength coach at Utah in 2003.
Balis was also an assistant strength coach at Houston for two years and before moving to the college level, he was an assistant football coach and worked in the area of strength and conditioning at Wheaton (Ill.) Warrenville South High School for two years and at Wheaton (Ill.) North High School for three years. He also taught physical education at the elementary school level during that five-year period.
Balis earned a bachelor’s degree in education from Northern Illinois in 1996 and a master’s degree in educational leadership and administration from Aurora University in 2001. Balis is certified by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCC). Additionally, he is also a certified strength and conditioning specialist and a certified strength and conditioning coach.
A native of Chicago, He and his wife Lanette have a son Jacob.
The Balis File
2009-present: Mississippi State (Head Strength Coach)
2007-08: Virginia (Director of Strength and Conditioning)
2005-06: Florida (Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning)
2004: Utah (Director of Strength and Conditioning)
2003: Utah (Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning)
2001-02: Houston (Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning)
1998-2001: Wheaton (Chicago) North High School (Assistant Coach)
1996-98: Wheaton (Chicago) Warrenville South High School (Assistant Coach)
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