ERIE, Pa. -- Joe Schoenleber has been named the first-ever full-time Strength and Conditioning Coach for Mercyhurst University, as announced by Athletic Director Brad Davis. Schoenleber, who will also oversee the Recreation Center, brings several years of collegiate strength and conditioning experience to Laker athletics.
"I'm certainly looking forward to becoming part of the Mercyhurst staff," Schoenleber said. "The fact that Mercyhurst has an exercise science department situates the job to be successful. There will be resources available at Mercyhurst that are not available anywhere else.
"We will not only help athletes get stronger and play the sports that they love, but we will also mentor exercise science students interested in entering the strength and conditioning profession. That's a great honor and responsibility and I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Most recently, Schoenleber was the first-ever full-time strength and conditioning coach at Susquehanna University, where he worked with 23 NCAA Division III varsity teams. During his tenure, the Susquehanna softball and women's swimming and diving teams, women's soccer and field hockey teams won Landmark Conference championships. Five different programs – softball, women's soccer, men's basketball, volleyball and field hockey – qualified for NCAA tournaments. In addition, the football program has qualified for two consecutive MAAC/Centennial Bowl games, winning in 2017 against Albright.
Sue Sweeney, Assistant Athletics Director-Student Health and Wellness, said, "We are thrilled to add Joe Schoenleber to our athletics department staff and lead our strength and conditioning program. Joe brings years of experience, extensive knowledge, and an energy that will have an immediate impact on the student athletes and coaching staff. We are all looking forward to Joe joining the Laker family."
Prior to joining Susquehanna, Schoenleber was the head strength and conditioning coach at the Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, where he worked with 23 varsity teams, including two at the NCAA Division I level and 21 in Division III.
Schoenleber, a NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, was the founder and director of MVP Sports Training in Bucks County, Pa., from 2004-14. He served as the strength and speed coach for collegiate athletes spanning all three NCAA levels from over 50 different colleges and universities. He served as an anaerobic conditioning consultant for four different National Hockey League teams, and coached athletes who went on to play in the professional ranks in the NFL, CFL, NHL, MLB and NBA.
Prior to founding MVP Sports Training, Schoenleber served as the director of Summit Sports Training Center in Bryn Mawr, Pa., where he worked with the Saint Joseph's University men's basketball program, and was a consultant for the Philadelphia 76ers of the NBA.
Schoenleber has also spent time at Drexel University, Villanova University, West Virginia University and the University of Massachusetts.
A 1989 graduate of West Virginia, where he earned his Bachelor's Degree in Sport Management, he earned his Master's Degree in Exercise Science, Exercise Physiology/Human Performance from Massachusetts in 1996, and completed two years of doctoral study at West Virginia's School of Medicine in Exercise Physiology/Human Performance.
