Second-year strength and conditioning assistant Willie Danzer coordinates programs for women's basketball, baseball, softball, volleyball and track and field. He also assists with football development with Coach Mike Cochran.

He has been involved in strength and conditioning programs at five different schools since 2006.

Danzer came to Youngstown State from Hobart and William Smith Colleges in Geneva, N.Y., where he served as the head strength and conditioning coach the past year. He planned, supervised and implemented workouts for all 21 Statesmen and Heron sports programs.

Before taking over the program at Hobart and William Smith Colleges, Danzer served as a summer intern at Iowa State. For the Cyclones, he supervised the "Cardinal Front 7" listing sessions and conditioning drills.

He spent two years as an assistant at FCS Northwestern State in Louisiana. He worked with the men's and women's basketball programs along with both track and field and cross country squads for the Demons. Danzer also worked with the football team on instruction, implementing proper technique and coordinating speed programs. AT NSU, he worked for former New York Jets Strength and Conditioning Coach Ryan Cidzik.

Danzer spent the spring of 2008 as an intern at Jacksonville University working with the Dolphins' crew, tennis, softball, golf and track and field programs. He served as the primary assistant for the football team as well.

His initial strength and conditioning internship was at Loras College in Dubuque, Iowa. He assisted the coordinator in all forms of strength and conditioning activities for all 14 teams.

He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Northern Iowa in 2006 and received his Master's at Northwestern State in Sports Administration in 2008. Danzer is an NSCA certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a certified USA Weightlifting Level-I club coach and is also a certified American Powerlifting Association referee.

Danzer was a football player at the University of Dubuque before transferring to UNI.