Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year
Celebrating the dedication to student-athlete success, the Assistant College Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year Award recognizes a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) for exemplary service to the advancement of strength and conditioning at the collegiate level.
Assistant College Strength & Conditioning Coach Of the Year Award Eligibility
Each nominee will be asked to fill out a criteria sheet that details career accomplishments and contributions to strength and conditioning.
The criteria sheet assigns points to a variety of professional achievements, letters of recommendation, volunteer involvement with the NSCA, and other activities related to strength and conditioning.
NSCA Members in good standing may nominate other NSCA Members or themselves.
Nominations are open August - December
MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
| Current NSCA Member |
| NSCA CSCS Certification |
| Current Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach with at least 2 yr experience (beyond the internship / graduate assistant level) |
| Award Not Previously Received |
Additional requirements listed in the General Awards Criteria, include but not limited to, the nominee must be nominated by a member in good standing and nominees will be sent a criteria sheet to fill out that must be returned with a cover letter and CV/resume before the required deadline. |
How Awardees are Selected for Assistant College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year Awards
Gathering Nominations
Nominations are gathered February-June each year. Any nomination received before the established deadline will be accepted for review of eligibility. Nominees will be notified of their nomination along with a request to complete the award criteria sheet.
Eligibility Verification and Points Tally
NSCA Headquarters will verify eligibility and minimum category requirements have been met. The overall points for each nominees will be tallied, and qualified nominees will be notified.
Voting by Industry Leadership
The top three nominees based on overall points will be sent to the Coaching (RSCC) Task Force. The voting group will be determined based on the following:
1. The Task Force will be volunteers selected yearly by the Coaching Program Manager.
2. It will be apparent that the Task Force is impartial to the nominees.
3. The Task Force will be comprised of >50% non-coaching award recipients and <50% past coaching award recipients.
4. For the HS Coach of the Year Award voting, members of the HS SIG Executive Council will be included in the Task Force.
5. The Coaching Program Manager will certify that the policies and procedures for the nomination and awarding process were followed as outlined herein and will submit the winners’ names to the Awards and Honors Committee Chair for review and approval.
Awardee Notification
1. The Chair will notify NSCA Headquarters and the Awards and Honors Committee Chair of the selected recipient.
2. The Awards and Honors Committee Chair will notify the NSCA Board of Directors of the recipient.
3. The NSCA Headquarters will notify the recipient of the award, send regret notifications, create a Press Release announcement of the winner, and verify attendance at the National Conference awards banquet.
If there are no qualifying nominees, the award will not be given.
Award Timeline
August – nominations open
December – nominations close and nominees are contacted to submit award requirements
February – nominees are required to have all materials submitted and NSCA staff will evaluate that eligibility requirements have been met before submitting to the Committee, SIG, or Task Force.
April – Committee, SIG, or Task Force should vote and decide the winner and will submit the winners name to the National Office.
April – notifications to nominees will be sent by the National Office and press announcements will be coordinated
July – Award conferred at the National Conference Awards Banquet
2023 Winner
Gary Calcagno, MA, CSCS, RSCC*E
Assistant College Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year Recipients
Congratulations 2026 Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach of the Year
Ashley Kowalewski, MS, CSCS, RSCC
Ashley Kowalewski is an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Louisiana State University (LSU), where she works with Olympic sports, primarily volleyball and women’s tennis. Her background includes extensive work with overhead and rotational athletes, as well as broader experience across diverse performance demands. Kowalewski is recognized for developing athletes at all levels of training experience, with particular expertise in building foundational movement competency and long-term performance habits. Her impact has contributed to high-level team success, including back-to-back Women’s College World Series appearances with Arizona softball and a historic Elite Eight run and SEC Tournament finalist finish with LSU women’s tennis. A trusted presence within her department, Kowalewski supports programs in transition while contributing to intern education, staff collaboration, speaking engagements, and committee service.
2025 Winner
Lilly Bernardi, MS, CSCS, RSCC
2024 Winner
Kenna Smoak Minnici, MA, CSCS, RSCC*D
2023 Winner
Gary Calcagno, MA, CSCS, RSCC*E
2022 - Ryan Metzger, MS, CSCS, RSCC
2021 - Andrew Stocks, MS, CSCS, RSCC
2019 - Ashley Jackson, MS, CSCS, RSCC, University of Michigan
2017 - Domenic Reno, CSCS, RSCC*D, Western Kentucky University
2016 - Matt Shaw, MEd, CSCS, RSCC, University of Denver
2015 - Bo Sandoval, MS, CSCS, USAW-2, RSCC, University of Michigan
2014 - Caitlin Quinn, CSCS, RSCC, Florida State University
2013 - Antony McClure, CSCS,*D, RSCC*D, New Mexico University
2012 - Jason E. Spray, CSCS Middle Tennessee State University
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