Rob Oviatt

Rob Oviatt, 47, is in his 2nd year as the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Washington State. Previously, he served as the Head Strength Coach at LSU, Kentucky, and Oregon State. He began his career at Alabama as a student volunteer in 1978, during the tenure of the legendary Paul “Bear” Bryant. Along the way, Rob has also been an assistant at Utah, Texas A&M, and Houston. He was named SEC Professional of the Year in both 1997 & 1998 by the NSCA.

Rob is certified as a Level I USWF Weightlifting coach, has a Master of Sports Sciences certification from the International Sports Science Association, and currently serves on the CSCCa Executive Board of Directors. Coach Oviatt received his Bachelors degree in Physical Education from the University of Alabama, and a Master’s in Exercise Science from the University of Mississippi. While at Ole Miss, Rob served in the dual role of assisting then Ole Miss strength coach, Johnny Parker, in athletics, while also teaching Weight Training classes in the Department of Physical Education. It was on the recommendation of Coach Parker that he traveled to the Soviet Union and Czechoslovakia in 1988 to study strength training abroad.

Rob was born and raised in Wooster, Ohio. He is a graduate of Wooster High School, where he competed in Football, Wrestling, and Powerlifting. He and his wife, Carolyn, have 3 children: Lindsay (23), who is a student at East Carolina; Allison (11); and April (7). They are expecting their 4th child in November.