Director of Strength & Conditioning
Paul Helsel MA, SCCC, CSCS
Paul Helsel is the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York. Helsel began his tenure at Colgate in July 2013, and works directly with football, men's & women's basketball, softball, and volleyball. In 2015, the Colgate Raider football squad won the Patriot League Championship and advanced to the quarterfinals of the FCS Playoffs with wins over New Hampshire and James Madison. The Raiders concluded their season ranked #13 in the FCS Coaches Poll.
Prior to his position at Colgate, Helsel was the Director of Strength & Conditioning at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia from 2007-2013. While at ODU, Helsel worked directly with the men's & women's basketball programs, men's & women's swimming, women's rowing, women's lacrosse, and women's soccer. During his tenure, ODU Men's Basketball won CAA Tournament Championships in 2010 & 2011, advancing to the NCAA Tournament. In 2010, the Monarchs advanced to the second round with an upset win over Notre Dame. In 2011, the Monarchs lost in the second round at the buzzer to eventual National Champion runner-up Butler University (2011 was the first year of the first-round play-in games).
Before moving to Norfolk, Helsel was the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach at Southeast Missouri State University in Cape Girardeau, Missouri from Aug. 2001 to Sept. 2007. Helsel, with only one graduate assistant, oversaw the strength & conditioning program for the entire athletic program. Helsel saw success at SEMO as well, with the Redhawk Women's Basketball program winning back-to-back OVC titles in 2005 & 2006, as well as the baseball program winning the OVC Tournament in 2002.
Prior to SEMO, Helsel was an assistant strength & conditioning coach at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia from April 1998 to Aug. 2001. While at Marshall, Helsel worked directly with men's & women's basketball, softball, men's & women's soccer, and men's & women's tennis, while assisting with football. During Helsel's time in Huntington, the Thundering Herd football squad won three consecutive MAC Championships (1998-2000), and concluded the 1999 season ranked #10 in the nation.
Helsel began his career in strength & conditioning as an undergraduate, graduate, then later full-time intern assistant at the University of Alabama from 1991-1998. While at Alabama, Helsel assisted with every sport, but spent the majority of his time with football and men's & women's basketball. During his time in Tuscaloosa, the Crimson Tide football squad won the inaugural SEC Championship Game in 1992, then went on to become the 1992 National Championship with their victory over the University of Miami in the Sugar Bowl.
Helsel, a native of Jasper, Alabama, is a 1994 graduate of the University of Alabama (Physical Education) and received his Master's degree in 2000, also from Alabama. He is married to the former Mila Keeney of Chesapeake, Ohio, and the couple has one beautiful daughter, Saban Joyce.
Helsel would like to thank Coach LeBaron Caruthers for giving him his initial opportunity in strength & conditioning at the University of Alabama, as well as for his patience and time in teaching and mentoring him in the profession. He would also like to thank Coach Terry Jones from the University of Alabama for letting him be his "right hand man" for seven years in Tuscaloosa... thank you for being a mentor, father-figure, and personal adviser! A thank you goes out to Coach Mike Jenkins from the University of Memphis (former Marshall University head strength coach) as well for giving him his first full-time position in the profession and being a great mentor and friend.
Last, but certainly not least, a special thank you to his wife Mila for supporting him no matter where they call home. You and Saban are the rock from which everything is built.
