Jon Sanderson is in his seventh year as the head strength and conditioning coach for the University of Michigan men's basketball as well as the U-M men's and women's golf programs.
In his six seasons in Ann Arbor, Sanderson has helped the Wolverine basketball program to four straight NCAA Tournament bids, including a trip to the 2013 Final Four -- the first for the program in 20 years, followed up with a return trip to the Elite Eight in 2014. In addition to NCAA postseason play, U-M has won two Big Ten titles over the last three seasons, including 2012, which was the first for the program since 1986. The Wolverines also won their first outright Big Ten title in 28 years in 2014 with a 15-3 record, winning the league by three games.
Sanderson's work with the U-M men's golf program has yielded four NCAA regional bids with two team and two individual and a top-10 national finish (2010-11). With the women's golf program, Sanderson has three NCAA regional appearances -- team (2) and individual (1).
Sanderson is the only strength coach to have played and to have coached in an NCAA Final Four.
Sanderson worked closely with the architects of the William Davidson Player Development Center on the design of the 5,500-square foot weight room. The new weight room is state of the art in every way, including a plyometric area, nine power rack stations, heart rate technology, vibration training technology, cameras for instant video feedback and a cardio room. This impressive new weight room is housed on the second floor and overlooks the basketball practice courts.
Before joining the Michigan staff, Sanderson spent three years (2006-09) working at Clemson University as the men's and women's basketball strength and conditioning coach, as well as the director of the Littlejohn Coliseum weight room. During Sanderson's time at Clemson, the men's basketball team won 20 or more games for three straight seasons -- a first in program history. Also, during those three seasons, only North Carolina and Duke had more wins than Clemson in the ACC.
Prior to his time at Clemson, he served as the head strength and conditioning coach and sports nutrition coordinator for Olympic sports at Marshall University (2003-06). Before heading to Marshall, Sanderson was a strength and conditioning intern at North Carolina, working with the men's basketball program (2002-03).
Throughout Sanderson's career, he has trained 10 student-athletes that have gone on to play professional basketball in the NBA, including Michigan's Darius Morris, Manny Harris, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Trey Burke. Sanderson also trained former Michigan men's golfer Lion Kim, who competed in the 2011 Masters.
Sanderson received both his bachelor's in communication (2001) and master's in recreation and sport sciences (2002) from Ohio University. Sanderson's professional certifications include Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialists (NSCA); Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (CSCC); Registered Strength and Conditioning Coaches (NSCA); Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (SCCC); United States Weightlifting Level 1 Club Coach (USAW); Functional Movement Systems Level 1 (FMS); Titleist Performance Institute Fitness Instructor Level 1 (TPI) and CPR/AED Certified (American Red Cross).
A native of Mansfield, Ohio, Sanderson played college basketball at Ohio State University (1997-99) and Ohio University (2000-02). Sanderson was the starting small forward on Ohio State's 1999 Final Four team. Overall, he started three out of his four years in college basketball.
Sanderson remains in the Ohio State record book ranked 10th all-time in three point field goal percentage in a single game. He also holds the freshman record, along with Greg Oden, for most defensive rebounds in a single game and ranks third all-time in three point field goals made by a freshman in a season.
Sanderson was a high school basketball standout at Lexington High School in Ohio. He was a four-year varsity starter and earned All-America honorable mention from USA Today as well as All-Ohio first team honors in 1997.
Sanderson and his wife Jennifer (Sessor) have three children, Jonathan and twins Joshua and Jillian and reside in Saline, Michigan.
