Associate Athletics Director of S&C
Ben Hilgart is now in his 16th year of coaching and his first year as the Associate Athletics Director for Strength and Conditioning at Virginia Tech.
A native of Park Falls, Wisconsin, Hilgart attended and played football at Western Illinois University where he was a two-time letterman. Upon graduation, Hilgart coached for one year at Deer Valley High School in Glendale, Arizona before moving back to his alma mater to become the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Football and Assistant Defensive Line Coach for the 2001 season.
After the 2001 season Hilgart moved on to the University of Texas-El Paso for two years and The Ohio State University for two years before settling in at Arizona State University in 2005 where he spent the next 7 years. The first 3 years he had the great fortune of serving as the Senior Assistant Coach under the direction of the 2015 NFL Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year, Joe Kenn, before being promoted to Director of Sports Performance for the next 4 years where he directed all of Arizona State's 20 sports.
In 2012, Hilgart took a position at the University of New Mexico where he served for 4 years as the Director of Athletic Performance. During his time at New Mexico he helped rebuild a Football program that this past season earned their first bowl bid since 2007.
This past January Hilgart accepted a position as Associate Athletics Director for Strength and Conditioning at Virginia Tech.
Ben would like to thank all those who have influenced him during his career and especially his mentors Craig Sowers, Anthony Glass, and Joe Kenn. Ben would also like to thank all of the coaches and players who he has had the privilege of working with during his career and especially his wife Jamie, and kids Riley and Reagan, who have made many sacrifices to allow him to pursue his dreams.
