Assistant AD/ Director of Strength & Conditioning
André Bernardi has served as Furman University’s assistant athletics director of sports performance since February of 2018 and in January of 2023 added the title of associate head football coach.
During his tenure as Furman’s director sports performance, he has earned an outstanding reputation for delivering results across the entire Paladin sports spectrum, playing a vital role in the 36 Southern Conference championships, 22 NCAA Tournament appearances, and 44 All-American scrolls garnered by Paladin student-athletes. His work with Furman’s football program has helped net two SoCon championship, three FCS playoff appearances, 43-24 overall record, and 33-14 league worksheet over seven campaigns.
Supporting the impact strength and conditioning has had on Paladin athletics, Bernardi spearheaded a $500K campaign and facility renovation and in 2024 oversaw a Dins Day fundraising effort that produced the second highest participation rate among all campus groups.
Bernardi came to Furman from North Greenville University, where he served as director of strength training and conditioning for five years. The first person in North Greenville history to occupy the position of program-wide strength training director, he was charged with development, implementation, and oversight of the performance programming for North Greenville’s 19-sport NCAA Division II athletics program.
While there he also played a key role in the design of the Crusaders’ 5,000-square foot Kelly Strength and Conditioning Center.
A Marietta, Ga., native, he was a standout football player at North Greenville from 2006-09, earning All-America honors three times and South Carolina All-Decade Team (2000-09) honors while recording a school record 42 sacks and an NCAA Division II record 78 tackles for-loss.
He earned his bachelor of science degree in sport management in 2010 and added an MBA from NGU two years later.
Bernardi and his wife, Kaitlyn, who serves as director of Olympic sports performance at Furman, have a son, Nicolo, 1.
