The Husker Athletics Department announced on Sept. 23 the hiring of Boyd Epley as assistant athletic director for strength and conditioning. Epley will oversee the strength and conditioning staff and programs of all Husker athletic programs except football and will be the primary strength and conditioning coach for baseball.
Initially hired by former athletic director Bob Devaney to start a strength and conditioning program in 1969, Epley worked for 35 years as NU’s head strength coach before moving into an associate athletic director position. He retired from NU in 2006.
Most recently, Epley was director of coaching performance for the National Strength and Conditioning Association in Colorado Springs, the organization he founded in 1978. There he secured sponsorships for the NSCA and helped Division I strength coaches gain certification to meet an NCAA requirement that goes into effect in 2015.
“Shawn Eichorst is committed to give Nebraska student-athletes an educational opportunity they can’t get anywhere else and he wants them to compete for championships. I want to be a part of that vision,” Epley said. “While my main priority will be working with coach Darin Erstad and the baseball team, I also look forward to working with the other sport programs. My wife and I miss Nebraska and look forward to reuniting with the Husker Nation.”
Senior Associate Athletic Director for Performance and Strategic Research Steve Waterfield said: “We are excited to have Boyd return to Nebraska athletics. His leadership, innovations, and experience in strength and conditioning have produced results that have improved student-athlete performance and helped propel teams to championships. We look forward to him working directly with the baseball program and collaborating with strength and conditioning staff to benefit Husker student-athletes. ”
For his contribution in strength and conditioning, Epley was named a 2014 Lifetime Achievement Award winner by the President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition. He was honored at the association’s annual meeting Sept. 16 in Washington, D.C.
Epley will assume his new position Oct. 6.
