Jan. 12, 2009

Craig Fitzgerald has been named Director of Football Strength & Conditioning at the University of South Carolina, head football coach Steve Spurrier announced today.

“Craig is a young, enthusiastic and energetic coach who is going to do things a little different in our weight room,” said Coach Spurrier. “I feel very good about turning our strength and conditioning program over to Craig. I was really impressed with him and how he motivates the players.”

Fitzgerald comes to Columbia from Harvard University where he has held the title of Director of Strength and Conditioning since April of 2005. While at Harvard, Fitzgerald trained the football, men’s and women’s basketball, wrestling, men’s and women’s tennis and men’s and women’s crew teams. The Harvard football squad has won back-to-back Ivy League titles over the past two years.

“I’m extremely excited about coming to South Carolina and working on Coach Spurrier’s staff and with the Gamecocks,” said Fitzgerald. “This is a great opportunity to work on college football’s biggest stage – the SEC and with Coach Spurrier. I want to help South Carolina achieve its goal of winning an SEC Championship.”

Prior to his stint at Harvard, Fitzgerald served as the Assistant Director of Strength and Conditioning at his alma mater, the University of Maryland, from January 2000 to March 2005. During that time he worked with current Gamecocks tight ends coach and special teams coordinator Ray Rychleski.

Fitzgerald holds a double degree in political science and history from Maryland, graduating in 1997. He was a three-time letterwinner for the Terrapins football squad. He began his professional career as a volunteer assistant strength and conditioning coach at Maryland in 1999 before serving Catholic University of America as its Director of Strength and Conditioning from 1997-99. He also logged a six-month stint as a graduate assistant at Arizona State University before returning to his alma mater.

Fitzgerald and his wife, Mary, have one son, Mac.