Patricia Dietz

Position: Doctorial Assistant Strength Coach

A two-sport athlete at the NCAA Division I level in college, Patricia Dietz knows what it takes for a student-athlete to compete at the highest level. Now a doctoral graduate assistant coach with Kansas Athletics, she's helping the Jayhawks reach their peak performance.

Dietz joined the Kansas strength and conditioning program in summer 2011 and works with the women's basketball, softball, and soccer teams, all while pursuing her doctoral degree (PhD) in the field of exercise science. She is also a member of the Research and Coaching Performance team where she assists with current research and projects within the graduate biomechanics lab, undergrad biomechanics class and laboratory experiments. She is a member of the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).

Dietz came to the University of Kansas from DePaul University in Chicago, Ill., where she served as assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2008-11. While at DePaul she designed and implemented strength and conditioning programs for 18 Division I collegiate sports programs, supervised and advised graduate assistants and was the interim volleyball coach.

Dietz earned her bachelor's degree in physical education non-teaching with a minor in coaching from the University of Northern Iowa in 2006. She was a two- sport letter-winning athlete for the Panthers in volleyball (defensive specialist) and track and field (javelin). In 2008, she received her Master's of exercise physiology with strength and conditioning from UNI.

A native of Iowa, Dietz participated in volleyball, basketball, softball, track and field, the Junior Olympics, music and the arts while attending Tripoli Community Schools.