College Strength Program of the Week: DePaul University

Name: DePaul University
Private or Public: Private (Catholic) University
Location: Chicago, Illinois, USA
Mascot: "Blue Demons"
Size: ~24,352 in fall 2008 (15,782 undergraduate, 7,526 graduate and 1,044 law students)
Director of Strength and Conditioning: Bryce Karasiak
Program Overview: Click Here

Overview: As the USA's largest Catholic institution, DePaul University, founded in 1898, draws on a rich history of academics and athletics as it educates and trains some of the brightest student-athletes in the country. Of the 10 largest private universities in the USA, all except DePaul are classified as "research extensive" universities. DePaul is the only university among this group with a primary mission of "teaching". Thus, it's no surprise that the definition of teaching stretches beyond the classroom to the athletic domain. DePaul competes in the Big East Conference, a conference founded in 1979 and consisting primarily of schools on the US's east coast. DePaul fields 6 men's sports, including: basketball, golf, soccer, tennis, track & field and cross country) and 7 women's athletic programs, such as: (basketball, soccer, tennis, softball, volleyball, track & field and cross country). Although the institution does not field enough teams to compete nationally for top ranking in the Learfield Sports Directors' Cup Rankings, the DePaul athletic program still finished in the middle of the pack following the 2007-08 athletic season: Ranked 151 among 279 ranked Division-I colleges / universities. Within the Big East conference, however, DePaul is consistently a force with which to be reckoned. Despite a slower than desired start for their basketball programs, they have a rich hoops history. In addition, they are competitive in the other sports they field, as is exemplified by the 2006-07 regular season Big East championship won by the softball program. DePaul University prides itself on competing in the classroom and on the field of play. In addition to competing on a national athletic stage, DePaul student-athletes will continue to compete on a national stage professionally to make a difference long after their athletic careers have ended.

DePaul's strength and conditioning program is directed by Bryce Karasiak. Bryce was formally announced as DePaul's Director of Strength & Conditioning January 4, 2008, after honing his strength & conditioning acumen at the University of Minnesota, Augsburg College and the Director of Sports Performance at Velocity Hockey Performance. In addition to his Kinesiology degree from Indiana University, Bryce, who also holds a Master's Degree in Sport and Exercise Science from the University of Minnesota, has worked with a multitude of collegiate sports and used his expertise to develop collegiate athletes into athletes now competing at the professional level. While rising through the ranks of the nation's top strength & conditioning coaches, Bryce has developed a reputation for emphasizing nutrition as a vital element to the overall development of top-tier athletes. Needless to say, Bryce has high expectations for the future development of the DePaul strength & conditioning program. Stay tuned for more information as the program continues to develop.

In July of 2008 Bryce strengthened his staff with the addition of Patricia Dietz as an assistant strength & conditioing coach. A former two-sport collegiate athlete, this is Patricia's first full-time collegiate strength & conditioning position. She joined the staff from Northern Illinois, where she served as a graduate assistant. In addition to specializing in developing speed and agility, Patricia also emphasizes nutrition in her programs, as is evidenced by her previous experience working towards Diabetes prevention during her time at Northern Iowa.

Expect great things from the DePaul strength & conditioning program. The staff's experience will translate into improved student-athlete performance on the field of play.

Click for an overview of the DePaul University athletic program.