Georgia Southwestern adds new strength coach

Staff Reports

AMERICUS — Georgia Southwestern State University has hired Logan Gibson as the school’s first director of strength and conditioning, a move athletic officials say will strengthen support services for Hurricane student-athletes across all sports.

The newly created position reflects Georgia Southwestern’s effort to expand athletic performance resources while emphasizing injury prevention, rehabilitation and long-term athlete development.

Gibson will begin his duties July 6 and oversee strength and conditioning programs for all GSW athletic teams.

“We are excited to welcome Logan to the Hurricane family,” Georgia Southwestern Athletic Director Mike Leeder said. “His experience at multiple levels of collegiate athletics, including Division I programs, gives him a strong foundation to build a comprehensive strength and conditioning program that will positively impact every one of our student-athletes.”

Gibson arrives in Americus from the University of Detroit Mercy, where he served as associate director of strength and conditioning. In that role, he developed and managed performance programs for five NCAA Division I sports, including men’s and women’s soccer, women’s lacrosse, softball and track and field throws.

He worked with more than 150 student-athletes, designing year-round training plans that incorporated strength development, speed and agility work, conditioning and mobility training.

Gibson also collaborated with athletic trainers and team physicians to create return-to-play plans for injured athletes and utilized technology such as GPS tracking and velocity-based training systems to monitor athlete performance and workload.

Before joining Detroit Mercy, Gibson served as assistant strength and conditioning coach at Lawrence Technological University, where he oversaw training programs for 10 varsity sports and more than 300 student-athletes. His responsibilities included facility management, scheduling and the development of training protocols.

He also gained experience at the Division I level while working with Purdue University’s men’s basketball program, assisting with strength and conditioning efforts, athlete monitoring and rehabilitation progressions.

A native of Indiana, Gibson earned a bachelor’s degree in exercise science from the University of Southern Indiana in 2020 and is pursuing a master’s degree in ethical leadership from the University of Detroit Mercy.

Gibson said the opportunity to establish Georgia Southwestern’s first strength and conditioning department was a major factor in accepting the position.

“The vision for athletics and commitment to student-athlete success immediately stood out to me throughout the process,” Gibson said. “I look forward to working with every program, building strong relationships with our coaches and student-athletes, and creating an environment that promotes performance, accountability and personal growth.”

The addition of a dedicated strength and conditioning director marks another investment in Georgia Southwestern’s athletic department as the university continues to expand support services designed to enhance performance and student-athlete well-being.