South Hadley, Mass. - April 5, 2022 - Interim Director of Athletics Erica Lemm is excited to announce Jay Mendoza as the first-ever Assistant Director of Recreation and Head Sports Performance Coach at Mount Holyoke College. Mendoza comes to South Hadley from Brandeis University, where he was the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the Judges since August of 2019.
At Mount Holyoke College, Mendoza will design and implement strength training and conditioning programs for 13 varsity athletic programs and support the management of recreational offerings including coordination and scheduling of the Lyons Den (varsity strength and conditioning space), Fitness Center, and drop-in class programming.
"I am very excited to be joining Mount Holyoke as the new Assistant Director of Recreation/Head Sports Performance Coach," commented Mendoza. "Thank you to Erica Lemm, Bardee Sadlier, and Lyons Nation for this fantastic opportunity. I look forward to collaborating with the amazing staff, coaches, and students and engaging with the entire MHC community. I hope to use my skills and experience to build an exceptional strength & conditioning and recreation program that continues to support our students at Mount Holyoke College."
At Brandeis, Mendoza oversaw and led a progressive strength and conditioning program for 19 varsity sports and over 350 student-athletes. Additionally, the Philadelphia, Pa. native worked with the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) to establish a refueling station on campus, helped with the development of the Judges Leadership Academy and represented the Student Affairs District while participating as a member of the Brandeis University Staff Advisory Committee (BUSAC) and Diversity, Equity and Inclusion sub-committee.
Prior to Brandeis, Mendoza was the head strength and conditioning coach at Eastern Connecticut State University for the 2018-19 academic year, and was the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach at Trinity College for the 2017-18 academic year.
"I'm pleased to welcome Jay to Lyons Nation in this new position at the College," said Lemm. "It is evident that Jay brings the passion, expertise, and student-centered approach necessary to develop our sports performance program from the ground up. His experience and focus on the entire student experience including student well-being and development will have a lasting impact on the future of our students and programs."
Mendoza currently holds multiple professional certifications and is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association. Certifications include Precision Nutrition Level 1, First Aid/CPR/AED, Level 1 Sports Performance Coach (USA Weightlifting), RPR Level 1, Certified Speed and Agility Coach (CSAC) and a Dynamic Warm-up Movement Assessment Level 1 & 2.
For the latest updates on Mount Holyoke College Athletics, follow the Lyons on social media on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our Youtube Channel.
