Hokie ClubBLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech announced Wednesday the hiring of Dwight Galt IV as director of football strength and conditioning for the Hokies. Galt worked with head coach Brent Pry while the two were both on staff at Penn State.
Galt comes to Blacksburg after serving as director of sports performance at Old Dominion since January of 2019 where he oversaw the Monarchs' football program. With Galt's help, the Monarchs are bowl eligible for just the second time in program history after a 6-6 season in 2021, just two years and one season after posting a 1-11 mark in 2019. He also prepared the program's only NFL Draft pick, Oshane Ximenes, for the NFL Combine.
Prior to his time in Norfolk, Galt worked as assistant director of strength and conditioning for Penn State football for seven seasons. Galt helped the Nittany Lions achieve back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, including the program's Big Ten Championship in 2016, and the team had a winning record every season of Galt's tenure.
Displaying his acumen for preparing players for the next level, Galt helped three Penn State players finish in the top five of every category in the 2018 NFL Combine marking the first time one school accomplished that feat. He also helped prepare top combine performers RB Saquon Barkley and TE Mike Gesicki for their professional careers.
Galt went to Penn State following a two-year stint at South Carolina where he started as a graduate assistant and then worked as an assistant strength coach for the Gamecocks. While in Columbia, Galt helped develop CB Stephon Gilmore and DE Jadeveon Clowney for their all-pro careers in the NFL. He helped the team to the 2010 SEC Championship game and two bowl appearances.
Galt began his coaching career at his alma mater, Maryland, as a strength and conditioning intern following his playing career with the Terrapins.
Strength and conditioning is the family profession for Galt as his father, Dwight Galt III, is the assistant athletic director for performance enhancement at Penn State. The elder Galt oversees the performance enhancement regiment for all 31 of Penn State's varsity programs and works directly with the football program. The elder Galt also worked with Pry at Vanderbilt.
Galt played on the defensive line at Maryland from 2005-09 and started all 12 games at defensive end during his senior season in 2009. Galt also earned the program's "Tough Terp" award four times and was named to the Terrapin Times' "Top Five Summer Workout Warrior" three times.
Galt graduated from Maryland in 2009 with a degree in Family Science. He earned his certificate from the National Association of Speed and Explosion in 2010 and was certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association in 2012. His twin brother, Tommy, serves as the offensive line coach for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.
Gallery: (12-22-2021) FB: Weight Room