BLACKSBURG – Virginia Tech Senior Director of Strength and Conditioning, Dwight Galt IV has achieved a significant milestone in his career, earning the title of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association. This prestigious milestone marks the highest recognition in the strength and conditioning profession, and is a tribute to Galt's professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise, and longevity in the field.
Galt is one of 334 coaches at the collegiate and professional level who have earned the honor since the award's inception in 2001.
"To be mentioned in the same breath along with some outstanding strength and conditioning coaches, is humbling and an honor," said Galt. "To see an athlete improve in their sport and be successful has been an extremely rewarding experience."
To be eligible, a coach must be an active CSCCa member, currently practice full-time strength & conditioning coaching on the collegiate level, be Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) by the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association and have been a full-time strength & conditioning coach on the collegiate and/or professional level for a minimum of 12 years.
"This is an incredible honor for Coach Galt that signifies a commitment to the student-athlete, Virginia Tech athletics and the strength and conditioning profession," said head football coach Brent Pry. "Coach Galt is committed to the holistic development of our student-athletes, empowering them to perform in all aspects of their lives."
Galt is in his third season in Blacksburg after serving as director of sports performance at Old Dominion for three years where he oversaw the Monarchs' football program.
Prior to his time in Norfolk, Galt worked as assistant director of strength and conditioning for Penn State football for seven seasons, helping the Nittany Lions achieve back-to-back 11-win seasons in 2016 and 2017, including the program's Big Ten Championship in 2016.
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. He began his coaching career at his alma mater, Maryland, as a strength and conditioning intern following his playing career with the Terrapins.
Galt is the second member of the Hokies' strength and conditioning staff to earn the MSCC honor, along with assistant director of strength and conditioning, Jarrett Ferguson who received the honor in 2017. He also joins his father, Dwight Galt III, in earning the distinction in 2005. Galt III spent nearly 40 years in the profession at Maryland, Vanderbilt, and Penn State.
