Associate Director of Sports Performance
Ben Steenrod joined Temple Athletics in August 2021 as the Associate Director of Sports Performance. Steenrod oversees all training aspects of the Women’s Lacrosse and Men’s Soccer programs, while assisting with the Owls Football program. In his current role, Coach Steenrod oversees the day-to-day operation of the Olympic Sports weight room, has established the use of Sports Science Technologies and helped to modernize their operation in the Varsity Weight room. Before arriving at Temple, Coach Steenrod spent time at fellow Philadelphia schools, Saint Joseph’s University, Villanova University as well as at Virginia Tech.
Coach Steenrod started at Saint Joseph’s University in 2011 as a part time assistant during the first year of the Hawks Strength department. In 2014 he was promoted to Head Strength Coach where he oversaw all aspects of training primarily for the Hawks Women’s Basketball, Baseball, Women’s Lacrosse, Men’s Soccer and Nationally Ranked Field Hockey program. During varying points of his time on Hawk Hill Steenrod also assisted with or was responsible for the training of the Men’s Basketball team as well as Softball and Men’s Lacrosse. In his time at SJU, Steenrod helped to develop numerous high level MLB draft picks and future NBA players. As well as working as a strength coach, Steenrod served as color commentator for the Hawks Women’s Basketball and Baseball teams both on the radio and ESPN+ broadcasts.
Steenrod began his coaching career as an intern at Virginia Tech working with the Hokies Olympic Sports and Football team before serving as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Villanova from 2008 to 2010. Steenrod worked with the Wildcats' football team that won the 2009 NCAA Division I FCS national championship and the men's basketball squad that reached the 2009 Final Four. He as well was responsible for all aspects of training for the Villanova Men’s Lacrosse, Track, Volleyball and Tennis programs. Outside of the collegiate setting, Steenrod has spent summers training several NBA players as well as recently working with multiple members of the Australian Women’s Lacrosse National team in preparation for the World Cup.
Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina, Steenrod earned his undergraduate degree in Human Nutrition, Foods, and Exercise from Virginia Tech in 2008, as well as his MBA from Saint Joseph's in 2015. Steenrod is also the owner of the training company Steenrod Strength, where he trains many of the top Lacrosse athletes in the country.
