DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque Athletics has hired Sidney Kohl as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach and Lea Katanick as the Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach to lead the department.
 
Kohl graduated from the University of Dubuque with a Bachelor of Science in Health and Wellness in May 2010. During her undergraduate degree, she was four-year starter on the women's soccer team and holds the school record for most consecutive starts (83), she was a two-time First Team All-Conference, and two-time All-Region honoree. She most recently was inducted into the University of Dubuque Athletic Hall of Fame in 2019.
 
"I have admired this program ever since being a student athlete and the only word that I can really use right now to describe this feeling is grateful," commented Kohl. "I want to personally thank Nelson Edmonds and Megan Wilson for putting their faith in me and giving me this incredible opportunity. There has been a shared vision throughout this process and in this organization. And for us to be successful here, our vision is aligned and that was really key. It feels like a perfect fit"
 
Kohl brings to the strength and conditioning department 12 years of fitness industry, personal training, and sports team training experience along with managerial skills she attained from her Master's Degree in Business Administration she completed from the University of Dubuque in May 2016. 
 
Kohl was recently the Director of Operations/Lead Certified Strength Coach at Merge Performance Institute for nearly three years. She was in charge of six employees where she oversaw group exercise programs and classes that saw a 107% growth in 2019. She also helped increase the number of clients from 11 to 45 in 2019 including the City of Dubuque Fire Department helping them to create a new hire physical training protocol for the department. 
 
 Kohl was also an office manager for Spine and Sport Chiropractic for a year and was a certified strength coach for the FIT for nearly five and a half years.
 
Kohl resides in Asbury, Iowa with her husband and three children.
 
Katanick received her Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science and Master of Science in Sports Physiology and Performance Coaching from Carroll University in Waukesha, Wis. She joins the Spartans after interning at Texas Christian University as a Strength and Conditioning this past summer. During her time at Carroll University, she was the Assistant Human Performance Coach for softball, men's soccer, and women's soccer. She also helped at BRX Performance with athletes ranging in age from 12-30 who wanted to improve their functional movements.
 
 "The student-athletes are great and super welcoming, I felt right at home after my first week," stated Katanick. "After working with the teams, I can confidently say, I can't wait for the future to see what Sidney and I can turn the UD Athletics program into."
 
Recently, Katanick was nominated in May 2022 for Masters in Posters Award at the National Strength and Conditioning Association for her poster on "The Effect of Load on Braking and Propulsion Characteristics During a 100% 1-RM AEL Back Squat Using Weight Releasers."
 
Katanick is certified as a Level 1 Coach for USA Weightlifting and has certifications in American Red Cross CPR, First Aid, and AED.
 
She resides in Dubuque.
 
# # #
For further information, please contact Paul Misner, director of sports information, at 563.589.3168 or pmisner@dbq.edu.