General | 7/22/2016 1:14:00 PM

ROCHESTER, NY – Lou Spiotti Jr., Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics at RIT, has announced that Mikayla Thielges will join the university as strength and conditioning coach and athletic trainer, effective August 1, 2016. Thielges will serve as the strength and conditioning coach with the RIT women's hockey program and assist in athletic training department with all of the university's 24 varsity sports.
 
Originally from Las Vegas, Nevada, Thielges earned her bachelor's degree in kinesiology from California State University Northridge in 2014 before obtaining a master's degree in athletic training at Weber State University in 2016.
 
Thielges spent the last two years at Weber State, serving as a graduate assistant in the strength and conditioning office primarily with the women's basketball program. In addition, she assisted the head strength and conditioning coach with the football, men's basketball, women's soccer, softball, and track and field programs. Thielges developed and implemented a periodized strength and conditioning program for the women's basketball team.
 
"We are very pleased to be able to attract a person of Mikayla's caliber to RIT," said Spiotti. "Her unique combination of skills, certifications and athletic background will prove to be an asset to our program"
 
A Division I student-athlete, Thielges played four years of varsity softball at Cal State Northridge and one season with the basketball program. On the softball diamond, Thielges was an All-Big West Conference first team selection in 2012 and second team pick in 2013. As a member of the Matadors basketball team, she helped lead the squad to the 2014 Big West Championship.
 
"I am very excited to join the RIT family and be part of an athletics program with a rich tradition of excellence and development," said Thielges. 
 
While at Cal State Northridge, she also spent a season as an undergraduate student intern in the strength and conditioning office, assisting with the women's tennis, softball, baseball, men's and women's soccer, men's and women's basketball, and men's and women's volleyball programs.

Thielges is a certified athletic trainer as well as a certified strength and conditioning specialist (CSCS).
 
"We look forward to working with Mikayla to continue evolving our athletics program and enhancing the student-athlete experience," said Spiotti.