Court named head strength and conditioning coach
Rick Court
Rick Court, a 13-year veteran in strength and conditioning who spent the past two seasons working directly with Ohio State football, has been named head strength and conditioning coach at Mississippi State, head coach Dan Mullen announced Jan. 15.
“Rick brings a tremendous amount of experience to our staff and we are excited about his addition,” said Mullen. “He understands what it takes to mentor and motivate student-athletes. He comes from an outstanding pedigree. His expertise and leadership will continue to raise our standard of excellence in the weight room and in conditioning. Our 2014 off-season program begins now under his watch.”
In addition, Mullen announced that Thomas Stallworth has been promoted to associate strength and conditioning coach.
Court comes to Starkville after serving as the associate strength and conditioning coach on Mickey Marotti’s staff at Ohio State since January 2012. During his tenure, the Buckeyes combined for 24 victories, including a perfect 12-0 record and No. 3 national ranking in 2012.
Court will coordinate the strength and conditioning of all 15 of the Bulldogs’ varsity sports.
“I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of the Mississippi State family,” said Court. “I am eager to get started and enhance our strength and conditioning program here. We will work hard and become bigger, faster and stronger.”
Court is no stranger to running a strength and conditioning department with four years of director experience. He spent the 2011 season as the director of strength and conditioning at San Diego State where he helped the Aztecs to an 8-5 record and a berth in the New Orleans Bowl.
Prior to his position at SDSU, Court was the director of football strength and conditioning for two years at the University of Toledo from 2009-10. During his final season at Toledo, the Rockets went 8-5 and reached the Little Caesars Pizza Bowl.
In 2008, Court capped a six-year tenure at Bowling Green as strength and conditioning coach. He was an assistant on the Falcons’ staff for five years before being elevated to the head strength coach position.
A native of Grosse Point Woods, Mich., Court attended and played baseball at Michigan State, lettering two years as a catcher for the Spartans and serving as a team captain in 2001. He interned for one year with the Michigan State strength and conditioning program and worked with three of the Spartans’ programs including football. He also interned in Major League Baseball strength training with the Detroit Tigers after graduating from Michigan State with his degree in kinesiology in 2002.
Court earned in master’s degree in sports administration from Eastern Kentucky in 2003.
For additional information about Mississippi State athletics, please visit HailState.com.
