Darin Lovat - Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports - Softball Coaches

Darin Lovat

Title:
Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports
Email:
dlovat@memphis.edu
Phone:
901-678-4346

Darin Lovat joined the University of Memphis Athletic Performance staff in July of 2018 and currently serves in the role of Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports. In this role, Lovat helps oversee the training of all Olympic Sport athletes. The 2018-2019 academic year marks Lovat’s 19^thyear in the Athletic Performance profession.

Lovat arrives in Memphis, Tennessee after spending five and a half years at University of the Incarnate Word, where he served at the Head Strength & Conditioning Coach. During his tenure, Lovat helped the University transition from NCAA Division II to becoming a member of the NCAA Division I Southland Conference.

At UIW, Lovat oversaw the development and completion of two major facility renovations, one in 2013 and one in 2016, and expanded the staff to four people serving a 21-sport department. He also helped develop the first UIW football student-athlete to make an NFL Roster – tight end Cole Wick (Detroit Lions, 2016).

Prior to his time at UIW, Lovat held positions at Washington State University (2008-2011), Boston College (2007-08), Eastern Washington University (2002-2007), and UCLA (1999-2002). At Washington State, he assisted in the development of a program that reduced season-ending injuries from over 30 in 2008 to less than five in 2011, and at UCLA, two of his programs won NCAA titles – men’s volleyball in 2000 and women’s water polo in 2001.

Success has followed Lovat wherever he goes, as during his career he has oversaw the training for two National Champion teams, six Conference Championships, the 2005 FCS Walter Payton Award winner, the 2008 FCS Buck Buchanan Award winner, and two first-round NFL Draft picks.

Matt Ryan and Gosder Cherilus both benefited from Lovat’s tutelage while at Boston College in preparation for their 2008 draft, which saw the players go third and 17^threspectively.

Lovat competed at the collegiate level at UNLV as a four-year letterman on the football team. He was named the UNLV Special Teams Player of the Year twice and garnered Big West Conference All-Academic Team honors on two occasions.

Lovat graduated from UNLV with a Bachelor of Science in Fitness Management and earned his Master of Science from Austin Peay State University in Exercise Science.

He currently holds certifications from USA Weightlifting, CSCCA, and NSCA.

He has two children: Eliza Marie and Levi James.