Indiana University Athletics
Anderson Named Strength and Conditioning Coach For Men's Basketball
6/10/2015 9:41:00 AM | Men's Basketball
The native of Rochester, N.Y., has helped train over 40 professional athletes
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. - The role of the head strength and conditioning coach for the storied Indiana University men's basketball program is one that cannot be overstated. He is a coach, a mentor, a motivator, but more importantly, he is the face that players see the most during their career at Indiana. With that in mind, IU Coach Tom Crean has specific traits that he is looking for when entrusting someone to fill one of the most important positions on his staff.
"We look for the best person to lead young men and get the most out of them on a daily basis," said Crean. "You have to be at the forefront of your profession, display passion for what you do and energize everyone you touch."
After a national search, Crean has named Lyonel Anderson to serve as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Hoosiers. Anderson comes to IU after serving as the associate director of sports performance for the University of Houston football program and during his career he has helped train more than 40 professional athletes.
"Lyonel has coached and played at a high level and with great success," added Crean. "Those who have worked with him and know him have nothing but the highest praise for him personally and professionally. He is well respected and developed a great rapport with everyone during his visit here."
Prior to joining Houston, Anderson worked with the IU football program as assistant strength and conditioning coach from 2012-13. He also served in a similar capacity at Rice University for two years.
"I'm extremely excited to work for a great coach like Tom Crean," said Anderson. "This is like my Super Bowl. Every day I will have the opportunity to work with elite level athletes and elite level young men. I can not thank Coach enough for allowing me to be a part of this program."
Anderson will come aboard and oversee the weight room in Cook Hall, which has been critical in helping the Hoosiers reach new heights in several areas. Specifically, former Hoosiers Victor Oladipo, Cody Zeller and Noah Vonleh utilized their training at IU to become lottery picks in the NBA as they posted impressive marks at their respective combines.
"First of all, there are certain programs in college basketball that have what I call an execution culture and work culture," said ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla after seeing the success Zeller and Oladipo had at their combine. "Indiana currently has that. I think we all know how much they emphasize player development."
In 2013, Zeller had a 37.5 max vertical, a 3.15 sprint and was lauded as the best athlete of the centers that year after also notching a 35.5 standing vertical, the highest of any player 6-9 or better in more than a decade. Oladipo bench pressed 185 pounds 15 times and had a 10.69 time on the agility drill and a 42.0 max vertical, which also opened eyes, as he eventually was taken 2nd in the NBA draft that year. In 2014, Vonleh wowed NBA personnel with the transformation his body made in one year with the Hoosiers and other physical attributes.
"The fact that Noah played for Tom Crean (at Indiana) was a positive," said Charlotte Hornets Coach Steve Clifford, who chose Vonleh with the ninth pick in 2014. "That's a really structured, good program."
Anderson will have the opportunity to hit the ground running as returning players came back on June 8 with newcomers to follow in the next 10 days.
"This is a great time for the team to bond and for me to strengthen the relationship with our players," said Anderson. "The effort and work you put in this time of year is critical to your individual and team success. I'm confident in their ability to push themselves beyond their limits and get the most out of their abilities."
A native of Rochester, N.Y., Anderson began his career in the profession as a graduate assistant in 2008 at his alma mater, the University of Kansas. He also served as a season intern with the Denver Broncos that year and was an assistant strength coach for football at Youngstown State in 2009.
Anderson was a tight end at Kansas from 2003-04, Anderson caught 43 passes for 485 yards and three touchdowns in 21 career games. Following his career, he signed as a free agent with the Cincinnati Bengals and was a member of the Green Bay Packers practice squad. He also played for the Arena Football League's Colorado Crush.
He began his collegiate football career at Alfred State College and caught 19 passes for 382 yards and four touchdowns as a freshman and 26 passes for 534 yards and three TDs as a sophomore before transferring to KU. As a prep at Wilson Magnet High School, he was selected as one of the top 50 basketball players in New York and was a member of the All-Greater Rochester Super 15 Basketball team in 2000 and was a two-time All-Star at the 5-Star Basketball Camp.
"I'm going to draw on those experiences to serve as an example of what you can accomplish," said Anderson. "It's an exciting time to be a part of Hoosier basketball."
He earned his bachelor's degree in sociology from Kansas in 2008 and has one son, King.
"We have been fortunate that we have had outstanding men lead this area in Jeff Watkinson (now with the Utah Jazz) and Je'Ney Jackson (now overseeing football strength and conditioning at Kansas)," noted Crean. "Chris Virtue did an excellent job in the interim and we are glad that he will continue to be involved with the program."
