Andrew Nakamoto is joining UC Santa Barbara as a Sports Performance Coach in October of 2026 after having worked in the strength and conditioning field since 2020.
Nakamoto began his career in strength and conditioning as an Athletic Performance Assistant at San Jose State University, where he facilitated training sessions for Men’s & Women’s Basketball, Track & Field, Swim & Dive, and Soccer, while also supporting the football program. He then joined South Dakota State University as a Graduate Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach, overseeing performance for Swim & Dive, Equestrian, and Cross Country while assisting with Football, Basketball, and Soccer. During his time at SDSU, he contributed to the 2023 FCS Football Championship title, a Men's Summit League Cross Country Championship, and a Swim & Dive season that saw 12 school records broken.  Â
Nakamoto made the move to UC Riverside in September 2023 as the Assistant Director of Strength & Conditioning before being promoted to Director. In his leadership role, he oversaw training implementation for all 17 Highlanders athletic teams, integrating velocity-based training, force plate technology, and nutrition education. His time at UCR has coincided with notable program milestones, including Men's Basketball securing its first-ever NIT appearance, Volleyball claiming its first program win over Hawaii, and Track & Field qualifying a program-high eight athletes for the NCAA West Preliminaries. Â Â
He earned his Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from CSU Chico and holds a Master of Science from South Dakota State University.
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