Andrew Graber - Director of Sports Performance<br><em>Women's Basketball</em> - Staff Directory

Staff Directory

Andrew Graber

Title:
Director of Sports Performance
Women's Basketball

After two seasons on the UNC women’s basketball support staff, Andrew Graber was promoted in July of 2023 to the role of Head Strength and Conditioning Coach. He directs, designs and implements all strength and conditioning programming for the Tar Heel women’s basketball program.

“I’m proud of our program and the women in it that we were able to attract such a talented applicant pool,” UNC women’s basketball coach Courtney Banghart said upon Graber's promotion. “Sport science is the future of athletic performance training and Andrew is so versed in the software and the application of it. He has a national championship as a lead strength coach, and he has run the sport science programming for numerous sports teams. He will help with feedback – and feeding forward – as we develop our daily, weekly, and monthly plans together to put our student-athletes in the best possible position for success.

“Andrew is a skilled tactician in the weight room, he’s a trusted teammate, he has a servant heart, and he’s a forward thinker. I’m thrilled to have Andrew in this critical leadership role as we continue to move this program forward. Today is a great day for the entire program.”

Graber came to UNC in July of 2021. He has worked with women’s basketball as assistant strength & conditioning coach since then and also has coached track and field, rowing and women’s lacrosse, which won an NCAA Championship in 2022. Additionally, he has coordinated sport science for all of UNC’s Olympic sport programs.

Before coming to UNC, Graber earned his M.S. in Leadership Education: Sports Management from Winona State University in Winona, Minn. While there, he also served as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach working with the football, men’s basketball, women`s soccer, gymnastics and women’s tennis teams.

He earned his B.A. in Exercise Science with a career concentration in strength and conditioning from Northwestern College in Orange City, Iowa. As an undergraduate at NWC, he interned for three years with the strength and conditioning staff, overseeing programing for the cheerleading and track and field teams.

A native of Sioux Falls, S.D., Graber is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist through the National Strength and Conditioning Association.

“I am incredibly excited and thankful to have the opportunity to be part of this program,” Graber said. “Coach Banghart, the staff and the student-athletes are all pursuing success on and off the court, and I look forward to working with a program that is proactive and constantly looking for ways to integrate sport science with performance. We strive to always be cutting edge in our sport performance program and the way it impacts and supports our student-athletes.”

“Working hand-in-hand with Strength & Conditioning as part of our Sports Performance team, I’m excited to welcome Andrew to this new role,” said Jodi Schneider, UNC’s head athletic trainer. “Having worked with him for the past two years, I have seen first-hand not only the dedication and enthusiasm he brings, but his extensive sports science knowledge and expertise. I look forward to continuing our collaboration to provide the highest level of care and training to our student-athletes.”