May 9, 2006

Notre Dame, Ind. – Rick Perry, head strength and conditioning coach at Missouri State University since 1999, has been named assistant strength and conditioning coach at the University of Notre Dame.

While at Missouri State, Perry oversaw strength and conditioning for a 21-sport varsity athletic program and also supervised the day-to-day operations and management of the Plaster Sports Complex. In 2002, he was nominated for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) College School Strength and Conditioning Professional of the Year Award.

Perry spent two years (1997-99) as a graduate assistant on the strength and conditioning staff at the University of Kansas where he worked primarily with the football, men’s basketball and swimming and diving programs.

Prior to pursuing a career in the strength and conditioning field, Perry was the defensive tackle coach and assistant defensive line coach at Idaho State University in 1995 and the defensive line coach and strength and conditioning coach at Buena Vista University in 1994. He also served as a volunteer assistant coach at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State) from 1993-94.

Perry graduated from Southwest Missouri State with a bachelor’s degree in physical education in 1995. He played football for two seasons (1998-99) at Garden Community College and played the final two campaigns (1990-92) at Southwest Missouri State. He signed as a free agent with the Detroit Lions in ’93.

Perry received a masters of science degree in education with a specialization in sport administration and nutrition from the University of Kansas in December of ’98 and is certified in CPR by the Red Cross and also holds a CSCS certification from the NSCA.