ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell football has announced the addition of Anthony Decker as the Associate Strength and Conditioning Coach, Head of Football Performance, adding nearly 41 years of experience from Division I, Division III, and the private sector.
"Tony has proven to be one of the best in his field," said Dan Swanstrom, the Roger J. Weiss '61 Head Coach of Football. "He is highly intelligent, motivated, and understands how to help athletes maximize their potential. He is a lifelong learner who truly cares about the student-athlete experience and will be a great fit in our program. I couldn't be more excited to add someone of Tony's caliber to the Cornell community."
Decker spent the past four years serving as the Director of Strength and Conditioning; Department Head for PE and Wellness at Chattanooga Christian School and acted as the Director of Education at the Institute of Athletic Movement. He previously worked for four years as the Director of Speed, Strength, and Conditioning at Coastal Carolina University, working closely with all 18 of the Chanticleers' Division I sports. The year prior, Decker served as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Susquehanna University.
"I am extremely honored and thankful to join Coach Swanstrom, Coach Andress, and their staffs at Cornell University and the visions they have shared with me," said Decker. "I look forward to the opportunity to contribute to the exceptional success both coaches have had throughout their careers. Cornell is an elite university with great traditions in academics and Football. I truly am eager and excited to get started!"
Between stops outside of the school athletics sphere, he spent five years as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Temple University, working directly with the football team. During his time there, he developed 17 NFL players and assisted in getting the team to its first bowl game in 30 years. A year-long teaching stint preceded his time at Temple when he was a professor at East Stroudsburg. He also had two stints at the University of Virginia, the second of which stretched from 1998 to 2002 as the Director of Strength and Conditioning, working directly with football and overseeing the assistants for both basketball programs. The Cavaliers would go to three bowl games in that time frame.
A decade-long stretch at the University of Delaware as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach / Assistant Athletic Trainer was Decker's first full-time stop at the collegiate level. He oversaw the strength and conditioning regimens for all 22 of the Blue Hens' varsity sports.
"Tony will be a tremendous addition to our Strength & Conditioning staff," said Associate Athletics Director for Strength and Conditioning,
Jay Andress. "Tony's experience, skill set, and strength and conditioning philosophies will provide an immediate impact for our student-athletes. On behalf of the entire Strength & Conditioning team, we welcome Tony to the Big Red family and look forward to working together."
Decker got his start in collegiate athletics as a Graduate Assistant Athletic Trainer/Student Strength Coach at UVA after serving as the Athletic Trainer at Los Alamitos High School.
The 1983 graduate of East Stroudsburg University obtained his bachelor's degree in health and physical education and a master's in athletic training and sports medicine at Virginia in 1986.
