The Citadel Athletics

Joe Varga is the director of strength and conditioning. He rejoined The Citadel in 2020 as the associate director of strength and conditioning, where he then promoted to his current position as director in January of 2022.  He oversees all sports while being the head strength coach of football.
 
He first started his strength and conditioning career in 2006 as an intern at the College of Holy Cross where he assisted the strength and conditioning staff for all Olympic sports. After, in 2007, he went to the University of Rhode Island, taking a job as an assistant strength and conditioning coach where his primary teams were track and field, men’s and women’s tennis, women’s crew, women’s gymnastics, and men’s and women’s swimming.
 
Deciding to peruse his masters, Varga left Rhode Island to come to The Citadel in 2008 where he became a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach. His primary responsibility included assisting with football and baseball, and programmed for track and field, and men’s tennis. He later promoted to associate director of strength and conditioning in 2010. With the promotion came more responsibility in management over the graduate assistants, taking direct oversee of the men’s basketball team, and develop injury modified programs for the athletes.  He graduated with his masters in health, exercise, and sports science in 2011 from The Citadel.
 
Post-graduation he then decided to take a job as Director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports at Marshall university in 2011. There he was the supervisor of the Olympic sport weight room, while being the lead strength coach for men’s and women’s basketball. Varga stayed with Marshall till 2017, where he then moved onto Wagner college as an Assistant Athletic Director for Athlete Performance, football, and Men’s Basketball. There he oversees and managed the entire strength and conditioning department and was the direct supervisors for sports medicine.
 
In 2019 he decided to move forward to DIA Sports Performance, taking the role as a Director of Sports Performance. He carried the responsibility of overseeing and managing all day to day activity within the facility. He was also the head strength coach for women’s basketball at Rollins College and assisted the CEO/owner of the DIA.
 
In December of 2020 Varga decided to return to the citadel, taking the job as Associate director of Strength and Conditioning, where he then promoted to his current position.
 
Varga has obtained his Bachelor’s in exercise science from Central Connecticut State University in 2006, his Maters in Heath, Exercise, and Sports Science from the Citadel in 2011, and several certifications including: Strength and Conditioning Coach Certification, SCCC (CACCa), Certified strength and Conditioning Specialist, NSCA, and American Red Cross, Adult First/CPR/AED certificate
 
He was born and raised in Connecticut, where his sister still lives, however his mom an dad have moved down south with him.