Ty Stenzel, the strength and conditioning coach at St. Thomas, has been named 2011 Division III Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year by Samson Equipment and American Football Monthly.

This is Stenzel’s 20th year as the full-time strength and conditioning coach for St. Thomas varsity athletics and in that 20-year span, Tommie teams have won 164 MIAC regular-season team championships in 19 different sports.

“I didn’t even know the nomination process or how they select somebody, so I thought it was pretty cool. It was nice to be recognized,” Stenzel said.

Each winter, Samson honors nine strength and conditioning professionals with this award nationally. It is given at many levels including the NFL, the D-II and III Football Bowl Subdivision and Football Championship Subdivision, National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics, junior colleges and high schools. The winners will be highlighted in the March issue of AFM.

Although Stenzel may be most familiar with the football team, he also oversees 21 other St. Thomas sports.

Stenzel said that there are about 700 hundred student-athletes at the university.

“In the course of a week, I probably see about half of those athletes, about 300 or 350 athletes total,” Stenzel said.

Freshman running back Ryan Toney said Stenzel is a key asset for the football team.

“I feel like he deserves it in every way; he is always pushing us to get better every time,” Toney said. “He’s always there for support in the weight room and helping players reach their goals and getting better.”

Stenzel also helps around the new Anderson Athletic and Recreation Complex with the maintenance and upkeep of the weight room and cardio room.

“Since we have moved over here (AARC), I have had to spend a little more time doing that managerial-type stuff,” Stenzel said.

Even with a busy schedule, freshman football player Kevin Groseth said he appreciates how Stenzel still makes time for everyone.

“He really individualized his workouts and stuff. He is in here (weight room) all the time helping you with form and everything, and it just makes you better as an athlete and a lifter,” Groseth said.

Stenzel, a Freeborn, Minn., native played football for the Minnesota Gophers and received a bachelor’s degree from the U of M in 1990. He was a graduate assistant coach one season there and came to St. Thomas in 1991. He received his Master’s and PhD in education from St. Thomas.

Despite the national recognition, Stenzel still remains humble and gives credit to the other coaches and athletes he works with for the success he’s had at St. Thomas.

“We have got tremendous coaches; there is a lot of coaching talent. That coaching talent has also done a really good job recruiting very good athletes,” Stenzel said. “If you have really good coaching and really good athletes, it’s kind of hard to beat them.

“I think St. Thomas winning probably is the reason that I was recognized. It wasn’t necessarily that I was the best strength coach out there, but it’s because we have done so well.”

Jake Swansson can be reached at swan7230@stthomas.edu.