U-M Strength Coach Sandoval Tabbed by Team USA
4/5/2016 12:00:00 AM | General, Athletic News
April 5, 2016
Bo Sandoval
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan assistant director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports Bo Sandoval was named the head coach for USA Men's Weightlifting at the Aquece Rio Weightlifting Test Event in Rio de Janiero, Brazil, this week (April 7-10), USA Weightlifting announced. [ Official Release ]
A native of Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and based out of Ypsilanti, Michigan, Sandoval will join team leader Peter Roselli (Frenchtown, New Jersey) and women's coach Tim Swords (League City, Texas) in coaching seven athletes representing the United States at the official test event for the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.
Now in his seventh year at U-M, Sandoval works with the men's and women's track and field programs, as well as men's lacrosse. He has served as the assistant director of strength and conditioning for Olympic sports since 2012 and was named 2015 NSCA College Strength and Conditioning Coach of the Year. He has two NSCA Certificates of Appreciation - Weightlifting Special Interest (2011 and 2014) and has also served in the role of USA Weightlifting Club senior coach since 2007.
Among his accomplishments with Michigan athletes, Sandoval has helped U-M senior track co-captain Codie Nolan to an NSCA Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year nomination (2014) along with 19 other NSCA Strength and Conditioning All-America nominees.
In that same time span, Sandoval has spent his personal time coaching 12 national qualifiers, 18 American Open qualifiers, one national champion/world qualifier (Colin Burns 94kg Men, 2014), two national medalists (Colin Burns 94kg men, Leslie Mayville 63kg women), one Pan Am bronze medalist (Colin Burns 94kg Men, Snatch Bronze) and one former senior American record holder (Colin Burns 94kg Men, Snatch 169kg).
The Rio 2016 Committee is leading the execution of Aquece Rio, in collaboration with the sport federations and 12,000 volunteers. The program involves 45 sports and over 7,000 athletes and many of the events are taking place in the official venues for this summer, allowing staff to test specific operations.
The event is not open to the public and there is not an official webcast, but results will be shared on the USA Weightlifting website following competition.
WHAT THEY'RE SAYING
Director of Olympic sports strength and conditioning Mike Favre
"I am very happy that Bo has been awarded this opportunity with USA Weightlifting. His accomplishment is reflective of the level of professionals we have throughout Michigan Strength and Conditioning, and we wish Team USA the best of luck in Rio this week."
U-M men's head lacrosse coach John Paul
"Bo is one of the best in the world at what he does, and this is more evidence of the respect he's earned in the strength community. I'm happy for Bo and proud of him, and I know our US weightlifters are going to be coached well in Rio."
U-M men's track and field head coach Jerry Clayton
"Bo has proven his expertise, and we are very excited for the opportunity he has earned in Rio this week. It shows the level our program is at that we can have an Olympic-caliber individual as part of our team, and Bo has become a critical ingredient to our success. In my experience he's been the best individual I've worked with in 36 years of coaching."
U-M women's track and field assistant coach Sandy Fowler
"We are proud of Bo, and he deserves this 100 percent, and more. I would love to see him eventually get an Olympic coaching position, too because he is that caliber, and he belongs there. He'll do whatever it takes to help our student-athletes reach their goals and that's why we are all here -- to be a part of their lives and help assist them in reaching whatever their goals may be."
Communications Contact: Chad Shepard, Scott Kemps
