OTTAWA, Kan. – Ottawa University is pleased to announce the appointment of Aaron Schultz as the new Director of Athletic Performance. The announcement was made by Janet Eaton-Smith, Director of Athletics.

"We're thrilled to welcome Aaron to Ottawa University," said Eaton-Smith. "His dedication to strength and conditioning, along with his drive to continually grow in the field, makes him an ideal addition to our athletic department."

Schultz comes to Ottawa University from Kansas State University, where he served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach from November 2022 to June 2025. In this role, he was responsible for the athletic development of the K-State rowing, women's soccer, and cheer teams. Additionally, he oversaw the department's internship program, designing its curriculum to enhance student learning experiences. Schultz also assisted the Director of Strength and Conditioning with volleyball and track and field.

"My family and I could not be more excited to be a part of Ottawa Braves athletics," said Schultz. "Thank you to Director of  Athletics, Janet Eaton-Smith, and her staff for trusting me throughout this process. I am very excited to lead the Athletic Performance department to continue building on the tradition of excellence at Ottawa."

Prior to his tenure at K-State, Schultz served as the Director of Strength and Conditioning at Iowa Western Community College from August 2020 to November 2022. In this capacity, he led the athletic performance programs for multiple teams, including football, men's and women's wrestling, baseball, softball, men's and women's basketball, volleyball, track and field, cross country, men's and women's soccer, cheer, and golf.

Schultz brings extensive experience in athletic performance development, having served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Louisiana Tech University during the 2019-2020 season. At Louisiana Tech, he played a key role in football performance development while also overseeing the strength and conditioning programs for softball during the spring and summer of 2020. Additionally, he managed the university's internship program, guiding education, scheduling, and evaluation. His responsibilities extended to prehabilitation and rehabilitation efforts, working closely with medical staff to prepare injured athletes for competition.

Earlier in his career, Schultz held the role of assistant strength and conditioning coach at Webber International University from March 2019 to August 2019, where he led training programs for football, women's soccer, and men's and women's tennis. His experience also includes graduate assistant and internship roles with Grand View University from February 2015 to March 2019 and Eastern Washington University from June 2017 to December 2017. Additionally, Schultz interned with Iowa State University's strength and conditioning program, where he contributed to the development of the Cyclone football team. His early experience includes implementing summer strength, speed, and conditioning programs as an intern at Regina High School from May 2015 to July 2015.

Schultz holds a master's degree in sport management and a bachelor of arts in kinesiology from Grand View University. He is certified by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (SCCC) and holds CPR, First Aid, and AED certifications.

Schultz will officially begin his role at Ottawa University on July 1.