Troy University Athletics
Trojans Add Assistant Strength Coach
TROY, Ala. ? Troy University Director of Athletics Steve Dennis announced today the hiring of Shaakira Hassell as Assistant Strength and Conditioning coach.
Hassell comes to Troy from Valdosta State University where she first served as a graduate assistant coach before earning a full time position as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
“Shaakira’s background as both an athlete and a strength coach is outstanding and I am excited to have her joining our staff at Troy University,” Richard Shaughnessy, head strength and conditioning coach, said. “She has worked with athletes around the world and has competed at the highest levels in her own right.”
A native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hassell received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science from Beloit College in Wisconsin after spending one year studying at Griffith University in Australia as part of a study abroad program.
After serving as a Program Coordinator in Chicago for Girls in the Game, she attended Georgia Southern University and worked with the football, men’s golf, women’s swimming and women’s tennis teams as a graduate assistant strength coach. From there she moved on to Valdosta State where she completed her Masters of Health and Physical Education while working with the football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s golf and women’s volleyball teams as an assistant strength coach.
In addition to working with the teams at Georgia Southern and Valdosta, Hassell was also a member of the Virgin Islands National Basketball team, worked with the 2000 Olympic Track & Field team from Great Britian, and has spent time as a defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker in the women’s professional tackle football league for the Chicago Force and the Atlanta Xplosion, the 2006 champions of the International Women’s Football League.
She is certified by U.S.A. Weightlifting as a Club Coach, by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Strength & Conditioning Specialist and by the American Red Cross as a First Aid and CPR provider.
At Troy she will work with several of the Trojans’ teams, including women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball teams in addition to assisting with the football team.
Hassell comes to Troy from Valdosta State University where she first served as a graduate assistant coach before earning a full time position as assistant strength and conditioning coach.
“Shaakira’s background as both an athlete and a strength coach is outstanding and I am excited to have her joining our staff at Troy University,” Richard Shaughnessy, head strength and conditioning coach, said. “She has worked with athletes around the world and has competed at the highest levels in her own right.”
A native of the U.S. Virgin Islands, Hassell received her Bachelor’s Degree in Sports Science from Beloit College in Wisconsin after spending one year studying at Griffith University in Australia as part of a study abroad program.
After serving as a Program Coordinator in Chicago for Girls in the Game, she attended Georgia Southern University and worked with the football, men’s golf, women’s swimming and women’s tennis teams as a graduate assistant strength coach. From there she moved on to Valdosta State where she completed her Masters of Health and Physical Education while working with the football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s golf and women’s volleyball teams as an assistant strength coach.
In addition to working with the teams at Georgia Southern and Valdosta, Hassell was also a member of the Virgin Islands National Basketball team, worked with the 2000 Olympic Track & Field team from Great Britian, and has spent time as a defensive end, defensive tackle and linebacker in the women’s professional tackle football league for the Chicago Force and the Atlanta Xplosion, the 2006 champions of the International Women’s Football League.
She is certified by U.S.A. Weightlifting as a Club Coach, by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) as a Strength & Conditioning Specialist and by the American Red Cross as a First Aid and CPR provider.
At Troy she will work with several of the Trojans’ teams, including women’s soccer, women’s basketball and softball teams in addition to assisting with the football team.