• Combe Tennis Center • Byron S. Coon Center • Ken Kraft Wrestling Room • Lakeside Field • Leonard B. Thomas Athletic Complex • Luke Donald Practice Facility and Gleacher Center • Norris Aquatics Center • Patten Gymnasium • Rocky Miller Park • Ryan Field • Sharon J. Drysdale Field • Welsh-Ryan Arena • Facilities Home

Sports Performance Athlete of the Month (January)

Sports Performance Athlete of the Month Award Archive

Requirements for Sports Performance Athlete of the Month
• Out of season/pre-season athletes
• Positive attitude
• Outstanding Work ethic
• Continued improvement in testing parameters
• Strong awareness for team and performance department rules and values

The January Sports Performance Athletes of the Month are Kara Mupo of women's lacrosse and Eric Chun of men's golf, announced today (Feb. 6) by Director of Sports Performance Jason Pullara.

"These two athletes are on the brink of beginning their spring seasons and have done an exceptional job preparing to win a championship," Pullara said. "Both Kara and Eric have worked incredibly hard in their off-season training but have taken it to another level this month knowing the high expectations they each have for their coming seasons."

Kara Mupo (Women's Lacrosse)
Kara is a sophomore who has really embraced what the sports performance staff can do for her lacrosse game. She consistently pushes herself and her teammates to get better and routinely organizes extra workouts with her teammates. She has shown tremendous improvements, gaining two inches on her vertical, 10 pounds on her bench and nearly doubling her chin-ups from four to seven compared to her testing from last year. She also took nearly a tenth of second off of her pro agility shuttle from 5.00 to a 4.91.

"Kara is an exceptional athlete and the confidence she gained last season has transferred into her off-season and pre-season training," Pullara said. "Even as a sophomore she has proven to be a leader among her teammates, making those around her better. I could not be more excited for Kara and her teammates heading into lacrosse season."

Eric Chun (Men's Golf)
Eric is one of our most gifted athletes at NU; his strength and power levels are some of the best from any golfer at NU. Those combined with his flexibility and mobility puts Eric at another level in the performance facility and on the course. This is evident from Eric's performances over the past three years which include a Big Ten individual championship, the Big Ten Freshmen of the Year award and numerous top-10 finishes.

"Eric is consistently looking to improve and leads his team by example," said Mike Schweigert, Assistant Director of Sports Performance. "He is soft spoken but it is impossible to ignore his work ethic. His effort in the sports performance facility and at practice has certainly led to his successes."

Northwestern University Sports Performance Department

MISSION
Our mission is to provide continuous development of performance parameters and movement patterns so that our athletes develop to their maximum potential physically in order to compete at the highest level.

CORE VALUES
• Movement patterns are assessed and deficiencies are identified and corrected, using corrective exercises before proceeding to more advanced training protocols.
• Progressive routines are implemented to ensure core and posterior chain strength is adequate to support the movements required by the sport.
• Strength, speed and power are developed using free weight movements, such as Olympic movements, multi joint power movements, and plyometrics.
• The latest evidence-based speed development methods are used to increase linear speed, acceleration, deceleration and agility.
• The Performance Staff focuses on developing sport specific strength and speed that translates into improved performance on the field or court.
• Mental toughness is trained through strict discipline and challenging obstacles that student-athletes must overcome individually and in team settings.
• We will be leaders in the industry, providing exemplary service to our student-athletes along with being at the forefront in current advances in the sports performance field.

In the Sports Performance Department the focus is on developing the complete athlete using proven scientific methods and innovations to give each athlete the best training. The Sports Performance staff is constantly evolving with the changing demands of today's sports to help ensure the athletes stay healthy and perform at their peak potential.

The Sports Performance staff works closely with the Sports Medicine Staff to enhance injury prevention and return to play exercise. Discussions between the staffs take place on a daily basis in which the needs of each athlete are reviewed and a plan is developed to minimize the risk of injury and to decrease the time away from competition.

The Sports Performance Facility is the epicenter for the student-athlete's physical development. It provides student-athletes the opportunity to train in a facility dedicated to their success and with equipment in place for the sole purpose of improving athletic performance. In addition, these student-athletes have access to a Sports Performance staff dedicated to providing them the support to reach their peak physical development. With its recent renovation and expansion, the Byron S. Coon Center is now a 12,000-square foot, glass-encased facility housing brand new equipment. The Coon Center is connected to the Nicolet Football Center, just off Ryan Field, and is the hub for all of Northwestern's student-athletes. NU Sports Performance also takes advantage of indoor and outdoor FieldTurf practice surfaces along with Northwestern's North Beach on Lake Michigan for sand workouts -- a unique option not available at many institutions.

Northwestern's Sports Performance Department has greatly expanded its staff and coverage over the last few years and will again add new staff in a realignment begun in the summer of 2011. Jason Pullara was named the Director of Sports Performance, overseeing the programs for 18 of Northwestern's 19 varsity sports while providing vision and direction to the department. At that same time, Jay Hooten was elevated to Director of Sports Performance for Football, overseeing all strength and conditioning efforts for the gridiron Wildcats.

The full Northwestern sports performance staff is:

Director of Sports Performance
Jason Pullara

Director of Sports Performance for Football
Jay Hooten

Assistant Director of Sports Performance for Football
Allan Johnson

Assistant Directors of Sports Performance
Katie Fort
Rickey Jackson
Tyler Jorgensen
Joe Nudo
Mike Schweigert

Sports Performance Graduate Assistants
Michael Gilligan
Derek Sulo

Part-Time Assistant Director of Sports Performance
Brady Woolverton

Sports Performance Intern
Jose-Jose Palma

A New Focus On Performance: A Closer Look

Check out this in-depth feature story by NUsports.com's Skip Myslenski detailing the new initiatives in the Sports Performance Department, specifically those related to football:

There were, for one example, those training sessions on the shifting sands of a Lake Michigan beach. "It just helps recruit stability on the football field," explains Jay Hooten, the `Cat director of football performance who made these sessions part of the team's offseason conditioning program. "It helps you become a better athlete. The more balanced you are, the more athletic and faster you're going to be getting in and out of your cuts, the more you're going to be able to hold your ground when a pass rush is coming at you, the better you're going to be able to bend on a pass rush."

There were, for another example, those times the players laced up the gloves and slipped through the ropes and boxed. "The boxing has been really helpful for all of us offensive linemen as far has having stronger hands, being able to protect our chests, and footwork and endurance," says the offensive tackle Al Netter. "It was a really cool experience."

Those snapshots are not only a glimpse at some of the unconventional ways the football 'Cats prepared for this season. They are also a reflection of the altered approach Northwestern has adopted to the care and nurturing of all its athletes... Click Here to Continue Reading

In the summer of 2008, Northwestern received the following brand new, state-of-the-art equipment: