COACHING STAFF
Dave Van Halanger
Director of Strength & Conditioning “Coach Van is a intense and driven coach who always is able to motivate his players, no matter what they’re asked to do. He is constantly there to give us words of encouragement and everybody is willing to work for him every day. I wouldn’t trade Coach Van for any other strength and conditioning coach anywhere.” --- Brandon Boykin
Legendary Florida State strength and conditioning coach Dave Van Halanger was named director of strength and conditioning at UGA in January, 2001. During his nine years at UGA, he has been part of a staff that has led Georgia to 90 victories, two SEC Birthdate: 10-15-53 championships, three SEC Eastern Division titles, Birthplace: Turtle Creek, Pa. seven bowl wins and six top-10 national finishes inHigh School: Turtle Creek cluding No. 2 in 2007 and No. 3 in 2002. College: W. Virginia, '76 Van Halanger spent 18 years as FSU's strength and conditioning coach from 1983-2001 and five years as Coaching Experience: head strength coach at his alma mater, West Virginia, where he is credited with starting WVU's first orga1977, West Virginia (Gradunized weight training program. ate Asst./Head J.V. Coach); Van Halanger has worked with 29 consecutive bowl 1978-1983, West Virginia (Head teams spanning his tenures at UGA, FSU and WVU, Strength Coach), 1983-2000, with those teams compiling a 21-7-1 record. He has Florida State (Strength and Contutored more than 30 NFL first-round draft picks. ditioning Coach), 1999, East-West In June, 2001, Van Halanger was awarded the title Shrine Game (Strength Coach), of Master Strength and Conditioning Coach, the highest honor presented by the Collegiate Strength and 2000 Gridiron Classic (Strength Coach), 2001-10, Georgia (Direc- Conditioning Coaches Association. It is given for tor of Strength and Conditioning) professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise, and longevity in the field. He was also inducted into the Strength and Conditioning Hall of Fame in June, 2003. Under Van Halanger's direction, the average student-athlete gained 20-25 pounds, added 100 Playing Experience: pounds to his bench press and 200 pounds to his squat during his years at FSU. He was one of Atlanta Falcons (1976) -- Signed three strength coaches featured in a July 1998 issue of Sports Illustrated. He served as strength with Falcons ...West Virginia coach of the 2000 Gridiron Classic in Orlando and in 1999 became the first strength coach in the (1972-75) -- Played four-years and 75-year history of the East-West Shrine Game to be asked to coach the team. Van Halanger also served as strength and conditioning coach for both teams at the 2004 Gridrion Classic. In addition, was three-year starter as an offenhe was named the 1993 Strength Coach of the Year by the NFL Coaches. sive lineman...co-captain of 1975 A three-year starter under Coach Bobby Bowden at West Virginia, Van Halanger was co-captain West Virginia Peach Bowl Team... of the 1975 West Virginia Peach Bowl team. An offensive tackle, he earned All-East honors his All-East in 1974 and 75...1975 junior and senior seasons and was an honorable mention All-America selection as a senior. He honorable mention All-America played professionally with the Atlanta Falcons in 1976 before returning to WVU as a graduate Greenbriar Prep (1972) -- Team assistant and head junior varsity coach. He became the full-time strength coach at WVU in 1978. Van Halanger was also a leader in FSU's Fellowship of Christian Athletes group. captain...won the Van Halanger, Plumbo Award, given to the atha native of Turlete who showed the most effort tle Creek, Pa., academically and on the field. and his wife, Turtle Creek H.S. (1968-72) -Michele, have Team captain. five children - Danielle, Michael, Matthew (a freshman offensive line lineman at the U.S. Naval Academy), Julie and Katelyn.
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