Third-year Utah women’s basketball head coach Lynne Roberts completed her 2017-18 coaching staff today by announcing the hiring of assistant coach Joanna Reitz and strength and conditioning coach Emma Ostermann.
Reitz, who will work primarily with the perimeter players as well play a key role in recruiting, comes to Utah after two seasons as an assistant coach at the University of South Carolina Aiken. Ostermann spent the last two years as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Northern Arizona.
Reitz comes to Utah with more than seven years of coaching experience, having served at Mercer (2013-15), Shorter University in Rome, Ga. (2011-13), and Florida State, where she was the recruiting coordinator (2010-11) and a graduate assistant (2007-10).
“I was very patient in filling our assistant coaching position because of the importance of finding the absolute right fit for the continued advancement of our program. We found that person in Jo,” Roberts said. “She has the ability to connect with our current players immediately and translate that trait to her recruiting. She is going to be key in our player development. Jo comes very highly recommended from some of the coaches in our profession that I trust the most. Every place that Jo has coached, the programs have improved. We are lucky to have her as part of our Utah family.”
“Emma played Power 5 basketball at Kansas State, so it’s awesome to get a strength and conditioning coach with that kind of perspective and experiences,” Roberts said. “She is a young and up-and-coming talent that came highly recommended by some of the most respected strength coaches in the country. She is going to do a great job here.”
Reitz was a part of the staff that led the Shorter Lady Hawks to the NCAA Division II Sweet 16 before heading to Mercer where she helped the Bears to just their second post-season appearance since 1985. She spent two seasons at Mercer before accepting a position at USC Aiken, where she helped the Pacers Top-25 ranked opponents.
As a full-time assistant coach, Reitz signed three straight conference freshmen of the year. She also helped coach two NAIA All-Americans, 10 all-conference honorees and 26 all-academic selections.
She played college hoops at Covenant College from 2002-06 where she was a four-year starter, three-time team captain, three-time all-academic selection. She was named to the all-conference team in 2006. Reitz graduated with a degree in natural science in 2006 and went on to receive master’s degrees in physical education and business administration from Florida State.
“I am grateful for the opportunity to join the staff here at the University of Utah,” Reitz said. “The foundation is in place to be successful and I believe in the direction Coach Roberts is taking this program. Great things are ahead and I’m excited to be a part of it.”
Ostermann was the strength and conditioning coach for men’s and women’s basketball and women’s soccer at Northern Arizona. Her duties included designing all aspects of training for her assigned sports along with presenting on topics in her field at coaches’ summits.
While at Northern Arizona, all three teams she worked with saw their injury rate decline. Under her training and supervision, the men’s and women’s basketball players broke four team strength and conditioning records in 2016-17 (vertical jump, bench press, clean, back squat).
“I am excited to be a part of a university that has a rich culture in student-athlete development on and off the court,” Ostermann said. “I look forward to working with the coaches and student-athletes to help take this program to new heights.”
Prior to her time at Northern Arizona, Ostermann served as a high-performance sport science trainee with the U.S. Skiing and Snowboard Association and was also a strength and conditioning intern with the U.S. Army, working primarily with the 10th Special Forces Group.
She earned an associate of science in pre-physical therapy from Cloud County Community College before earning a bachelor’s degree in kinesiology from Kansas State in 2012.
Ostermann played basketball at Kansas State from 2010-12, earning Big 12 All-Academic selections in 2011 and 2012. Prior to her playing days with the Wildcats, Ostermann was a team captain at Cloud County.
She received her master’s in sports medicine with an emphasis in strength and conditioning from Colorado in 2015.
http://www.utahutes.com/news/2017/6/13/reitz-ostermann-join-2017-18-womens-basketball-staff.aspx
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