Jorge Vasquez is in his second year as Director of Athletic Performance, overseeing all the Olympic-sport teams at Canisius University, while primarily working with the men’s and women’s basketball programs. Vasquez brings in a wealth of performance coaching experience to Canisius, including stints in every level of athletics. Throughout his career, Vasquez has assisted numerous athletes in achieving both their individual and team objectives.
Prior to joining Canisius' staff before the 2022-23 academic year, Vasquez served as assistant director, sport performance at Cleveland State University (2021-22). His main responsibilities during his time at Cleveland State included the design and implementation of the Vikings sports performance programming with the purpose of optimizing overall athletic performance for wrestling, men’s lacrosse, softball and men’s and women’s swimming and diving. He also worked with men’s basketball in an interim position. Within that year, his teams saw a decrease in injury from the prior year, broke multiple records, improvements in conference wins and even made history, including the school’s first ever MAC champion in wrestling.
Vasquez spent two years (2018-20) as a strength and conditioning coach at world-renowned IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. There he primarily worked with the boy's basketball program, while aiding in football and golf. During his time at IMG, he worked with an array of strength and sport coaches, where he would add to his wealth of knowledge in performance training. IMG’s influence is seen through-out the world of athletics and has produced many of the top coaches and athletes at both the collegiate and professional sport levels.Â
Prior to his time at IMG, Vasquez served as a strength and conditioning coach for the Washington Nationals (2017) and Miami Marlins (2015). He worked directly with a multitude of future MLB players, aided with rehab player training and also coordinated pre-game and postgame nutrition and supplementation. Additionally, Vasquez traveled with his teams, coordinating training with various gyms, providing on-field warm-ups and post throw shoulder care. He also served as an interpreter for the Spanish speaking athletes.Â
A native of Tampa, Fla., Vasquez attend the University of South Florida and earned his Bachelor of Science, in Physical Education with a concentration in Exercise Science. During his time as an undergraduate, he served an internship with the strength and conditioning program at the University of South Florida (2013-14) and after graduation, interned with Saint Leo University (2014-15). He also attended the University of Tampa’s Master’s Program in Exercise and Nutrition Science and is currently in Canisius’ Master’s Program of Exercise Science.
Vasquez holds both the Strength and Conditioning Coach Certification (SCCC) through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA) and Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). Addition certifications include United States of America Weightlifting Level 1 (USAW), Reflexive Performance Reset Level 1 & 2 (RPR) and CPR/AED.
He and his wife, Brittany, have one son, JJ and one daughter, Aaliyah.
