Dr. Corey Fitzgerald enters his first season as the Head Strength and Conditioning Coach at Elizabeth City State University, bringing extensive experience from both professional baseball and collegiate athletics.
Fitzgerald joins ECSU after serving as the High-A Strength and Conditioning Head Coach for the Detroit Tigers organization, where he oversaw all aspects of player performance, speed development, conditioning, and return-to-play programming. During his tenure, the club produced one of the most successful seasons in franchise history, capturing a league championship while developing numerous players who advanced through the organization.
Prior to his time with the Tigers, Fitzgerald held performance and sport science positions with the Baltimore Orioles, St. Louis Cardinals, and New York Yankees organizations. His experience spans strength and conditioning, biomechanics, performance analytics, athlete monitoring, rehabilitation, and sport science integration at the highest levels of professional baseball.
In addition to his professional experience, Fitzgerald has coached at the collegiate level as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Mount Union, helping guide the program to one of the highest national finishes in school history.
A nationally certified strength and conditioning specialist through the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCa), Fitzgerald earned his Ph.D. in Health Sciences with a concentration in Exercise and Sport Science from Liberty University. He also holds a master's degree in Health and Human Performance from Northern Michigan University and a bachelor's degree in Sport and Exercise Science from Gannon University.
An accomplished researcher and published author in the field of strength and conditioning, Fitzgerald's work has appeared in peer-reviewed journals and professional conferences nationwide. His research has focused on sport science practices, athletic performance, biomechanics, and strength and conditioning methodologies.
A former Team USA Greco-Roman wrestler and Olympic hopeful, Fitzgerald combines elite-level athletic experience with cutting-edge performance science to help student-athletes maximize their athletic potential both in competition and throughout their development at Elizabeth City State University.
