Jeff
Connors is coming home. After a 10-year absence from East Carolina,
Connors is leaving UNC-Chapel Hill to once again lead the Pirates’
strength and conditioning program.
Connors served as ECU’s director of strength and conditioning from
1991-2000, serving under former Pirates coaches Bill Lewis and Steve
Logan. During that period, the Pirates made five bowl appearances and
twice finished in the national Top 25.
He
returns to a program that is coming off its fifth-consecutive bowl
appearance, but struggled towards the end of the 2010 season.
Connors, who will hold the position of Assistant Athletics Director for
Strength and Conditioning, is looking forward to his return.
“I
think I can say that throughout my entire career in collegiate
athletics, this is the most excited I’ve ever been,” Connors said. “I
can’t wait to put on that purple shirt.”
Connors is leaving a Tar Heels football program where players shattered
nearly every strength and conditioning record (73 of 77) under his
watch.
He
has been honored as a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the
Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association.
Connors replaces Mike Golden, who left the Pirates to rejoin his former
boss, Skip Holtz, at South Florida.
Staff writer
Denny O'Brien
contributed to this story.
