Strength and Conditioning Page
Mission Statement:
The Strength and Conditioning Staff at Dakota State University is dedicated and committed to excellence as teachers and coaches of the sport and science behind the art of Strength and Conditioning. Our primary goal is to prepare all student athletes for success in sport and beyond. Not only will we strive to maximize the physical development of each student athlete, but also to create conditions that foster positive attitudes, work ethic, discipline, mental toughness, and pride. Student athletes will train consistently, sensibly, and systematically in a safe, clean, and positive environment.
Head Strength and Conditioning Coach - Max Ouzts
Max Ouzts begins his first season as Dakota State head strength & conditioning coach.
Ouzts has over 10 years' experience working with professional, collegiate, and high school athletes in team and individual settings. He is also a co-founder and Director of Athlete Development for Diverge Performance, the head Strength and Conditioning Coach for the nationally ranked Eagle Mustangs women's rugby team, and the head strength and conditioning coach at D1 Training Boise.
Ouzts is originally from Cleveland, Ohio. He served five years in the United States Navy as a Hospital Corpsman Field Technician.
He received his bachelor's degree in kinesiology and master's degree in biomedical neuroscience. He is also a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS).
"I believe that strength and conditioning is an incredible tool that works to put athletes in the best position to succeed in sports and life," said Ouzts. "I'm excited for the opportunity to bring the best out of our athletes at Dakota State University."
Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach - Sarah Wilensky
Sarah Wilensky enters her first season as the Dakota State University's assistant strength & conditioning coach.
Prior coming to Dakota State, Wilensky received her Master of Physical Education and Athletic Administration from Idaho State University. She took her graduate assistant in biomechanics. She also received her bachelor's degree in sport and exercise science at Idaho State in 2023.
While studying for her masters at ISU, Wilensky was the strength coach for the women's tennis and women's golf squads during the 2023-24 season. The women's tennis team captured their first ever Big Sky regular-season title, while the golf team registered the best score in program history.
Wilensky was a student intern in the Idaho State's weight room from 2021-24, working with variety of teams, primarily with the women's volleyball, track & field teams (multi-events and sprints), softball, and men's and women's tennis.
She was a track & field standout for Idaho State from 2019-24. She began her collegiate track & field career as a high jumper and multi-event athlete, competed in pentathlon in her freshman year. She then became a thrower for Idaho State, where she received an NSCA All-American award in 2022.
As a thrower, Wilensky went on to score a combined 26 points through her indoor and outdoor seasons and earned All-Conference honors at the 2024 Big Sky Indoor Championships with a second-place finish. She represented Idaho State at the first round of the 2024 NCAA Track & Field Championships in the hammer throw. She holds the ISU's throws weight room records in the bench, pull-up, and hang clean.
Wilensky received USAW Level 1 certification since 2021, and CSCS since 2023.
Graduate Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach - Ian Ritzman
