Evan VanBecelaere serves as Senior Associate Athletics Director of Health and Performance, providing leadership and oversight for the university’s comprehensive student-athlete health and performance efforts, including sports medicine, strength and conditioning, nutrition, mental health and wellness. He also serves as the program’s Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) through the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).
VanBecelaere joined the Gorillas in June 2022 as Head Coach for Student-Athlete Performance. In that role, he administered the university’s student-athlete performance program, overseeing strength training, nutrition, injury prevention and rehabilitation, while also directing the operations and staff of the ProMaxima Strength & Conditioning Center.
A Pittsburg native, VanBecelaere returned to his hometown after spending four years as the Director of Men’s Basketball Strength & Conditioning at the University of Oregon. During his tenure with the Ducks, he was part of two conference championship teams, one conference tournament championship and two NCAA Sweet Sixteen appearances. He played an integral role in the development of NBA Draft selections Bol Bol, Payton Pritchard and Chris Duarte, while implementing performance technologies including force plates, velocity-based training systems, GPS monitoring and isokinetic testing.
Prior to Oregon, VanBecelaere spent two seasons as an Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach with the Sacramento Kings of the National Basketball Association. From 2016-18, he assisted with the training and development of the Kings’ professional and developmental league players and worked with notable NBA players including DeMarcus Cousins, Zach Randolph, Vince Carter, Buddy Hield and De’Aaron Fox.
VanBecelaere began his professional career at the University of Kansas, serving as an intern with the men’s basketball program from 2011-13 while earning his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science. He then served as Director of Sports Performance at Santa Clara University from 2013-16, where he oversaw strength and conditioning services for the university’s 20 NCAA Division I sports programs.
VanBecelaere is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) and Registered Strength and Conditioning Coach (RSCC) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), a USA Weightlifting Level 1 Coach, and a Certified Sports Nutritionist (CISSN) through the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN).
A 2008 graduate of St. Mary’s-Colgan High School, VanBecelaere is a native of Pittsburg, Kansas. He and his wife, Emily, have four children: Grayson, Crew, Landon and Wava Jo.
