Melissa Weinsz
Melissa Weinsz joined LSU staff in May 2021 as Assistant Director of Tiger Life and is currently the Director of Student-Athlete Professional Development. Weinsz holistically supports and serves LSU student-athletes through facets of career preparation, personal enhancement, civic engagement, and diversity and inclusion.
Weinsz is an Ohio native and former Division III student-athlete who played basketball and lacrosse for Denison University. She completed her bachelor’s in athletic training and acquired over five years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach for collegiate and professional athletes.
As a passionate “prac-ademic,” she received a master’s degree in applied physiology and kinesiology (2016) and doctorate degree in sport management (2020) from the University of Florida (UF). Her research agenda focused on evaluating and improving curricula and programming that supports student-athletes as they navigate collegiate, athletic, and vocational-based transitions.
Weinsz served in numerous positions during her time at UF to support student-athletes such as Assistant Coordinator of Student-Athlete Enhancement, Sport Management Research and Teaching Assistant, and Community Outreach Coordinator for a local non-profit. She is currently an active member of Women Leaders in College Sports, Professional Association of Athlete Development Specialist (PAADS), National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics (NACDA), North American Society for Sport Management (NASSM), and the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA). She finds no greater motivation than to serve and promote the holistic development of men and women in the greater community of athletics.