AUBURN, Ala. – Hong Tran will join the Auburn women’s basketball staff as the team’s director of sports performance, it was announced today by head coach Larry Vickers.
Tran joins the Auburn staff after two seasons in the same role at SMU, working with the Mustangs’ women’s basketball team.
“Finding a director of strength and conditioning who focused on overall physical performance was not difficult,” Vickers said. “But finding one who wants to improve mental performance while willing to be active and serve as an example is what makes Hong Tran special. We’re super excited to have her on staff, and we know that her passion for both people and technique will make our program better.”
Tran came to SMU after three seasons as the director of sports performance for women’s basketball at Cincinnati, where she initiated “Built By Hong,” an integration of a performance pro model. She led the way in physically preparing the UC women’s basketball team to compete in the Big 12 Conference. She also served as a mental health liaison and was a nominee for UC’s “One Team” award.
“I’m incredibly excited about this opportunity to join Coach Vickers and his staff and this new chapter of Auburn women’s basketball,” Tran said. “Excited to hit the ground running, getting after it and building toward the vision and success of this program. War Eagle!”
Tran was previously assistant director of strength and conditioning at Western Kentucky from 2017-21, where she worked with women’s basketball and women’s soccer, helping lead both programs to Conference USA championships.
Prior to WKU, Tran worked at South Florida (2014-17), starting as an athletic performance intern before moving into a full-time role as strength and conditioning assistant. While at USF, she worked with softball, football, and men’s and women’s track and field and cross country while assisting with the rest of the Olympic sports.
Tran graduated from Saint Leo University with a bachelor’s in sociology and master’s in sport administration and recreation with a concentration in intercollegiate athletics.
Tran is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and USAW Level 1 Sports Performance Coach. She is a Certified Speed Specialist with the NASE and First Aid, CPR and AED certified. She has also completed the USTFCCCA Strength and Conditioning program.