May 7, 2015
AUBURN, Ala. -- Auburn - Bryan "PK" Karkoska, Head Strength and Conditioning Coach for Olympic Sports at Auburn has been named Master Strength and Conditioning Coach by the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches association (CSCCa). The highest honor given in the strength and conditioning coaching profession, Karkoska was presented with the award on May 7 at the Gaylord Opryland Hotel and Convention Center in Nashville, Tennessee.
"This is an incredible honor for Bryan," says CSCCa Executive Director, Dr. Chuck Stiggins. "Being named a Master Strength and Conditioning Coach signifies a commitment to the student athlete, the Auburn University Athletic Program, and the strength and conditioning profession. We are honored to have Coach Karkoska as a member of our association and to have him join the ranks of the Master Strength and Conditioning Coaches. He is truly a model of an outstanding strength and conditioning professional."
Karkoska has over 20 years of experience as a strength and conditioning coach at Auburn, serving in a full-time capacity since 1996. A former placekicker at Auburn, Karkoska got his start in the profession as a graduate assistant at Auburn in 1994.
"PK has been a tremendous asset to countless student-athletes that he has trained during his long tenure here at Auburn," Auburn Director of Athletics Jay Jacobs said. "This is a well-deserved honor for someone who has dedicated his career to the betterment of Auburn student-athletes and Auburn athletics."
Karkoska oversees a department that includes nine staff members and a 30,000 square-foot facility that houses 16 sports and over 350 student-athletes. He is responsible for the day-to-day operations of the Olympic Strength and Conditioning staff, the Watson Fieldhouse, oversees operations of the Auburn Arena weight room while having day-to-day oversight for the men's and women's swimming and diving program.
During Karkoska's tenure with the swimming and diving programs alone, he has trained over 80 individual NCAA Champions, 300-plus Southeastern Conference individual champions, over 40 Olympians that have won 32 Olympic medals, including seven gold medals. Collectively, his teams have won 13 NCAA team titles and 23 SEC team titles. The Auburn men's swimming and diving team won 16 consecutive conference crowns from 1997-2012, which is the third longest conference winning streak in league history.
A native of Berwyn, Ill., Karkoska graduated in 1994 with a bachelor's of science degree in Health Promotions and in 1996 with a master's degree in Exercise Physiology. Karkoska received his SCCC certification in 2001 from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches association and has his RSCC*E from the National Strength and Conditioning Association.