Hempstead, NY – Hofstra University Vice President and Director of Athletics Rick Cole Jr. at this time introduced the return of Justin Bentivegna to the place of affiliate director of athletics for sports activities efficiency. Bentivegna had been an assistant power and conditioning coach at Hofstra from 2017 to 2022.
“Thrilled to welcome Justin back to the Hofstra family,” mentioned Cole Jr. “An innovative leader with tremendous experience, Justin had a great connection with our student-athletes during his first tenure and I look forward to them benefitting from his guidance once again.”
“It is an honor and a privilege to be back in the Blue and Gold,” mentioned Bentivegna. “The Athletics Department is filled with incredibly hard working and talented individuals. I am excited about the opportunity we have in strength and conditioning to provide our student-athletes with a transformational experience for athletics and for life.”
A seasoned power and conditioning skilled with greater than a decade of expertise spanning NCAA Division I athletics, U.S. army particular operations, and educational management, Bentivegna was a particular operations power and conditioning specialist for Naval Special Warfare in Virginia Beach, Virginia, from 2022 to 2025. There, he delivered elite efficiency programming, incorporating superior applied sciences like VO2 Max testing, drive plate evaluation, and wearable knowledge, whereas working carefully with multidisciplinary groups in diet, cognitive efficiency, and sports activities medication. He additionally supported U.S. Army Special Operations Command in 2021, delivering individualized applications and readiness initiatives.
Prior to his work in tactical efficiency, Bentivegna spent almost 5 years at Hofstra, overseeing eight NCAA Division I applications. He additionally oversaw the power and conditioning division’s internship program and supplied dietary steering to Pride student-athletes. Bentivegna additionally led management improvement initiatives, together with the Colonel E. David Woycik, Jr. (Ret) Esq. Pride Leadership Academy, was an adjunct professor within the graduate sports activities science program, and was the college advisor for Hofstra’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes membership. His affect earned him Hofstra’s 2018 Assistant Coach of the Year Award.
Bentivegna has additionally coached on the University of Connecticut, Springfield College, and College of the Holy Cross, and is a former group captain for the University of Hartford males’s lacrosse group, the place he earned a level in well being science. He later accomplished his grasp’s diploma in train science at Springfield College.
A frequent clinic presenter, Bentivegna is an NSCA Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, a CSCCa Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified, and a BioForce Certified Conditioning Coach. He additionally holds certifications from USA Weightlifting, Precision Nutrition, Barbell Rehab Method, and the American Red Cross. Bentivegna is thought for his athlete-centered method, management focus, and dedication to excellence via service.