Wichita State named Ryan Horn its new Head Strength & Conditioning Coach in May, 2022.
Horn brings 15 years of professional experience in sports performance, including more than a decade working with men’s basketball programs at VCU, Tulsa and Wake Forest.
At WSU, he works closely with Head Coach Isaac Brown and the Shocker men’s basketball team while overseeing the entire Strength & Conditioning department.
“We’re excited to see what Ryan can do to move our program forward. He’s had success at multiple stops and is highly-regarded within his industry,” Brown said. “Ryan is up on all the latest trends and has a natural energy and presence about him that I know our guys will respond to.”
Brad Pittman, Senior Associate AD for Facilities and Operations said:
“Energy. Passion. Enthusiasm. Ask anyone to describe Ryan and those are some of the first words you will hear. We think he can be a difference-maker in our department – not just for men’s basketball, but for every one of our student-athletes.”
Horn returns to college athletics after two years in the private sector, where he served as a Special Operations Strength and Conditioning Specialist at KBR, designing, implementing and evaluating training programs.
For eight years, Horn worked alongside head coach Danny Manning at Tulsa (2012-14) and Wake Forest (2014-20).
Horn helped the Deacons to a 2017 NCAA tournament appearance while developing a pair of NBA players in Jaylen Hoard and John Collins, along with All-ACC selection Olivier Sarr.
Under Horn’s watch, Wake Forest was on the forefront of some of the newest technology and training techniques. His expertise in gathering and quantifying data helped Demon Deacon players maximize their on-court performance while minimizing injury risks.
Horn also played a role in fundraising efforts for a new basketball performance facility and revamped sport science and analytics department.
From December, 2011 through April, 2014, Horn served as Director of Athletic Performance at Tulsa, overseeing men’s basketball and softball while assisting with football. The 2013-14 men’s basketball team won the Conference USA regular season title and earned a bid to the NCAA tournament.
Horn also assisted with football, taking charge of the Hurricane’s NFL combine and pro day preparatory programs and designing and implementing programs for injured football student-athletes.
Horn broke into the coaching ranks at VCU, first as a graduate assistant (2007-08) and later in a full-time capacity (2008-11). After completing his master’s degree in Sport Administration in the spring of 2008, he was promoted to Assistant Strength & Conditioning Coach, working with the Rams’ men’s and women’s soccer, field hockey and golf programs.
Horn was elevated again in January, 2011, to the role of Associate Head Strength & Conditioning Coach, assisting with the men’s and women’s Basketball and baseball teams.
Prior to VCU, Horn’s professional journey began with internships at Robert Morris and Liberty.
The Inwood, W.Va. native played college football at East Stroudsburg for one season and James Madison for two. Injuries derailed his career but helped guide him down a new path.
Horn earned his bachelor’s degree in Exercise Science from Shepherd University in 2007 and completed a master’s degree a year later through the VCU Center for Sports Leadership.
Horn holds the dual titles of Strength and Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) and Master Strength and Conditioning Coach (MSCC) from the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Association. The latter, which he completed in 2021, is considered the industry’s highest honor and represents a balance of professionalism, knowledge, experience, expertise and longevity in the field.
Horn and his wife, Ashley, have two children: son, Landon, and daughter, Addison.
