UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics announced the promotion of Rhian Davis to assistant AD for performance enhancement – Olympic sports and Chuck Losey to assistant AD for performance enhancement – football.
Davis, who was previously assistant director of performance enhancement, will guide the performance enhancement for the Olympic sports programs, while also continuing to serve as the performance enhancement coach for the women's basketball and men's tennis programs. Losey, who was previously associate director of performance enhancement for football, will lead the performance enhancement staff for football. He replaces Dwight Galt III, who retired.
"I could not be more excited to have Rhian Davis and Chuck Losey join our sport performance team as department heads," said Dr. Lauren Rhodes, senior associate AD for student-athlete performance/SWA, health and welfare. "They have not only proven themselves as leaders within their field but have also served alongside Dwight Galt III (Deege) for the last eight years. Deege's retirement announcement presented us with the opportunity to evalute our performance enhancement unit structure, which led to a decision to form Olympic sport and football branches under the greater umbrella. After conducting a national search, it became quite clear just who would lead these areas.
"With change comes opportunity, and I am certain Rhian and Chuck will work together, and with our sport performance team colleagues in sports medicine, applied health & performance science, student-athlete welfare & development, performance nutrition, performance psychology, counseling & psychological services, and the Morgan Academic Center to turn opportunity into forward progress," continued Rhodes. "Many thanks to Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics, Sandy Barbour, and to those that comprised the two search committees for their help with process."
Rhian Davis
Davis joined the Penn State performance enhancement staff in 2013. During her time at Penn State, she has worked with women's soccer, softball, men's and women's swimming & diving and women's golf, and most recently has led the performance enhancement efforts for the women's basketball and men's tennis teams.
"I am thrilled to be Penn State's first director of performance enhancement for Olympic sports and be a part of the sports performance team," said Davis. "Thank you to Dr. Lauren Rhodes and the search committee for their faith in me, to Dwight Galt III for being a great mentor for me here at Penn State, and to the student-athletes, coaches and staffs who continue to put in the work on and off the court, field, pool, pitch, mat, ice and course. Looking forward to the collaboration with our strength staff and across our sports performance team!"
"Rhian is a solution-driven leader, who puts the needs of our One Team, before those of her own," state Rhodes. "She is innovative in her approach to this field, and her vision and values align well with Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics. For these reasons, among many more, I am elated to have Rhian serve as our assistant AD for performance enhancement of Olympic sports."
Prior to coming to Penn State, Davis worked as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Rice University where she worked with women's basketball, soccer, volleyball, swimming and track & field in 2013. Davis also served as an assistant strength and conditioning coach at Jacksonville University from 2010-13.
Additionally, Davis was a strength and conditioning intern for the University of Florida, working with swimming and diving, track & field and women's volleyball teams from 2008-09.
Davis graduated from the University of Florida as a double major in applied physiology and kinesiology and business administration. She was a four-year letter winner in volleyball for the Gators from 2003-06. Davis also earned her master's degree in business administration from Jacksonville University.
The Austin, Texas native is certified in Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS), Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) and TPI. Davis resides in State College with her wife, Christina Diaz.
Chuck Losey
Losey joined the Penn State staff as assistant director of performance enhancement in January 2014 and was promoted to associate director in 2017.
"For the past 11 years, I've had a clear vision of what I wanted the next step to be in my coaching career," said Losey. "Working alongside James Franklin and Dwight Galt has afforded me the opportunity to help cultivate my craft in order to be more than prepared to take on this new role.
I am grateful to continue the relationships built with the student-athletes, staff and Penn State community. Let's get to work!"
"Chuck is a proven winner, who was able to clearly establish himself as a frontrunner in the process from the beginning," said Rhodes. "His ability to develop others, positive and active relationship with our football student-athletes, and overall growth mindset, are just a few reasons why he was selected as our assistant AD for performance enhancement of football."
Prior to his arrival to Happy Valley, Losey spent three years serving in the same role at Vanderbilt University under Galt. Losey also served as Tennessee State University's director of speed, strength and conditioning for six years from 2004-10. During his time at TSU, Losey managed all aspects of program design and implementation for 11 men's and women's collegiate sports.
Losey holds certifications as a Certified Strength & Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength & Conditioning Association and is Strength & Conditioning Coach Certified (SCCC) through the Collegiate Strength & Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). In 2017, Losey was named a master strength and conditioning coach (MSCC) by the CSCCA, the highest honor that can be achieved as a strength and conditioning coach. He also holds a sports performance coach status with the United States Weightlifting Federation.
Losey graduated from Vanderbilt University with a bachelor's in human and organizational development. Losey was a standout football student-athlete at Vanderbilt, where he started 31 games at defensive end and was a four-year letter winner with the Commodores (1998-2002). He was voted Vanderbilt's Defensive Line MVP as a senior and won Vanderbilt's first Iron Man competition in the overall lineman category.
A native of Hixson, Tennessee, Losey and his wife, Lauren, who was a Vanderbilt track standout, have a daughter, Vera, and son, Townes.
