Mike Guzda was named director of athletic performance at Canisius in July 2017.
Guzda was promoted to his current position after spending the 2016-17 academic year as a member of Canisius athletic performance staff, where he worked with volleyball, men's and women's lacrosse and baseball while also assisting with the school's men's and women's basketball programs.
A veteran of the strength and conditioning profession with more than 20 years of experience, Guzda previously owned and operated two fitness centers in Western New York, where he provided nutritional, speed/agility and performance training for elite professional, college and high school athletes.
From 2013-16, the University of Cincinnati graduate was the strength and conditioning coach and the offensive line coach for the Erie Community College football team. Guzda also served in the same capacity at Saint Francis High School from 2007-12, and he spent three years (2002-05) working as a part-time strength and conditioning consultant during training camp and OTA's with the Buffalo Bills.
From 1998-02, Guzda served as a volunteer assistant strength coach with the Cincinnati Bengals, a team he signed a free-agent contract with out of college and spent two years with before an injury ended his professional football career. A four-year starter at tight end and on special teams, he played in more than 40 games during his collegiate career football with the Cincinnati Bearcats from 1990-93.
Guzda earned master's degrees in health and human performance and applied nutrition from Canisius in 2017 to go with his undergraduate degree from the University of Cincinnati.
He is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist (CSCS) through the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), while also holding certifications as a sports performance coach from USA Weightlifting and as a certified personal trainer through the International Fitness Professionals Association.
