University of Minnesota Athletics
Women's Basketball
Ralph Petrella
- Title:
- Strength and Conditioning Coach
Ralph Petrella arrived at the University of Minnesota in 2015 as an assistant director of strength and conditioning. He is responsible for all aspects of sports performance for Gopher women’s basketball, including collection and interpretation of heart rate and GPS data.
Petrella most recently held the role of director of sports performance for women’s basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University, beginning in June 2015. He spent the two previous years as an assistant sports performance coach working with VCU women’s basketball, field hockey and track and field throwers.
Some of Petrella’s previous career stops include roles as assistant strength and conditioning coach/director of intern development at Robert Morris (2011-13) after a brief stint as an intern, and a student assistant strength and conditioning coach at West Liberty University (2007-11). He also developed Moon Area High School’s lacrosse strength and conditioning program (2012-13) and has served as a program consultant for Steubenville High School’s strength and conditioning programs.
In 2011, Petrella earned his Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology with a concentration in strength and conditioning from West Liberty. He was a four-year starter and 2011 Division II All-American Bowl selection as an offensive lineman for West Liberty’s football team.
Petrella has Functional Movement Screen certification through Functional Movement Systems, strength and conditioning specialist certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and CPR and AED certification through the American Red Cross.
Petrella most recently held the role of director of sports performance for women’s basketball at Virginia Commonwealth University, beginning in June 2015. He spent the two previous years as an assistant sports performance coach working with VCU women’s basketball, field hockey and track and field throwers.
Some of Petrella’s previous career stops include roles as assistant strength and conditioning coach/director of intern development at Robert Morris (2011-13) after a brief stint as an intern, and a student assistant strength and conditioning coach at West Liberty University (2007-11). He also developed Moon Area High School’s lacrosse strength and conditioning program (2012-13) and has served as a program consultant for Steubenville High School’s strength and conditioning programs.
In 2011, Petrella earned his Bachelor of Science degree in exercise physiology with a concentration in strength and conditioning from West Liberty. He was a four-year starter and 2011 Division II All-American Bowl selection as an offensive lineman for West Liberty’s football team.
Petrella has Functional Movement Screen certification through Functional Movement Systems, strength and conditioning specialist certification through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and CPR and AED certification through the American Red Cross.
Cinematic Recap: Gophers Win at Drake
Tuesday, December 23
Highlights: Gophers 68, Drake 43
Sunday, December 21
Cinematic Recap: Gophers-Wyoming
Tuesday, December 16
Highlights: Gophers 80, Wyoming 34
Sunday, December 14
