Dartmouth Tabs Austin Driggers as Executive Associate Athletics Director for Peak Performance

HANOVER, N.H. — Mike Harrity, the Haldeman Family Director of Athletics and Recreation at Dartmouth College, announced on Thursday the hiring of Austin Driggers to serve as the athletics department's first Executive Associate Athletics Director for Peak Performance. In this new position for Dartmouth Athletics and Recreation, Driggers will lead the Dartmouth Peak Performance (DP2) team in Athletics by developing and implementing innovative and data-driven performance systems designed to help student-athletes maximize their health, well-being and potential.

Driggers comes to the Upper Valley from the Kansas City Royals where he brings more than a decade of experience in optimizing athletic performance across multiple organizations, including Major League Baseball, NCAA, and U.S. Olympic training. During his tenure with the Kansas City Royals, Driggers served as Senior Director for Performance Science, building a sport science department from the ground up and spearheading interdisciplinary teams to implement data-informed systems and processes aimed at optimizing player health and performance.

Throughout his tenure with the Royals, which included an appearance in the 2014 World Series and a World Series championship in 2015, Driggers provided invaluable expertise on performance personnel, strategy and planned and managed complex projects in various areas such as hitting/pitching, sleep, physiology, biomechanics, talent evaluation and analytics. With his technical training, experience, and background as a two-sport athlete, Driggers is uniquely positioned to lead Dartmouth student-athletes toward overall well-being and drive peak performance.

WHAT THEY'RE SAYING

"We as players for the Kansas City Royals were fortunate to have Coach Driggers in our organization for as long as we did. His knowledge and passion for each player always put us in the best position to succeed on the field. I can't think of anybody else better for this job than Austin! Dartmouth is in good hands!"

— Alex Gordon, 3x MLB All Star, 8x Gold Glove winner and World Series Champion — Kansas City Royals

"Bringing Austin Driggers to Dartmouth's leadership team marks a significant victory, with over a decade of experience in elite sport and a renowned reputation as an industry thought leader in high performance. Having worked alongside him, I have witnessed firsthand his exceptional ability to cultivate a holistic support and development environment. His strategic acumen and unwavering commitment will propel the Big Green towards sustained competitive excellence for years to come."

— John Wagle, Associate Athletics Director, Sports Performance – University of Notre Dame

"The Kansas City Royals lost a pivotal member of its organization. Austin's level of expertise and ability to integrate performance science into baseball operations was a key driver in the expansion of our performance department. He was a tremendous asset to both coaches and players by providing education and utilizing data to optimize player performance, always working collaboratively as part of an interdisciplinary team. Austin will be missed, but I know he will be an excellent addition and leader to the Dartmouth team."

— Melissa Lambert, Director of Behavioral Science/Major League Mental Performance — Kansas City Royals

"Over the past year, I have had the opportunity to work closely with Austin. I have been very impressed with his long-term vision for not only our team, but also our organization. He has a strong ability to identify talented players as well as talented staff. He is extremely knowledgeable in the fields of sport science as well as strength and conditioning. What sets him apart is his ability to blend those areas with his experiences as an athlete. That is a unique skill set that will make him very valuable to Dartmouth Athletics."

— Matt Quatraro, Major League Manager — Kansas City Royals

"Austin's contributions to the Royals will have a lasting impact on our player development department. He helped transcend how we view player development and he was an essential piece in our modernization of the performance science department. He will be missed, but we wish he and his family all the best at Dartmouth College."

— J.J. Picollo, Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations/General Manager- Kansas City Royals

"We are thrilled to welcome Austin and his family to Dartmouth Athletics as our new Executive Associate Athletics Director for Peak Performance" Harrity said. "His extensive experience and proven track record in enhancing athlete health, well-being and performance align perfectly with our commitment to student-athlete development and excellence in athletics. We are excited for not only Austin's work within our department, but also for him to partner with teammates across campus, including Dartmouth's inaugural Chief Health and Wellness Officer, as we work to prioritize mental health and wellness across the institution.

As DP2 leader, Driggers will drive performance innovation by directing the efficient and effective use of technology, software and data analytics to develop sport performance systems that enhance human performance and will oversee all peak performance areas, including strength and conditioning, sports medicine, nutrition and mental performance.

"I've had the great fortune of making a career out of a passion for understanding peak human performance and helping unlock it in some of the world's most elite athletes," Driggers said. "Dartmouth attracts a rare class of student-athletes intensely driven to pursue comprehensive excellence in all areas of their lives to realize their extraordinary academic and athletic potential.

"I have admired Mike Harrity's leadership and intellectual curiosity for years, but what has stood out the most is his acumen for building and supporting performance teams and systems worthy of the especially challenging environments in which he has worked," Driggers continued. "This is clearly an exciting time in Hanover, and DP2 and its talented staff are poised to play a key role in elevating Dartmouth Athletics and the student-athlete experience."

Driggers, a 2012 graduate from Wheaton College (Ill.) played football and baseball as an undergraduate. He went on to earn his Masters in Sport Physiology & Performance in 2014 from East Tennessee State University (ETSU). In addition, he received his Ph.D. in Health and Human Performance from Concordia University Chicago in 2022. While at ETSU, Driggers served as a sport scientist and strength and conditioning coach in addition to serving as a research assistant for the Center of Excellence in Sport Science and Coach Education. His career started in Lake Placid, N.Y. when he was an intern for strength and conditioning at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.

Driggers is joined in the Upper Valley alongside his wife Jillian and children Rylan (6), Madelyn (4), and Ainsley (2).

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