Fresno State Athletics
Football
Ward, Andy
Andy Ward
- Title:
- Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance
- Email:
- andreww@mail.fresnostate.edu
Last updated: July 31, 2024
Andy Ward was named Fresno State’s Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance in January of 2022. Ward leads the athletic department’s strength and conditioning staff, and serves as the head football strength and conditioning coach.
Ward returned to the Fresno State Athletics staff for his second stint. Ward, who previously worked for the Bulldogs from 2017-21, returns to Fresno after a brief stop at Colorado where he served as the Buffaloes’ Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2021.
Under Ward’s training, the Fresno State football team has gone on to win three Mountain West championships (2017, 2018 and 2022), and four bowl games (2017, 2018, 2022, 2023). While at Fresno State, Ward has trained NFL Draft picks in wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, offensive lineman Netane Muti, linebacker Mykal Walker and quarterback Jake Haener.
In his training, Ward puts an emphasis on science and technology to track the training that the Bulldogs are receiving. In 2022, Ward developed young players to be able to fill in on different spots on the field as veteran players went down with injuries. That season, the Bulldogs became the first program in FBS history to open a season with a 1-4 record and finish with 10 wins.
While at Fresno State during his first tenure and inheriting a 1-11 football program, Ward was an integral part of strengthening the Bulldogs to become one of the top turnaround stories in college football history. Ward’s training and coaching in his first season as the Bulldogs’ strength and conditioning coach lifted Fresno State to a 10-win season in 2017, its 10th 10-win season in program history.
The success continued under Ward as the ‘Dogs won the 2018 Mountain West Championship and Las Vegas Bowl, finishing that season with a 12-2 record. The 2018 season remains as the winningest season in Fresno State program history.
Before his time with Fresno State, Ward worked full-time with the Stanford football program for three seasons and with the department for six total seasons. Before going full-time with football, he also oversaw developing strength training aspects for the Cardinal track and field program.
Prior to arriving at Stanford, Ward split the 2010-11 academic year with internships at UC San Diego and Sacramento State. At UC San Diego, Ward assisted with the design and implementation of 13 sport-specific programs. His time at Sacramento State was spent implementing programs for the men’s soccer, women’s soccer and men’s golf teams while assisting with 11 other programs.
Ward earned an undergraduate degree in physical education from Cal State Stanislaus in 2009, where he was a student assistant in the strength program while serving as a performance trainer at nearby Custom Built Personal Training.
The Sutter, California native earned his master’s degree in exercise science at California University (Pa.). He is married to Erin Blech-Ward.
Andy Ward was named Fresno State’s Assistant Athletics Director for Sports Performance in January of 2022. Ward leads the athletic department’s strength and conditioning staff, and serves as the head football strength and conditioning coach.
Ward returned to the Fresno State Athletics staff for his second stint. Ward, who previously worked for the Bulldogs from 2017-21, returns to Fresno after a brief stop at Colorado where he served as the Buffaloes’ Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach in 2021.
Under Ward’s training, the Fresno State football team has gone on to win three Mountain West championships (2017, 2018 and 2022), and four bowl games (2017, 2018, 2022, 2023). While at Fresno State, Ward has trained NFL Draft picks in wide receiver KeeSean Johnson, offensive lineman Netane Muti, linebacker Mykal Walker and quarterback Jake Haener.
In his training, Ward puts an emphasis on science and technology to track the training that the Bulldogs are receiving. In 2022, Ward developed young players to be able to fill in on different spots on the field as veteran players went down with injuries. That season, the Bulldogs became the first program in FBS history to open a season with a 1-4 record and finish with 10 wins.
While at Fresno State during his first tenure and inheriting a 1-11 football program, Ward was an integral part of strengthening the Bulldogs to become one of the top turnaround stories in college football history. Ward’s training and coaching in his first season as the Bulldogs’ strength and conditioning coach lifted Fresno State to a 10-win season in 2017, its 10th 10-win season in program history.
The success continued under Ward as the ‘Dogs won the 2018 Mountain West Championship and Las Vegas Bowl, finishing that season with a 12-2 record. The 2018 season remains as the winningest season in Fresno State program history.
Before his time with Fresno State, Ward worked full-time with the Stanford football program for three seasons and with the department for six total seasons. Before going full-time with football, he also oversaw developing strength training aspects for the Cardinal track and field program.
Prior to arriving at Stanford, Ward split the 2010-11 academic year with internships at UC San Diego and Sacramento State. At UC San Diego, Ward assisted with the design and implementation of 13 sport-specific programs. His time at Sacramento State was spent implementing programs for the men’s soccer, women’s soccer and men’s golf teams while assisting with 11 other programs.
Ward earned an undergraduate degree in physical education from Cal State Stanislaus in 2009, where he was a student assistant in the strength program while serving as a performance trainer at nearby Custom Built Personal Training.
The Sutter, California native earned his master’s degree in exercise science at California University (Pa.). He is married to Erin Blech-Ward.
FB Media Availability [9/9]: Ezekiel Avit, Jadon Pearson, Tim Thomas
Tuesday, September 09
FB Weekly Press Conference [9/8]
Monday, September 08
FB highlight at Oregon State [9/6/25]
Monday, September 08
Post-Game Press Conference [9/6]
Saturday, September 06
