Episode
Episode 259: Ernie Contreras, Performance Coach and Director of Basketball, University of San Diego
- Podcast
- The Rising Coaches Podcast
- Published
- Apr 27, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2353
- Processing state
not_requested
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Summary
On this episode of the Rising Coaches Podcast, we’re joined by Ernie Contreras, Performance Coach and Director of Basketball at the University of San Diego. Coach Contreras has built a strong career in strength and conditioning with stops at Santa Clara, Holy Names, Texas Tech, and experience at the G League and NBA levels before arriving at USD. His background gives him a unique perspective on developing athletes across different levels and environments. In this episode we discuss how to build a strength program when rosters are constantly changing with different body types and backgrounds, advice for coaches working without high-level resources or equipment, and how to develop mental toughness in players during preseason workouts.