Eric Klein -Building Value - Being a difference Maker

A longtime associate of Kill, the relationship between Klein and NM State's head coach stretches back to 1994 when the two were on the same football staff at Saginaw Valley State.

Klein's most recent collegiate stop came at UCONN in Storrs, Conn., where he was the director of football strength & conditioning for a period of time beginning in January of 2017.

From 2010 until the early stages of 2017, Klein's services were called upon by Minnesota of the Big Ten. As the head strength & conditioning coach for the Gophers' football team, the squad made significant strides in strength, agility and endurance which have positively impacted their competitive performances.

For three years prior to joining the Gopher staff, Klein served as the Director of Sports Performance at Northern Illinois, where he oversaw sports performance for all 17 sports.

Klein coached at Southern Illinois from 2001-07. During his time at Southern Illinois, Klein designed the strength and conditioning programs for the five-time Missouri Valley Conference Champion Saluki men's basketball team and the three-time Gateway Conference Champion football team. Klein also helped design a new strength and conditioning center while he was at Southern Illinois.

Prior to taking on the strength and conditioning program, Klein coached the defensive line at SIU in 2000 and 2001. Klein coached the defensive line and implemented the strength and conditioning program at Emporia (Kan.) State from 1999-2000. 

The NCAA Division II level is where Klein started as he signed on with Saginaw Valley State to be the Cardinals' assistant coach for both football and track & field from 1994-99. Along with his coaching duties, Klein designed and created the strength & conditioning program for the University Center, Mich., institution.

Klein's certifications include a Strength and Conditioning Specialist from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, a USA Weightlifting Club Coach from USA Weightlifting and Speed and Explosion from the National Association of Speed and Explosion.

A native of Apple Valley, Minn., Klein earned his bachelor's degree from Carleton College in 1993 before secure his master's degree from Emporia State in 2000. He and his wife, Allison, have two daughters, Taegan and Torin.