St. Mary’s City, Md. – St. Mary’s College of Maryland has appointed Kyle Pignatiello as their first-ever strength and conditioning coach to enhance the athletic program. The announcement was made by Crystal Gibson, the Director of Athletics & Recreation, on Wednesday morning. Pignatiello will officially assume his responsibilities on August 1, 2023.
Gibson expressed her enthusiasm for the new addition to the Seahawk athletic department, highlighting Pignatiello’s extensive experience and knowledge that will contribute to elevating the student-athletes experience, performance, and rehabilitation. Establishing the strength and conditioning coach position signifies the college’s commitment to providing a holistic training environment for student-athletes and coaches.
Pignatiello brings a wealth of experience to his new role. He previously served as the head strength and conditioning coach for the Whitney Point Central School District in Whitney Point, N.Y., where he dedicated almost three years to developing comprehensive performance programs for 16 sports. Additionally, Pignatiello served as the sports performance coach for United Health Services (UHS).
Expressing his excitement about joining the St. Mary’s Athletic Department, Pignatiello emphasized his eagerness to support all athletic teams and help them reach their full potential. He aims to assist each team and athlete achieve their goals, fostering a new era of success for Seahawk Athletics.
During his tenure with the Whitney Point Central School District, Pignatiello played a pivotal role in implementing year-round performance programs and collaborated with the athletic trainer to devise effective return-to-play procedures. He was also responsible for managing the strength and conditioning equipment budget, ensuring that resources were allocated efficiently.
Pignatiello’s experience extends to his time as a UHS employee, where he conducted year-round training programs for Binghamton University’s club men’s and women’s ultimate frisbee teams.
Before joining St. Mary’s College, Pignatiello spent four years at Division III SUNY Cortland as a strength and conditioning coach, running backs, and specialists coach. Starting as an assistant strength and conditioning coach in August 2016, he was promoted to head coach in March 2017.
Pignatiello holds a Bachelor of Science in sports management from the University of Dayton, where he was a Division I athlete and played football for four years as a member of the Flyer football team. He also worked as an intramural program assistant during his final year at Dayton. Furthermore, he completed his Master of Science in sports management from Cortland in 2019 and is pursuing a Doctor of Philosophy in health and sport science from Liberty University, expected to be completed in August 2026.