UPDATED July 1, 2025
Ruben Mendoza is in his 15th year as the head strength and conditioning coach at Wayne State during the 2025-26 academic year after being hired in April 2011. He also serves as an Associate Athletics Director.
Mendoza joined the Warrior staff after five years (2005-09) as Notre Dame’s head strength and conditioning coach. Prior to his appointment in South Bend, he worked for four years (2001-05) as the coordinator of strength and conditioning at the University of Mississippi.
While with the Irish, Mendoza oversaw a full-time staff of eight that coordinated training for all 26 UND sports. At Ole Miss, he spent four years overseeing a Rebel strength staff that featured four full-time assistants and three graduate assistants dealing with 500 student-athletes and 18 varsity sports.
Mendoza was assistant director of strength, speed and conditioning for four years at Clemson University before taking over at Ole Miss in January 2001. His football responsibilities at Clemson included implementation of in-season strength and conditioning programs, serving as assistant coordinator of winter conditioning as well as a speed development program, testing and monitoring all progress in strength, flexibility and cardiovascular fitness, and educating student-athletes on nutritional factors, including supplementation that affects health and performance.
General responsibilities at Clemson dealt with supervising the development of strength and aerobic fitness for 19 varsity sports through the use of sports-specific training programs. Mendoza managed the 14,000-square foot facility and day-to-day operations, worked closely with the Clemson head trainer in coordinating rehabilitation programs for injured athletes, and provided supervision and developed time schedules for varsity sports for use of athletic weight facilities.
Prior to joining the Clemson staff in June of 1997, Mendoza served as head strength and conditioning coordinator at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga from January of 1993 to April of 1997. He was the defensive line coach/assistant strength and conditioning coach at Presbyterian College in Clinton, S.C., during the 1992 season and served as a graduate assistant strength and conditioning coach at South Carolina from June of 1990 to February of 1992.
A Kodak All-America offensive lineman in 1985 while playing at Wayne State (Neb.) College, Mendoza also earned NAIA All-America and All-Central States Intercollegiate Conference First Team honors and was a team captain. He earned his bachelor of science degree from WSC in 1989. Mendoza was inducted in 2007 into the Nebraska College Hall of Fame and the Wayne State (Neb.) College Hall of Fame.
His two eldest children were both Wayne State student-athletes as Manny (2013-17) and Grace (2015-18) participated in football and track, respectively.
Manny played in 33 career football games, making 21 starts. He finished 11th in school history in yards per catch (14.72 - with a minimum of 40 receptions), tied-for-13th with eight touchdown receptions, 21st in receptions per game (1.64 - min. 30 games), 27th with 795 receiving yards, and tied-for-34th with 54 receptions. He was a four-time GLIAC All-Academic Team selection and received membership into the National Football Foundation (NFF) Hampshire Honor Society.
Grace graduated in three years after earning GLIAC All-Academic Excellence Team honors four times (two each in indoor and outdoor track). She recorded the second-best discus throw in school history to finish fourth at the league meet with a toss of 41.15m in her final collegiate competition.
Ruben and his wife Kris (Enrollment Specialist at Wayne State) are also the parents of Nicholas, Gabe and Ellieanna. Gabe is a senior at Wayne State, while Ellieanna will be a junior at Rochester High School.
