Middle Tennessee State University Athletics
Pumping iron with the new Lady Raiders strength and conditioning coach
10/13/2021 11:06:00 AM | Women's Basketball
Murfreesboro, Tenn. – Before the grueling journey that is a full basketball season, players are expected to perform at their peaks––that's Tessa Grossman's job.
Grossman is the team's new strength and conditioning coach, replacing Krysta Bradford after she left for a position at the University of Missouri.
Back in August, Grossman was interning with the Atlanta Falcons when she was made aware of the open position with MTSU.
"MTSU's assistant strength coach, Rendrick Taylor, knew the director of strength and conditioning at the Falcons. Taylor called him up and said that they're looking for a good strength coach. The Falcons director recommended me for the job, where I interviewed and accepted while I was still at training camp," Grossman said.
The new strength and conditioning coach brings experience akin to all different types of athletes that need training specific to their individual sport.
"I've been with a bunch of different football programs in terms of being an intern and a graduate assistant at Illinois State University. I've also worked with gymnastics, tennis, golf, women's basketball and volleyball," Grossman explained.
Each sport demands a unique approach to training sessions and Grossman prepares her athletes with exercises that will help them excel on the court.
"For basketball, it's a very vertical-centric sport in terms of the constant jumping and change of direction. Those are the two main things––making sure that they're able to be reactive by changing their direction well, but also be able to be vertical and create power vertically," Grossman said.
Courtney Whitson, who has experience with both last year's strength and conditioning coach as well as Grossman compared the pair.
"I think she's really worked on not only our mobility, but our strength. We've also done a lot of weekly testing with her as far as max weights where we can measure our success and how we're getting better. That's a good recipe to be able to see that data," Whitson said.
Grossman came to MTSU with a goal to improve player conditioning, and Whitson can already see the results.
"I definitely want to work on explosiveness, and to increase my vertical. She's already helped me with my lower body strength," Whitson said.
As the workload of a season constantly changes, so must the exercise routine to accommodate the players.
"When you start in the offseason it's about gaining work capacity, and getting them back in shape, as cliché as it sounds," Grossman said. "Then from there you usually go to a more strength-based routine in your summer workouts when you gain your strength back, working on technique such as change of direction and running mechanics. As you get closer to season you incorporate a little more speed work, dynamic effort like push press, and start to convert some of that strength that you've built over the summer into power that they can use on the court. When you get into season, it's about what small strides can we make but how can we maintain all the work that we've just done for the last six or so months."
Jalynn Gregory is a newcomer to the team as a freshman from Macon County High, but she's prepared for what college workout sessions have to offer.
"We did a lot of strength training with our assistant coach. It's a lot of similar exercises and testing that we do here," Gregory said.
Gregory is ready for Grossman's teachings as she wants to work on her upper body strength to help with fighting through screens, rebounding, and defense.
As the Lady Blue Raiders progress into the season, their job will be to maintain the muscle built up as the routine changes.
"Our last month in September, we were still in like smaller workouts and individual stuff going four days a week. Now that we're technically in-season, we're three days a week but we're not playing yet. Once we start playing, we'll be two days a week," Grossman said.
With the season drawing closer as the days go by, expect the new strength and conditioning coach to have the Lady Blue Raiders ready to ball.
Grossman is the team's new strength and conditioning coach, replacing Krysta Bradford after she left for a position at the University of Missouri.
Back in August, Grossman was interning with the Atlanta Falcons when she was made aware of the open position with MTSU.
"MTSU's assistant strength coach, Rendrick Taylor, knew the director of strength and conditioning at the Falcons. Taylor called him up and said that they're looking for a good strength coach. The Falcons director recommended me for the job, where I interviewed and accepted while I was still at training camp," Grossman said.
The new strength and conditioning coach brings experience akin to all different types of athletes that need training specific to their individual sport.
"I've been with a bunch of different football programs in terms of being an intern and a graduate assistant at Illinois State University. I've also worked with gymnastics, tennis, golf, women's basketball and volleyball," Grossman explained.
Each sport demands a unique approach to training sessions and Grossman prepares her athletes with exercises that will help them excel on the court.
"For basketball, it's a very vertical-centric sport in terms of the constant jumping and change of direction. Those are the two main things––making sure that they're able to be reactive by changing their direction well, but also be able to be vertical and create power vertically," Grossman said.
Courtney Whitson, who has experience with both last year's strength and conditioning coach as well as Grossman compared the pair.
"I think she's really worked on not only our mobility, but our strength. We've also done a lot of weekly testing with her as far as max weights where we can measure our success and how we're getting better. That's a good recipe to be able to see that data," Whitson said.
Grossman came to MTSU with a goal to improve player conditioning, and Whitson can already see the results.
"I definitely want to work on explosiveness, and to increase my vertical. She's already helped me with my lower body strength," Whitson said.
As the workload of a season constantly changes, so must the exercise routine to accommodate the players.
"When you start in the offseason it's about gaining work capacity, and getting them back in shape, as cliché as it sounds," Grossman said. "Then from there you usually go to a more strength-based routine in your summer workouts when you gain your strength back, working on technique such as change of direction and running mechanics. As you get closer to season you incorporate a little more speed work, dynamic effort like push press, and start to convert some of that strength that you've built over the summer into power that they can use on the court. When you get into season, it's about what small strides can we make but how can we maintain all the work that we've just done for the last six or so months."
Jalynn Gregory is a newcomer to the team as a freshman from Macon County High, but she's prepared for what college workout sessions have to offer.
"We did a lot of strength training with our assistant coach. It's a lot of similar exercises and testing that we do here," Gregory said.
Gregory is ready for Grossman's teachings as she wants to work on her upper body strength to help with fighting through screens, rebounding, and defense.
As the Lady Blue Raiders progress into the season, their job will be to maintain the muscle built up as the routine changes.
"Our last month in September, we were still in like smaller workouts and individual stuff going four days a week. Now that we're technically in-season, we're three days a week but we're not playing yet. Once we start playing, we'll be two days a week," Grossman said.
With the season drawing closer as the days go by, expect the new strength and conditioning coach to have the Lady Blue Raiders ready to ball.
Players Mentioned
G
/ Women's Basketball
F
/ Women's BasketballMT Women's Basketball | Together: Episode One | No time to be young.
Monday, November 10
Together: Episode One | No time to be young.
Monday, November 10
Blue Raider Breakdown Postgame Show - November 3rd - Women's Basketball
Monday, November 03
MTSU Women's Basketball vs. Tennessee State post-game press conference – 11/3/25
Monday, November 03
