McKay announces hiring of Robb Hornett as director of athletic performance

Ritchie McKay and Liberty men’s basketball announced the hiring of Robb Hornett as the director of athletic performance.

Hornett joins the Liberty Basketball program after previously serving as the strength and conditioning coach at the University of Memphis this past season. Hornett will serve as the Director of Athletic Performance for Olympic Sports.

“I am thrilled to be adding Robb Hornett to our basketball family,” McKay said. “I have been around some amazing strength coaches in Henry Barrera and Mike Curtis and Robb Hornett is at the top of his profession. To add the quality of a coach and person that Robb is speaks to how special Liberty University is.”

Prior to Memphis, Hornett spent the three seasons at Saint Louis University. In addition to working with Billiken student-athletes, Hornett designed, managed and equipped Saint Louis’ weight-training facility and led the sports nutrition staff.

“I am excited to be joining a university with such strong sense of community, culture, and competitiveness,” Hornett said. “I would like to thank Chris Casola and coach McKay for giving me the opportunity to help develop student-athletes at Liberty University.”

Prior to joining the Billikens, Hornett spent one year as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Golden State Warriors. That followed a three-year tenure at Virginia, where he was assistant strength and conditioning coach for the basketball programs. Hornett also served two years as head performance specialist for EXOS/Air Force Special Operations, one year as head strength and conditioning coach at Indiana University Health Sports Performance and two years as a strength and conditioning intern coach with the Indiana Pacers.

Hornett earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Sports Performance, Physical Education and Health at Marian University in Indianapolis, and he is pursuing a master’s degree in High-Performance Sport at Australian Catholic University in Melbourne. He is certified as a strength and conditioning coach by the National Strength & Conditioning Association, as a performance enhancement specialist by the National Academy of Sports Medicine and at FMS Level 1 by Functional Movement. Hornett also has published two articles in the Journal of Strength & Conditioning.