Eric Engelken came to Vanderbilt as assistant strength and conditioning coach for the Commodore track and field and cross country teams in August 2024.

He was assistant strength and conditioning coach at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps the previous three years, where he worked with the school’s men’s basketball and water polo, softball, women’s golf, and men’s and women’s soccer, track and field and diving teams.

Engelken was at South Dakota Mines for three seasons before that, beginning as assistant strength and conditioning coach before earning a promotion to director of strength and conditioning in February 2019. He also completed internships at Kansas and Florida International while working toward his master’s degree.

Originally from Topeka, Kansas, Engelken lettered in soccer at Graceland (Iowa) before earning a degree in wellness program management in 2013, and he added a master’s degree in exercise science from Kansas in 2016. He holds certifications from the National Strength and Conditioning Association, U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association and the American Red Cross Association.