As new Georgia basketball coach Mike White continues his task of rebuilding the Bulldogs’ basketball program, another important piece to the puzzle was added Thursday afternoon.
Former Mississippi State and Florida basketball strength coach Collin Crane has been hired to be White’s “Director of Athletic Performance."
“We are extremely excited to welcome coach Collin Crane and his family to Athens and to be part of the Bulldog Nation,” Georgia Strength and Conditioning Director Katrin Koch said in a statement. “Throughout the interview process, it became apparent that Coach Crane is not just a technically proficient and multitalented strength and conditioning coach, he also challenges and empowers his student-athletes to be better leaders and teammates, not only in the weight room but on the court as well. I know Coach Crane is not only going to be a great fit for Coach Mike White and his program, but also with our entire staff in the weight room. We are excited to get to work with him.”
Crane coached the past five years with former Mississippi State head coach Ben Howland. He had also been an assistant strength and conditioning coach for Florida under Billy Donovan from 2012-2014. Three Mississippi State players during Crane’s tenure were on NBA rosters during the 2021-22 season—Reggie Perry (Portland Trail Blazers), Quinndary Weatherspoon (Golden State Warriors), and Robert Woodard II (San Antonio Spurs).
Crane’s duties will not just include making sure the Bulldogs are in peak physical shape. They will go much deeper than that.
Crane was one of the first strength coaches to partner with Mississippi State’s Athlete Engineering Program. The multidisciplinary research collaboration between the university’s academic and athletic departments explores human performance, processes, and analysis. Since the initiative started, Crane has co-authored multiple peer-reviewed studies on various topics which include force plate analysis and wearable technology in addition to basketball shoe design and assessment.
A firm believer in video, strength and diet analysis, Crane is a certified specialist by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) and the Collegiate Strength and Conditioning Coaches Association (CSCCA). In addition, he also is fully trained and certified in the Biosignature Modulation Level I program, an integrated system to track an athlete's body composition and nutritional needs.
“I would like to thank the University of Georgia administration and Coach White for the opportunity to join the men’s basketball program,” Crane said. “I think Coach White is one of the best leaders in all of college basketball. He has a great vision for the future, and I look forward to helping build the program up to its full potential. I will work relentlessly to develop our student-athletes both mentally and physically as we prepare to compete at the highest level.”
Former Bulldog basketball strength coach Sean Hayes will remain at the University, where he will work with the women’s volleyball team and another sport to be assigned later.
In other Bulldog basketball news:
Jaxon Etter finally made it official Wednesday that he’s returning to the Bulldog basketball program after placing his name into the NCAA transfer portal.
As of today, it’s unclear if Etter is on scholarship. But according to sources, Georgia is still “actively recruiting” to fill its remaining two available scholarships.
Etter started 22 games for the Bulldogs last season, averaging 5.1 points and 2.1 rebounds per game.
